Is it normal for the back of a fridge to have ice and rust through the metal?

That's a textbook case of insulation failure around the suction line, and if I had to guess, you're probably looking at an older Frigidaire or Electrolux unit. What's happening is that the spray foam inside the back wall has either pulled away from the tubing or developed a void during manufacturing. This lets warm, humid room air hit the freezing cold refrigerant lines. The ice builds up, melts during the defrost cycle, and sits against that thin metal back panel til it rots right through. Whether it's a death sentence depends on how much work you want to put into a DIY hack. From a profesional standpoint, most techs will tell you to replace it because there isn't an official, permanent fix once the metal is pitted through. The moisture is now likely deep inside the cabinet's insulation, which can lead to efficiency drops and even mold issues if left alone. But if the fridge is still cooling well, you can probably squeeze another few years out of it. You'll need to shut it down and let it dry out completley—I mean for at least 24 to 48 hours with a fan pointed at the back. Once it's bone dry, sand off the loose rust and treat the metal with a rust reformer. You can then fill the void with **closed-cell spray foam** and cover the whole area with a piece of rigid foam insulation and some heavy-duty foil tape to create a new vapor barrier.

It won't look pretty, but it stops the air infiltration. If you see the rust starting to bubble on the inside of the fridge liner, though, then it's definitely time to go shopping. At that point, the structural integrity is gone and you’re just wasting electricity trying to keep a sieve cold.

Seen this a hundred times on those 90s units. Back in the day, we'd just slap some automotive body filler over the pitted metal after a good scrubbing with a wire brush. If you've got a hole all the way thru, you're fighting a losing battle with the compressor running 24/7. My rule of thumb is the 'thumb test'—if you can push your thumb through that rusted casing like it's wet cardboard, she’s headed for the scrap heap. Don't waste your weekend on a patch job if the compressor is already sounding sluggish.

Honestly, if you're seeing rust pitting trough, your power bill's probably taking a massive hit anyway. I'd just cut my losses. Once that moisture gets into the insulation, it's like a wet sponge that'll never dry out properly. You're basially paying to cool the whole kitchen through those holes. I'd go shopping before the compressor just gives up the ghost. It's not worth the headache or the wierd mold smell that's gonna start creeping into your ice cubes soon. Once they start rotting from the inside, they're pretty much toast.

Whoa, I had no idea the back of a fridge coud actualy rot like that! I just joined the group because I'm obsessed with my new apartment's kitchen, and now I’m terrified to look behind my own unit. If I see any rust, I’m totally trying that spray foam fix though! Quick question for the experts—does the age of these older models usually affect how the ice tastes? My current freezer makes cubes that taste exactly like a dusty basement and I can’t figure out if it’s the plastic tray or just the vintage vibe of the machine!

That 'wet sponge' analogy relly freaks me out. I honestly don't know much about repairs, so the idea of spraying foam into a fridge sounds pretty intimidating. Is it actualy safe to put that stuff right against the electrical lines the original poster mentioned? I'd be terrified of it melting or causing a short circuit if I did it wrong. Also, when you go to the hardware store, how do you even tell the difference between 'closed-cell' foam and the regular kind? I'm worried I'd just pick up the first can I see and make the whole situation way worse.

Update: Scrubbing the rust off like one of you suggested relly helped me see the extent of the damage, but it’s definately a hole all the way through. The 'wet sponge' comment was spot on; that insulation is soaked. If I try that automotive filler trick, is it even posible to dry the inside out first, or is the unit just toast?