FAQs About Refrigerators
Introduction
If you’ve ever fixed your refrigerator, you may think that you know everything about it. However, when things go really wrong, you have to search for “refrigerator repair near me” and hire a professional to fix your fridge. Let’s check out a few frequently asked questions about refrigerators and try to answer them.
The FAQs
1. Why does the refrigerator door not close properly? – There are several reasons why your refrigerator door may not be closing properly. You may have food bins or shelves that are not placed or installed correctly. Installing or placing them correctly removes them out of the way so that the door can close. Other times, you may have a refrigerator that is not leveled properly. In that case, the refrigerator would also be a bit unstable and wobbly. To fix that, you can use the adjustable feet of the refrigerator or buy a few refrigerator leveling accessories.
2. Are refrigerators supposed to make sounds? – Refrigerators do make some sound even when they are operating normally. The songs include popping, hissing, whirring, buzzing, gurgling, thumping, and more such sounds that are not too loud and occur occasionally. These sounds are caused by water dispensers, compressors, evaporator fans, and more such refrigerator components.
Refrigerators are made for optimal performance and operate their components to circulate cool air till the desired temperature is reached. After that, the refrigerator shuts down most of its components and turns them on when the temperature rises. That’s why your refrigerator should stay silent for most of the day with occasional sounds. Those sounds should be temporary and shouldn’t be too loud. If your refrigerator is making loud noises throughout the day, then it’s a cause for alarm.
3. Can I buy an extended warranty after buying the refrigerator? – In most cases, companies offer to sell you extended warranties for their products only during the purchase. If you want to buy extended warranties one week or a month after buying a refrigerator, you need to go to third-party insurers. However, there may be exceptions in some cases. Either way, you need to understand that extended warranties are insurance policies and companies sell them since the product makes them money.
Extended warranties may seem like a bargain when compared to the repair and replacement cost of components of the fridge down the line. However, companies know their own product and use probability metrics, the average cost of repairs, and many other factors to figure out how much they should charge for the extended warranty so that it makes money. In most cases, you don’t need that coverage.
4. Is moisture buildup inside the refrigerator normal? – Some amount of moisture build-up inside the refrigerator is very normal. Every time you open the refrigerator door to take things out or put food back in, you feed it moist and warm air. However, if the moisture build-up is excessive, it’s a reason for concern.
If your refrigerator has too much moisture, you’re probably keeping the doors open or something is blocking the refrigerator air vents. Make sure that you close the doors properly and rearrange the things inside your refrigerator so that they don’t block any of the air vents that are circulating cool air.
5. How cold should my refrigerator be? – The ideal temperature for refrigerators is usually around 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, food doesn’t freeze and stays preserved. The FDA recommends you maintain temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the germs and prevent biological activity from rotting the food. The FDA also recommends that you maintain the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit to keep meat, fish, and other easily perishable items safe for consumption.
6. Does my refrigerator need annual maintenance? – Your refrigerators are complex household appliances and like any other appliance, they need annual maintenance. This keeps the refrigerator energy efficient and also helps to extend its life. Moreover, you don’t need to get a certified technician from the refrigerator maker for that purpose.
Instead, you can do basic annual maintenance yourself. Just unplug the refrigerator and pull it away from the wall. Clean the coils at the back so that the coolant can release heat efficiently. Check the water filters and replace them if necessary. Check the temperature and make sure it’s set right. Level out the refrigerator if needed. Clean the refrigerator inside and out and finally, check and replace the door gasket if necessary.
7. Why is my refrigerator leaking water? – If your refrigerator is leaking water, it’s a cause for concern. The causes may range from a blocked defrost drain and blocked water line to an uneven fridge. For the uneven fridge, you already know how to get it leveled. For those other reasons, you’ll need to disassemble the fridge, check the water line or defrost pipe for leaks and blockages caused by food debris or mineral deposits and clean them out or replace them. If you’re not comfortable with refrigerator disassembly, you may hire a professional for the job.
8. Why is there water in the defrost drain pan? – As the name suggests, the defrost drain pan collects water from the defrost pipe to keep your refrigerator dry and functioning properly. If you find it filled with water, the refrigerator is either defrosting or the surroundings have high humidity.
This is very normal and the defrost pan is deep and broad enough to let it evaporate naturally. So, you don’t need to do anything. Just make sure to clean the pan once in a while to keep it free from germs that love a dark and humid place. Otherwise, you can keep a towel around the pan if you’re worried about it overflowing on the floor.
Conclusion
You may know a thing or two about how a refrigerator works and how to swap out some of its components. However, there’s always more to learn and the above–mentioned FAQs prove that. On the other hand, if your refrigerator breaks down and refuses to work, you can search for “refrigerator repair near me” and hire a technician to fix it for you.