About Refrigerator Repair
There is no one-size exemplifies all when it comes to refrigerator repair, because there are so many different types of refrigerators and each will have its unique problems. The side-by-side with freezer in the bottom, and ice maker-water dispenser in the door, often has problems with the water-feed to the refrigerator. They are marvels of technology and when it gets technical, you have to call a repairman.
Types of Refrigerators
- Compact
- Counter-Depth
- French Door
- Side-by-side
- Top Freezer
- Bottom Freezer
- Wine Refrigerator
Problems
- Refrigerator will not cool or the compressor is constantly coming on.
- The compressor seems normal but the refrigerator isn’t keeping food cold, or it’s freezing the contents in the refrigerator portion.
- The refrigerator will not defrost or the light won’t shut off.
- The refrigerator makes noises.
Basic Maintenance
Clean coils regularly. Clean out leftovers or spoiled food weekly and make sure nothing is blocking the airflow to the refrigerator. You can apply a light coating of Vaseline to the seals on your doors to keep them spongy and keep the top cleaned off.
Home Repairs
Some problems are easily fixed. If the refrigerator is full of food, the compressor will run more often. The compressor will come on more often when the door is opened constantly or the temperature in the room is hot. Dripping occurs when the drain is plugged.
When a refrigerator is not cooling but the compressor seems to run normally, the refrigerator settings may be wrong, coils may be dirty or in the rare case, the seal—rubber stripping around the door—is gone.
Adjusting the thermostat and advancing the defroster’s timer can resolve some issues in defrosting the refrigerator. On an older refrigerator, you can test the light switch and might be able to fix it yourself; however, on the newer refrigerators with optic light displays you have to have a repairman do the job.
A refrigerator that makes noise may have a loose part, or could be unleveled. You should check the obvious parts and level the refrigerator before calling a repairman.
Professional Repairs
Aside from the optic lights inside the refrigerator, most new refrigerators have computer displays on the doors and require the expertise of a tech to repair them. Replacing freon is for the professionals, only. Make sure that you give the make, model and type of your refrigerator to the repair service so that they know what they’re dealing with.