Easy Refrigerator Troubleshooting
Is your refrigerator not working correctly? Our expert technicians have created a list of easy DIY refrigerator troubleshooting and repair tips for you. We’ll teach you how to diagnose your refrigerator for different issues you may face like refrigerator noises, not cooling correctly, water leakage, frost build-up, and more!
Unexpected refrigerator repairs can be a nightmare. Although refrigerators are made to function dependably, they can be subject to many common fridge problems. Troubleshooting a refrigerator yourself can be tricky so you may be better off contacting us for a refrigerator repair. You can, however, perform some simple refrigerator diagnosing and repairs to save yourself some money.
Dirty Refrigerator Condenser Coils
Let’s start with the easiest way to maintain your refrigerator; cleaning the condenser coils. An easy way to clean refrigerator condenser coils is to use a bottle of canned air and a vacuum. Simply stick the nozzle of your canned air into the coils of the condenser while you vacuum the loose debris. Always wear a mask and safety goggles to protect yourself from the dust. Doing this simple cleaning once a year will lengthen the life of your refrigerator.
Refrigerator Keeps Running
When your refrigerator constantly runs, it means that it is trying to cool your food but can’t get to the set temperature. Some common issues as to why this happens can be due to dirty condenser coils, the fridge door is frequently open, the temperature setting is too cold, the door gasket is not sealing properly, or something is blocking the flow of cold air.
Here’s a guide to an easy troubleshooting method for this symptom:
- Check if the refrigerator is being cooled – If your refrigerator is frost-free even in the lowest setting, it can mean that your refrigerant level is good but your thermostat may be out of calibration or faulty.
- Try changing the temperature setting – If you change the temperature setting to the highest level and the compressor does not shut off, your cold control may be broken.
- Inspect the condenser coils – Dirty coils make it harder for your fridge to dissipate heat causing it to have a harder time to fully cool.
- Check if the drain tube isn’t clogged – Water flows to this pan when the refrigerator is defrosting. If no water is falling, you may have a clogged drain tube.
- Inspecting your cooling coils – If your cooling coils are completely frozen over, you can unplug your unit, remove the food from the freezer, and defrost it with a hairdryer or heat gun. Frozen cooling coils lower the efficiency of your refrigerator causing it to run constantly.
Refrigerator Won’t Cool or is Too Cold
This issue poses a big threat to every family because of the cost of replacing your food if you can’t get your refrigerator running again. Refrigerators should maintain a temperature of 36 to 40 degrees F ( 2 to 5 degrees Celsius). If your refrigerator freezes your food, the likely issue is a defective cold control or refrigerator temperature sensor.
- Check the temperature control – Check that the temperature is correct for the setting you have placed.
- Listen for fans – Listening to the freezer and compressor fans for when they begin working are good ways to know if they are cooling your food. They will typically work at the same time to cool the contents inside.
Refrigerator Isn’t Working at All
What do you do if your refrigerator won’t work at all? While it may be a number of things wrong with your fridge to keep it from working, start your troubleshooting with the basics.
- Check the electrical connection – Make sure that your fridge is fully plugged into an outlet. You can also check this by noticing if the light in your refrigerator is working when you open the door.
- Check the temperature control setting – Inspect the temperature control setting and verify that it is not in the off position.
- When all else fails, get help – At this point, it can be much too hard to diagnose this problem yourself. Give us a call and we’ll be there fast with our dedicated team of expert technicians.
Refrigerator Door Does Not Seal
If your refrigerator door does not close or seal properly, you may have an issue with the hinges or the gasket. You can try to spray some lube or WD-40 into the door hinge to smooth out the hinge to close properly. Although that may be a temporary fix, you may still need to replace the hinge completely. Check the refrigerator door gasket. If there are any parts of it that are loose, out of place, or ripping/tearing, you may need to replace them.
Refrigerator Light Won’t Turn Off
If your refrigerator light won’t turn off, the most likely culprit is the light switch within the refrigeration unit. If you push the switch down and the light still stays on, you must replace the door switch.
If you tried to perform these easy do-it-yourself refrigerator repairs, but nothing worked, do not worry, we have your back. Whatever symptoms your faulty fridge is showing, at 5 Star Appliance Repair, we’re happy to help. Contact us today if you need your refrigerator or any other appliance fixed!
