Refrigerators are some of the most important appliances in our homes. They not only keep perishable items fresh, but they have also made our lives easier. Imagine not having somewhere to cool your favorite beverage for your hot summer afternoons. Your life can be hectic, right?
With that said, it’s important to understand that refrigerators can break down without any warning. However, your fridge will show you some signs before going out completely. Statistics show that a typical home refrigerator is opened an average of 38 times every day. That means you have every opportunity to know its status. So, let’s look at the top 5 signs that your fridge is going out.
Excess condensation
Now, if your fridge has some notable signs of sweating, this is a clear sign of condensation. While you might be tempted to ignore this sign, it might be more serious than you think. It can cause mold growth, and this is very dangerous to the contents in your fridge. If you didn’t know, it’s one of the leading causes of food poisoning.
Condensation can be because of a problem with the mechanics of your fridge or it can be because of a faulty rubber seal. With time, the rubber seal can accumulate tears and cracks, thus causing cold air to escape when you shut the door. Although replacing the rubber seal is something you can do, it’s a good thing to hire a trained technician to do the job.
The motor is becoming very hot
The feeling of warm temperature when you place your hand on the back of your fridge is a normal thing. However, if you notice excess heat, it’s a sign that there’s something wrong with your refrigerator. Typically, the coils behind your refrigerator come with insulation, and this is what prevents you from feeling excess heat when you touch the fridge.
So, if you notice this with your fridge, you should contact a technician to check the coils. Replacing the coils could be one option to consider, depending on the condition of the fridge, as well as the issue at hand. However, you might need to consider replacing your fridge, especially if it’s on its last legs.
Your food keeps on spoiling
If you notice that the food in your refrigerator tends to spoil sooner than it should, that’s an indication that the refrigerator has a problem. Before contacting an appliance repair technician, you will need to do some troubleshooting to check if this is a problem you can solve. Also, you need to check the expiration dates. See if the contents in your fridge keep on spoiling before the expiration dates, as this will give you more insights into the problem.
Also, check the temperature settings in your fridge. According to the FDA, you should always make sure that the temperature of your fridge should be at or below 4 degrees C or 40 degrees F. Therefore if the temperature settings seem OK, and you are cautious with how you store food, the problem could be with the fridge.
Ice buildup on the freezer compartment
When you open your freezer, does it give you a good impression of Antarctica? If you notice that there’s an ice buildup in your freezer, there’s a chance that your refrigerator is not controlling the temperatures efficiently. Now, this is something that you can fix without the need of calling a technician.
To start with, plan to eat all the food in the freezer compartment, and defrost it afterward. If your freezer doesn’t have a defrost button, turn it off, and keep the freezer door open. However, don’t open the fridge door to prevent the contents inside the compartment from spoiling. You can use a hairdryer or place a bowl with hot water inside the freezer to melt the ice.
Once the ice melts, clean the freezer and then turn the fridge back on. Monitor the freezer for the next week to see if ice starts to build up again. If that happens, contact an appliance repair technician to inspect your fridge.
Your fridge is old
Just like all other appliances, your refrigerator’s life expectancy. Now, when your fridge nears its life expectancy, you will start noticing some signs that it needs repair. This is how appliance manufacturers make money. Some components of your fridge will start to wear out as it reaches the end of its lifespan, and the fridge will start breaking down frequently. So, no matter how careful you are when it comes to maintaining your fridge, it will eventually reach its expiration date.
According to Hartman’s Jacksonville appliance repair, the average life expectancy of a fridge falls between 10 – 20 years. However, the older your fridge gets, the more repairs it will need, and this can be very costly. Therefore, if you have an old refrigerator, you should let an appliance repair technician inspect it and assess whether you need to replace or repair it.