QUICK FIX FOR FRIDGE PROBLEMS

Our refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in our home. Since our food is stored in it, it definitely saves us from trips going to the grocery. But like all other appliances in the home, our fridge also goes through wear and tear. Your refrigerator has a lifespan of 7-8 years. Some problems can only be solved by professional technicians and some can actually have quick remedies and solutions.

Here are some fast solutions to guide you in cases where your fridge encounters some problems.

1. Leaking water

This is one of the most common fridge problems out there. One morning and you’re walking in the kitchen ang suddenly slipping on a puddle of water coming from your fridge. There are two reasons why you have leaking water;

1. Clogged defrost drain - those debris, dust and food bits that get stuck in the drain hose can clog it and over time ice builds up on that area and you end up with a water puddle.

Quick fix: Clean up the drain from the inside of your refrigerator with hot water. You can also use a pipe cleaner to push out the dirt. You can also manually remove the debris by pulling the appliance out and cleaning the rubber check valve (located on the back service panel), then remove the dirt with soap and warm water, let it dry and put the valve back.

1. Frozen water supply- this is a very common problem and prevention is the best fix.

Quick Fix: Unplug your fridge first from the power source. Make sure your valve is completely closed and check the plastic supply line for leaks and clogs. There are cases that there’s a tear in the plastic supply and you’ll have to replace it. If everything is okay but there’s still leaking, your fridge might have an ice blockage and you’ll need to keep your fridge unplugged for a while to let the ice melt. Clean it dry then you can plug your fridge again.

2. Your fridge is not cooling

If you notice that your food is spoiling faster and you feel that your fridge is not cool enough there are some reasons behind it.

1. Lack of power supply- check if you accidentally unplugged your fridge and plug it back in.

2. Changed temperature setting - check your thermostat and set it in the right temperature. There are cases where bumping in it changes the temperature of your fridge and you end up with a warm bottle of soda.

3. Your freezer is not cooling

There are cases where your fridge is okay but the freezer isn’t. There are some reasons behind it as well:

1. Broken temperature sensor- this is also called the thermistor and it is used to detect temperature in the air inside your fridge. If it’s having some problems, the temperature inside your fridge will be affected.

Quick Fix: sadly, there’s none but to have it replaced.

1. Defrost system problems- fridge nowadays have an automatic defrost system to frost off the evaporator coils every 8 hours and maintain the evaporator’s air path clear. But if it’s non-functional, ice would start to form around the evaporator and back freezer compartment wall- this results in a non-functioning freezer.

Quick Fix: You’ll be needing an expert technician to fix this problem.

There are other problems that you might encounter but these are the common ones. Pay attention to how your refrigerator functions. There’s no harm in getting help from a pro, come to think of it,at least you’ll be getting a thorough check on your fridge.

References:

1. https://www.ajmadison.com/learn/common-refrigerator-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/

2. https://atechappliance.com/blog/common-refrigerator-problems/