Refrigerator is an essential appliance which is used to preserve our foods in cold temperature.
We are familiar with a workable refrigerator. After all, it’s fun to open the door and grab the chocolate cake or leave your half-eaten dinner for tomorrow’s breakfast!
Think about a clumsy day, on which you return home from the office, open your fridge-door to have a glass of lemonade, and find the refrigerator to be out of order!!
Actually, a refrigerator breakdown is an unexpected mess that you may get into.
If you are facing a refrigerator breakdown, you can always do some preliminary check by yourself before calling a technician or service company like Refrigerator Repair Irving.
That’s why I have made a guide describing what to do when the refrigerator breaks.
Experts Solution Regarding Refrigerator Breakdown
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Check the Power Outlet
At first, unplug the refrigerator from the outlet and plug your phone charger or any small appliance which is in the good working condition into the same slot.
If the phone charger works well, then you’ll be sure that the problem is with the refrigerator.
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Check Out the Main Unit
Now is the time to dive inside the fridge. It will be easier if you have the instruction manual of the refrigerator. If you lose it, try to find the manual on the internet by searching with the correct model number.
Start by checking how dirty its cooling components are. Refrigerators usually have cooling coils and a fan that require at least semi-regular cleaning to function smoothly.
If your refrigerator doesn’t run smoothly after cleaning these items, then maybe it needs repairing.
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Checking the Motor
Pull the unit away from the wall; listen for the sound of its motor. If you hear the motor running and inside part of the refrigerator seems considerably warmer, then probably there are some internal problems.
You better contact with the manufacturer. As soon as you realize there is something wrong with your refrigerator, try to keep the door closed as much as possible to prevent the escaping of the cool air.
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Test the Cold Control Unit
There are some familiar refrigerator problems that we have to deal with.
For example: If the refrigerator is not cold enough, check the cold control. It should be set to COLD. Listen to the sound of the fan. A running fan means both the defrost timer & the cold control are set to COOL.
The condenser coils need cleaning, if something is blocking the cold airflow inside the refrigerator or if the cold control is set too cold.
Low refrigerant or a fault in the defrost heater, defrost timer or a defrost terminator may also cause this problem. Try turning the cold control both up and down.
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Check the Compressor
Usually, it is located behind or beneath the refrigerator. Listen to the compressor fan.
Generally, both the refrigerator fan and compressor fan operate at the same time. If one of the fans is not working or the compressor is off, then this could be your problem.
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Clean the Fridge
Washing the inside part of the refrigerator can solve your problem. Unplug it and wash the refrigerator with soap & water, later clean it with a solution of 1/2 cup of baking soda dissolved in water. Also, clean the drip tray (if there is any).
Check the drain tube under the evaporator coil & make sure that it is not pugged. The drain tube goes to a pan underneath; water should drip into the pan during the defrosting of the refrigerator.
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Check the Temperature Sensor
The refrigerator generally maintains 36-40 degrees F in the refrigerator box and 0-5 degrees F in the freezer box.
If the food kept in the refrigerator compartment freezes even when the cold control is set at the lowest, then most likely the problem is with the refrigerator temperature sensor.
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Watch Out the Door
If the refrigerator runs constantly, it means that it tries to cool but can’t get the cooling done effectively. Generally, it happens when the door is being left open frequently or not seal against the refrigerator box properly.
If the fridge-door does not close properly, you may need to adjust/replace the door gasket and it can bring your fridge back to the normal stage again.
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Taking Care of Your Foods
While going through all the details about repairing & maintenance, probably you are now asking yourself – What to do with the foods that I kept in the refrigerator?
Well, the good news is that a refrigerator without power can keep the food safe for about 4 hours. This will buy you some time to manage an alternative, for example – an ice-filled cooler.
Frozen food will stay safe to eat for considerably longer, retaining a safe temperature for up to 48 hours in a powerless freezer.
To Sum Up,
Although refrigerators usually function reliably for a long time, they can cause you trouble or even break down sometimes.
To keep your refrigerator in good working condition, you should clean the condenser coil at least once a year.
Also, now you can do some troubleshooting & repairing by yourself as you know what to do when the refrigerator breaks and at the same, it will save you some time, money and hassle.
