If your refrigerator is more than 10 years old, its lifespan could be nearing its end. But with regular maintenance, its lifespan could still be extended further.
Clogged defrost drains can create water and ice accumulation inside of your freezer, leading to water and ice build-up that needs clearing up immediately. You can either tackle this on your own with simple methods or hire professional repairmen for more complex repairs.
1. Faulty Condenser Coil
Refrigerators keep food fresh and delicious, but over time they may develop issues. It is essential that these issues be identified early so they can be repaired before becoming worse.
Refrigerators are designed to keep food cold, so if yours is producing excessive heat it can be disconcerting. Thankfully, however, this issue should be straightforward to address.
Defrost drain tubes run from under your evaporator coils down into a pan below, but can sometimes become blocked with ice that causes dripping water. Regular cleaning will help avoid this happening.
2. Clogged Defrost Drain
If your refrigerator’s freezer or fresh food section has puddles, this could indicate that its defrost drain has become blocked up, but this is usually an easy fix which you can complete yourself.
Locate your defrost drain tube and hole by inspecting your freezer’s bottom back service panel, typically covered by plastic but you may be able to take steps to access it easily if need be. Drain hole is typically located near evaporator on bottom center freezer compartment; inspect regularly for debris or ice accumulations.
3. Faulty Defrost Timer
Refrigerator defrost timers operate based on temperature and initiate a brief heating cycle to melt any frost build-up on its coil. If this component becomes defective, cooling may cease altogether and your refrigerator could start warming quickly. You can also read this article about it here: https://www.cinchhomeservices.com/faq-library/-/faq/samsung-freezer-not-freezing
Electromechanical defrost timers may become inoperable over time due to mechanical breakage or electrical oxidation, so you should periodically test this component of your refrigerator to see if it needs replacing. You can easily test this component yourself to check its functioning.
4. Faulty Thermostat
One of the most infuriating refrigerator problems is one in which its compressor cycles too frequently, leading to food spoilage and increased energy bills.
First, unplug your fridge and examine its thermostat. Make sure its battery isn’t dead; replace if necessary. Next, examine its condenser coils (typically located under the bottom shelf and accessible by taking apart its grill back cover), cleaning them either with a vacuum cleaner or cloth as necessary.
5. Faulty Defrost Sensor
When your refrigerator keeps shutting off and on randomly, it could be due to an issue with its temperature control thermostat or thermistor. These components supply power to compressor and fan motors and could be broken.
Faulty parts cause frost to form over the evaporator coil and make your refrigerator warmer, as air passes from it into the freezer to help it remain cold. A defrost sensor causing a fuse to blow cannot be reset – rather it needs replacing altogether; you can use a multimeter to check continuity within its circuits.
6. Faulty Ice Maker
If the ice mold be filled with ice but the ejector fails to function, check that the metal control arm above the tray hasn’t accidentally shifted into its “off” (up) position while moving things around in your freezer. It’s easy for this mechanism to inadvertently switch itself off when moving items around or placing items next to one another in this space.
If the refrigerator is off, adjust its position so it is on (down). Also make sure the water supply line beneath or behind it hasn’t become kinked or compressed.
Frozen water inlet valves can also prevent water from reaching your ice maker’s fill tube, so professional intervention may be required to safely resolve this issue.
7. Faulty Door Seal
Faulty door seals let warm ambient air into your fridge, increasing the rate of drinks and dairy going bad and further straining its compressor. As such, this also increases compressor wear.
First, check the gasket for signs of cracks or tears; if this seal has been damaged it should be replaced immediately.
If the unit is clean, check to ensure nothing is blocking its seal – such as protruding shelves or pot and pan handles – that could obstruct its performance. A simple way to resolve this would be applying silicone grease or petroleum jelly over its seal to restore functionality.
8. Faulty Ice Chute
Your refrigerator’s freezer section is designed to circulate cold air between it and its fresh food compartment, but any disruption in this flow could lead to its freezing up, potentially impacting fresh foods as well.
One solution may be to clean out your refrigerator’s ice chute. Carefully inspect for large chunks that might be blocking its passage, and break them up using a washcloth and hot water. As an alternative solution, you could place a pan beneath the chute to catch any melting ice that may cause leakage issues.
9. Faulty Door Lock
Over time, door locks may loosen and require adjustment. Sometimes WD-40 or tightening the screw may do the trick, but if that doesn’t do the trick then replacing may be required.
An improper door seal can contribute to ice formation and moisture accumulation in your freezer, leading to build-up and moisture. When testing with a dollar bill, make sure the seal doesn’t slip easily – otherwise adjust or replace its gasket immediately.
10. Faulty Door Switch
Interior lights don’t typically impact refrigerator operation, but if they fail to illuminate when opening the fridge door, this could indicate an issue with one of its switches. Switches may become clogged up with grime over time – cleaning with damp cloth should restore them back to full function. A multimeter (volt/ohm meter) can also help confirm continuity.
Before replacing your switch, ensure nothing is blocking it from reaching its proper position. Push back items as necessary until the path becomes clear; if that fails, call in professional help immediately.
