Refrigerators hold great importance to the household in that they keep food for a longer period of time without spoiling and so the appliances are equipped with numerous uses. However, even the best machines will experience certain problems over time. If your fridge isn’t chilling adequately, producing weird sounds or even leaking, then don’t panic! A lot of refrigerator malfunctioning can be diagnosed and resolved without involving a technician.
The purpose of this post is to highlight the most common malfunctions of a refrigerator- compressor and the possibilities of performing repairs on your own at home.
Refrigerator Not Cooling
One of the worst experiences when using a refrigerator is when it stops functioning. This is what every Hoover, esspecially those with Ice Makers, salutes as what they would wish to avoid, Here’s what might be taking place:
Possible Causes:
- Clogged condenser coils
- Defective evaporator fan
- Inaccurate thermostat readings
- Overcrowded refrigerator obstructing proper airflow
DIY Fixes:
- First, clean the condenser coils: The coils are usually situated towards the back or at the bottom of the refrigerator. After prolonged use, the refrigerating coils become dirty due to dust and other small particles and thus the cooling effect reduces. Employing a vacuum cleaner or any other suitable tool will effectively clean the coils.
- Check the evaporator fan: The evaporator fan is also known as the cooling fan. The fridge contains all the cold air inside. If it’s not working, you might need to replace it. There is a fan located behind the back panel, gain access to it and check whether it is damaged.
- Adjust the thermostat: Concentrate and ensure the thermostat settings are the same and haven’t been changed unintentionally. The majority of refrigerators will perform properly under temperatures set to approximately 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius)
- Clear air vents: Assure that the food or the containers are not obstructing the vents as this may hinder the circulation of cold air.
Refrigerator Leaking Water
A leak is another common issue, however sometimes, leaking water in the refrigerator can also be due to other problems, availability of a blocked defrost drain or a water filter that is not working.
Possible Causes:
- Clogged defrost drain
- Correct supper of water filter
- Poor fitting water inlet valve
DIY Fixes:
- Clear the defrost drain: With time, the drain tube which is fitted at the back of the refrigerator gets blocked with food particles or some debris leading to water damage. This is usually clear by sending through a piping hot water and some soap and unclogging the drain.
- Replace or reinstall the water filter: If your fridge is equipped with a built in water filter, ensure it is properly put on and connected. About every 6 months will be safe in terms of clogs and leaks replacement.
- Examine the water inlet valve: It is for maintaining the water supply that feeds the ice maker and the water dispenser. In case of a leak, you will have no choice but to replace the valve.
Some Jarring Noises that are Emitted from the Refrigerator
It’s understandable to be stressed when there are strange sounds issuing from your fridge, although most of the noise is not harmful. Yet, some of these sounds might hint that there is something wrong.
Possible Causes:
- Condenser fan or evaporator fan or both are loose
- Freezer has some ice formation
- Defective compress
DIY Fixes:
- Tighten or replace fans: There could be rattling or squealing, the condensing fan or the evaporator fan could be loose or faulty. Both of the fans need to be checked as well as their housings and all the loose parts, tighten them up or replace the fan if necessary.
- Defrost the freezer: The buzzing or humming sound could result from ice being frozen in the freezer section. Turn of the sr420 and allow the ice to thaw in the receptacle area, Water may have sprayed everywhere.
- Check the compressor: If the machine has abnormal sounds or loud clunks or knocking noises while working, the compressor could be going out. While calling a technician is a normal thing where problems are mostly concerned with compressors, do check if the fridge is positioned at a level and there are no loud objects placed on or around the fridge.
Refrigerator Door Not Closing And Sealing Completely
In the case where the fridge door is always found to be ajar or the problem of sealing is common then that might cause cooling issues and consume excessive energy.
Possible Causes:
- Door gasket is dirty or torn
- Door is out of alignment
DIY Fixes:
- Clear the door gasket: The soft material that sticks around the door (gasket), is often overburdened with dust and dirt within time and that attains the ability of sticking onto surfaces. Warm soap may be useful for this too. The moisture must be completely dried off. This is likely to enhance the sticking ability.
- Examine the gasket condition: Any sign of wear on such a gasket usually means that you have to replace it. You can order most gaskets from a refrigerator maker and they are easy to fit.
- Realign the door: A badly fitted door will significantly affect the ability of that door to close firmly. Tap the door hinges a little to fit back inside the refrigerator, flush with the refrigerator body.
No Ice Is Made
If you are not able to get any ice from the ice maker it is possible that the issue is caused by lack of water to the assignee or blockage in the water line.
Possible Causes:
- Clogged or frozen water line
- Faulty water inlet valve
- Ice maker switch turned off
DIY Fixes:
- Defrost the water line: In some cases, the water supply line gets frozen over. This is not a bad situation as you can defrost the ice from the water line by switching the freezer off and leaving it like that for quite some time. The use of a hair dryer is also an option to hasten the process but to avoid damage to any kind please don’t overheat that area.
- Check the inlet valve: The inlet valve is the one that allows water to flow towards the ice maker. If the valve is defective the water will not reach the ice maker, so there’s no ice. The good news is that the replacement of the valve is not difficult and usually does not require complex tools.
- Turn on the Ice Maker: Ensure that the ice maker switch is in the on position. This is something common where the ice maker is accidentally turned off when getting into the freezer.
Refrigerator Freezing Food
In all probability it is a problem of temperature control, if your refrigerator is freezing your food items.
Possible Causes:
- Thermostat set too low
- Blocked air vents
- Faulty temperature control board
DIY Fixes:
- Adjust the thermostat: The food in the refrigerator must be set to room temperature, around 37 (3) Celsius degrees. If it’s below that value, chances are, food that is placed close to the cooling vents may end up freezing.
- Clear air vents: All the internal air vents inside the fridge must also be checked that they do not have any blockage since these can help in blowing cold air over certain items.
- Check the temperature control board: If adjusting the temperature still does not fix the problem, perhaps the control board itself is defective and will need replacing.
Conclusion: Borderline solutions for most of your refrigerator issues.
It is true that there are some techniques and issues that need the skills of an expert, yet there are several aspects of these techniques that can be solved through techniques in fixing refrigerators. Issues, such as cooling problems, water leaks, abnormal sounds, and ice maker problems can all be fixed without the need of spending lots of money on repairs.
Of course, if you are in an equally, unsure of handling any of these fixes or uncomfortable ideas, contacting a professional appliance repair service is the best way to go, if you want to avoid aggravating the situation. The proper and regular maintenance of the appliance will make it operational for a long time.
