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It’s common for everyone to experience problems with their appliances’ performance. There are various reasons your appliance may be acting up. In this case most of them are connected to your appliances’ age. If your appliance is more than a decade old, it can show some side effects of its performance now and then. These are yours to spot in time and decide what is the best way to deal with them – repair or replace?
Here are tips on what to do if you own a well-aged refrigerator.
Your refrigerator is supposed to be keeping food at a temperature between 35 and 40 degrees. If you sense the temperature is not that low inside of your refrigerator, or feel the warm air coming out, surely there’s some problem with it. Here’s what you can do:
- Try adjusting the refrigerator’s thermostat
- Vacuum the coils behind the refrigerator to enhance its cooling performance
- Check the vents that blow cold air into the refrigerator and unblock them if needed to ensure a good airflow
- Of course, check if your refrigerator is receiving power. The light is supposed to turn on when you open the door
If, after trying these four methods, your fridge is still not functioning properly, there is a chance its condenser fan or evaporator fan could be broken. In this case, the best thing you can do is contact the appliance repair service.
Another common problem, which manifests with the opposite symptoms, is if the temperature inside the refrigerator drops too low. The best thing you can do is to check these few components:
- One of the issues may be a defective thermostat. To check if that’s the problem turn its knob to the highest level. If you hear it click, then the thermostat is fine.
- Another two things that may be causing this issue are the thermistor and the temperature control board. If one of these few parts is malfunctioning they may require a replacement.
Again, age can be an issue with freezers too. One of the common side effects shown in the performance of freezers is the buildup of frost. If you’re experiencing this problem, make sure to check your freezer’s door seal. If broken, the seal lets warm and moist air inside the freezer which is the source of the problem. If the seal is okay, there may be something else wrong with your freezer that’s going to require the help of a professional.
The convenience that often comes with the modern models of refrigerators is the ice makers. If it stops producing ice, here are things to check:
- Shut off the valve to the household water supply before you start troubleshooting.
- Pull the fridge away from the wall and look for any kinks or tears in the water supply line.
- Make sure the water inlet valve is open.
- Check the water filter for debris and replace it if necessary.
If the water inlet valve isn’t to blame, one of the ice-making mechanisms could be malfunctioning. Let a professional handle this more in-depth repair.
