Aren’t you glad to live in a time where we don’t have to drench our foods in salt to keep them fresh?
Perhaps you’re not particularly over the moon about it. After all, your hardworking refrigerator seems to have run into a problem. But worry not, as the solution might be simpler (and more affordable) than you think.
Let’s figure out what’s causing the affliction by taking a look at the most common refrigerator problems and their solutions.
Water Leaks
Easily the most widespread issue, it should come as no surprise that there isn’t a single cause for water leaks. Fortunately, the two most common ones are a quick and simple fix.
The first is due to a clogged defrost drain (located at the back wall of the freezer), which can be cleaned out with warm water. If your cleansing is to no avail, there might be built-up debris in the valve at the end of the drain hose. Removing the rubber valve caps and cleaning them with water and soap should do the trick.
The other issue lies in the water supply line, which can be broken or torn. In this case, you’ll have to replace it or shut it off. The latter solution will stop the ice or water dispenser from working.
Improper Cycling
A noisy fridge consumes more energy, which means more unnecessary bills. This is usually caused by a unit that cycles too often. Located beneath the grill on the bottom side of your fridge are condenser coils, which can be cleaned with a small vacuum. If this doesn’t solve the cycling issue, then it could be due to you setting the temperature too low.
Granted, it might not be your fault as the control panel could be displaying the wrong information. That also includes the filter change light, which can be returning a false positive. This guide on how to reset fridge filter light can help.
Wrong Freezer Temperature
Freezer not freezing? If your food is spoiling faster than usual, start by checking the back area of the freezer compartment. If it’s adequately cold, then listen or feel for airflow from the evaporator fan, as it might not be functioning. A working evaporator fan will bring you to the next possible culprit, which is the compressor.
There could be dust preventing air from flowing across the condenser coils, which you can clean off as mentioned in the above problem. If they’re already clean, then you might have to add a new freezer to your wish-list.
Warm Fresh Food Compartment
A fresh food compartment that isn’t sufficiently cooled is often the result of poor airflow.
Check out the diffuser at the back of the compartment in question, as the air duct might be clogged with ice. If you only hear a low humming noise or none at all, your fridge likely requires a new evaporator fan motor.
Hopefully, the above solutions will help you get your fridge back into working order. If that doesn’t prove to be the case, then your next best bet is a technician.
