Keep the bad out with good refrigerator maintenance

Keep the bad out with good refrigerator maintenance

Prevent internal component failures with good yearly refrigerator maintenance. It’s important to keep your refrigerator cool and efficient. This prevents bad spoiled food and costly repairs down the road. The good news is that dirty condenser coils on a refrigerator are easily and quickly remedied. The bad news is you risk the expense of a high-priced compressor failure should you allow the coils to become excessively clogged with dust, dirt and other airborne particles. One of the main components of any refrigeration or air conditioning system is the condenser. Clogged condenser coils can produce poor circulation of air, restricting your fridge’s ability to keep cool. Dirty or blocked condensers are one of the most frequent service problems in refrigeration and summer appliance repair fields today. We offer simple maintenance steps to keep your fridge running in great shape. Forget about spoiled food, you too can have a trouble-free refrigerator. Clean the condenser coils twice a year or more often if you have shedding pets or a dusty home. The job of the condenser coils is to cool and condense the refrigerant. When the coils are clogged with dirt and dust, they can't efficiently release heat. The result is your compressor works harder and longer than it was designed to, using more energy and shortening the life of your fridge. Some refrigerator manufacturers place them on the back of the unit, where they are quite easy to reach, while others locate them beneath the unit, which makes them harder to get at but still worth the effort. If it's been a year or longer since you cleaned them and brushed them down, it's a safe bet that it's time to do so.

Some steps can be taken by the average person to clean the condenser coil, but to get the job done thoroughly and to get the best results it will most likely take a professional service technician. To clean the inside of the condenser coil and make sure that it is free of obstruction, it will require the skills and equipment of a appliance repair service man. Getting an annual inspection and cleaning will ensure the efficient operation of the unit and it will help to guarantee that the unit has a long operating life.

Disconnect the refrigerator from the power before removing the toe grill (consult your owner’s manual to see if your toe grill can be pulled straight off without any additional steps). Using a coil brush, push the tool into the condenser coils and knock off the dust that has collected there. You can then vacuum up the dust and reinstall the toe grill.

Refrigerators sometimes keep food too cold so that it freezes. This may be because you set the thermometer too low or it could indicate that the coils on the condenser coils on the outside of the appliance are dusty. It may also be a problem that requires professional repair.

According to the FDA, a refrigerator’s temperature should be set to 40°F or lower, while the temperature of a freezer should be at 0°F.

A warm refrigerator isn’t always an obvious fix. There are a number of different things that could be causing the issue. Malfunctioning parts can be tricky, especially when you have to discern which part is causing the problem. It may be best to contact a professional appliance repair technician with Mr. Fix-It to keep your refrigerator in good repair.

More refrigerator repair tips

Here is a tip to prevent an expensive gasket repair bill ($100 to $200) and cut down air leaks by keeping your door gasket clean. Syrup, jelly or any other sticky stuff dripping down the front sides of your refrigerator can dry and glue the gasket to the frame. Wipe down the door gasket frequently with warm soapy water to prevent build up of food particles and debris. Apply a small amount mineral oil on the gasket to help assist it from sticking to the door frame and prevent it from cracking or tearing.

If your fridge isn’t up-to-snuff and isn’t cooling or preserving your food, our helpful technicians at Mr. Fix-It Handyman Service can help you diagnose your potential problem, walk you through the repair steps, and explain when you should step back and let a professional handle it. Call us today for your refrigerator repair.