Whether you have a new fridge to help bring some improvement to your kitchen or you’ve simply noticed that yours is acting a touch strange, you want to make sure that it’s working as it should be. After all, your family’s next few dinners could depend on it. For that reason, we’re going to take a closer look at your fridge, the common problems that can affect it, and what you can do about it.
It’s not cold
This is the most obvious problem and, sometimes, it’s nothing to do with the actual cooling element. The first thing you should check is your thermostat, making sure that it’s adjusted to its ideal temperature, which is typically around 7 degrees. If the thermostat is broken, you may need to have it replaced. Otherwise, make sure that the door is closing and sealing properly.
It’s always humming
The humming of your refrigerator is not an uncommon thing. This means that it’s cycling, running the cooling component through to keep the temperature low. However, it shouldn’t be doing this all the time. It’s not good for the condenser coils or your energy bills. Cleaning your fridge carefully, especially getting rid of dust or debris around those coils, may help. Otherwise, the temperature might be too low, forcing it to cycle more often.
Water leaking from beneath it
It’s a very unpleasant sensation to step into the kitchen in your socks, only to find yourself stepping in a pool of fridge water. This isn’t a sign that everything is defrosting and getting too warm. It can happen even if your fridge is still cooling properly, but there is quite a wide range of potential causes so here’s how to fix a fridge that’s leaking water. A closer inspection with this guide can help you find the likely cause.
Freezer getting stuck due to frost
If you’re trying to move trays in or out of the freezer, you might find that frost has built up, causing things to get stuck and require some force to free. This can even lead to breakages of plastic components if you need to use too much force. Usually, a cracked door seal is a cause, letting moisture into the freezer. Otherwise, it could be a problem with the defrost sensor, which can be fixed with the help of a professional.
The light isn’t working
It’s a common problem but a very simple one. In most cases, the light simply needs to be replaced. Most fridges use screw-in bulbs that you can find anywhere. Just make sure that you know the right replacement bulb that you need for the fridge, as some of them do use proprietary types you have to get from the manufacturer.
Sometimes, problems with the fridge are mechanical or have to do with the components at all, but they need just a little more cleaning and care. Other times, you might need to replace the thing entirely. When in doubt, have a professional inspect it to make sure that you’re not throwing out a perfectly good fridge.
