The American home shields network reports that three in every five service calls are to fix bad DIY refrigerator repairs. The reasons why the calls are too high is because most of the homeowners don’t understand refrigerator problems.

What are the common refrigerator problems?

Just like other units in the kitchen, refrigerators develop a wide range of problems that come about due to many reasons. The most common problems are:

Failure of the refrigerator to cool properly: The refrigerator is supposed to cool food at the temperature that you set it at. If it isn’t, you have a reason to worry. The fridge will fail to cool food as expected due to a problem with the freezer setting, obstruction of the vents, malfunctioning door seals, or failure of the internal components.

Water leaking from the fridge: A properly function fridge shouldn’t leak; therefore, when you see water leaking, there is something wrong with the unit. Water will leak from the unit due to dirty drain pan and tube, improperly alignment of the fridge, or ill-fitted water filters.

Failure of the ice maker to make ice: The purpose of the ice maker is to make ice; therefore, when it’s not making the ice, it isn’t doing its work. The ice maker will fail to make ice when the freezer temperature is too high, you have a faulty inlet valve, the icemaker is improperly assembled, or the icemaker module has failed.

Over freezing of the freezer: In some cases, you will find the freezer over freezing to the extent that there is frost collection. This happens when you have a malfunctioning gasket, bad thermostat, or sensor failure.

DIY solutions for refrigerator owners

You don’t have to open up the refrigerator and try to fix the freezer problems as you will most likely cause more problems. What you can do as a refrigerator owner is to keep the fridge in great shape. Some of the things you can do include:

Cleaning the fridge regularly: A dirty refrigerator is not only unsightly to look at, it also works harder than it should due to an accumulation of dust. For you to keep the unit in a good working condition you should regularly clean it.

At least once a week, take time to get rid of dust, pet hair, and debris that might be on your unit. You should note that you may have to remove a few screws at the back so that you can give the unit a thorough cleaning. You should use a vacuum or stiff brush to do the cleaning.

Avoid overloading the unit: Most people have the impression that they save energy when they stock all of their groceries in the fridge. Instead of saving money, you will be damaging your unit when you do this. Overstocking the fridge damages the fridge doors as they don’t close as well as they are supposed to.

When the refrigerator is full, air circulation is poor thus the unit doesn’t cool the food as well as you would want it to. Your role as the owner is to ensure that you never put more food in the unit than it can handle.

When should you hire a refrigerator repair professional?

You should hire a repair expert every time you notice a problem with your unit. If you don’t have the repair skills, don’t attempt fixing the appliance regardless of how minor you think the problem is.

You should contact an experienced refrigerator technician to diagnose and repair the unit.

If your refrigerator is more than ten years old, has been consuming a lot of energy, and developing problems more frequently than normal, chances are that it’s too old and it’s time to get a new one. When buying a new appliance, buy one with a high energy rating. It will be pricier to purchase but it will save you a lot of money in the long run.

What can you do to lessen the cost of refrigerator repair?

The reason why home and restaurant owners attempt to fix the appliances by themselves is to save money they would have spent hiring an expert. Instead of doing this, you should include your refrigerator in your home or business warranty. This will protect you against unexpected, but inevitable high appliance repair Alexandria or replacement costs.