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A refrigerator is an indispensable household appliance for food preservation. Typically, refrigerators operate meticulously and are seldom prone to breakdowns. However, if the refrigerator exhibits the following signs, you need to find ways to repair it.
1. Common refrigerator issues, causes, and solutions
A refrigerator is an essential household item for food preservation. Usually, refrigerators work meticulously and are less likely to break down. However, if the refrigerator shows any of the following signs, you need to find ways to fix it.
1. Refrigerator not cooling
There are various reasons why a refrigerator might not cool:
- Refrigerator door not sealing properly, rubber gasket loose: A refrigerator door not sealing properly may be due to the habit of leaving the fridge open for extended periods.
In some cases, a damaged or torn rubber gasket can prevent the refrigerator door from sealing tightly... these can allow cold air to escape, causing the fridge not to cool. If the issue stems from user habits, simply be more mindful when using the fridge. If it's due to the rubber gasket, contact the warranty service or repair service to have it replaced.
- Insufficient refrigerant: If there's not enough refrigerant, the refrigerator won't cool properly. Contact a repair service to refill the refrigerant; your fridge will perform better. Call a technician to refill the refrigerant; do not attempt this yourself if you lack expertise. Refill with just enough refrigerant; avoid overfilling as it can also cause the fridge not to cool.
- Refrigerator temperature setting too low: Often, a fridge not cooling is because it's set to a low cooling level or is in energy-saving mode. When you notice the fridge isn't cooling, check if it's set to a low cooling level or in energy-saving mode.
- Faulty ice dispenser mechanism: A malfunctioning ice dispenser can cause ice buildup around the evaporator coils, impairing the cooling function of the fridge. In this case, you need repair services to fix it. Remember to regularly clean the refrigerator for better and longer-lasting operation of its components.
- Interior fridge light switch not working: The interior light switch helps indicate whether your fridge is operational. If the fridge door is open but the light doesn't come on, check the plug, connections; if they're fine, there may be an internal issue. Don't attempt to repair it yourself; call a technician instead.
- Excessive or insufficient food inside the refrigerator: Putting too much food in the fridge can prevent proper airflow, hindering the cooling of the food.
Arrange items in the fridge to ensure proper airflow. Conversely, having too little food inside can also affect the fridge's performance. Therefore, it's best to maintain an adequate amount of food while the fridge is running.
2. Freezer compartment frosted over
- Faulty Defrost Timer (or Timer not switching to defrost mode): This component is installed either inside the vegetable compartment or behind the fridge, near the electrical box next to the Compressor, depending on the fridge model. Its crucial role is to switch the Compressor off and initiate the defrost mode.
When the Timer fails to switch to defrost mode, it interrupts the defrosting process, causing the motor coil to burn out, leading to ice buildup inside the fridge.
The refrigerator gears may wear out or get stuck due to dust or grease buildup from lack of cleaning, resulting in a significant reduction in heat transfer, leading to excessive frosting inside the fridge. Therefore, regular maintenance and cleaning are necessary to ensure the normal operation and prevent damage to the refrigerator.
- Frost or ice not properly circulated in the freezer compartment: Frost or ice essentially refers to the defrost timer located behind the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, clipped onto the evaporator coil to detect the layer of frost covering the coil.
The primary function of the defrost timer is to ensure the defrost heater operates when the evaporator coil is covered in frost, aiding the heater's performance and preventing unnecessary heating of the coil. Therefore, if the defrost timer is faulty, it will cause the heater to heat up when the coil is covered in frost.
- Due to a blown thermal fuse: The thermal fuse is located on the freezer compartment. Its function is to protect the ice dispenser from operating for too long, overheating the refrigerator and causing damage. If the thermal fuse is blown, the ice dispenser will also stop working, resulting in ice buildup inside the refrigerator.
- Due to a blown heating resistor: The heating resistor component controls electrical energy when overloaded. When the heating resistor is blown, it becomes difficult to control the amount of electrical energy.
To remedy the frost buildup issue in the fridge, aside from repairing the aforementioned faulty components, you can clean the fridge, remove all frost to restart the fridge. Firstly, you need to turn off all power to the fridge to ensure safety during fridge repair and avoid wasting electrical energy. Then, you need to remove all food from the fridge, slowly take out the ice trays and food compartments.
Next, unplug the fridge, use a dry cloth to dry all compartments in the fridge. Open all doors of the fridge, and place a bowl of hot water inside the fridge to expedite ice melting, use a soft cloth to clean the ice layer inside the fridge, clean the fridge. Clean again thoroughly with a dry cloth.
Place the ice trays back in their original positions, turn on the power and wait for the refrigerator to cool sufficiently before putting food back in. To reduce frosting inside the fridge, you can apply a layer of vegetable oil around the walls, as vegetable oil has high lubrication properties, significantly reducing water buildup and frosting.
3. Refrigerator leaking water issue
- If your refrigerator is leaking water in the freezer compartment, the cause may be the uneven arrangement of food inside the compartment, not evenly spread but piled up on one side, preventing the cold air from freezing all the food inside, leading to defrosting and water leakage.
Another cause could be the freezer compartment door not sealing properly due to unintentional incomplete closure or prolonged use causing it to lose its seal, allowing cold air to escape, causing the ice inside to melt into water. Frost buildup in the freezer compartment, even when the fridge is in off mode, can also cause the frost to melt into water overflowing into the freezer compartment.
Depending on the cause, there are different ways to address it. Pay attention to how you arrange food inside the fridge logically. Remember to close the door carefully after opening, if the door quality is compromised, contact the warranty center for assistance. If your fridge type is prone to frosting, regular cleaning is necessary.
- If your refrigerator is leaking water in the fresh food compartment, the cause may also be due to the door not being tightly closed. Additionally, water may leak from fresh food items such as vegetables, fruits, etc., that you bought and immediately placed in the fridge, or you may have put too much food in the fridge, causing airflow obstruction between the fresh food and freezer compartments.
To address this issue, you need to wrap all raw foods such as meat and fish in food wrap or place them in a sealed container before storing them in the refrigerator. This helps limit both food odors and prevents water from leaking from the food into the refrigerator. Additionally, check if the refrigerator door seals tightly and inspect the ventilation ducts (the cold air vents) in both refrigerator compartments to see if they are blocked. If there is too much food, remove some from the refrigerator.
- If your refrigerator is leaking water onto the floor from the water tray behind the refrigerator, it could be due to the water tray accumulating excessive dirt, clogging the drainage holes, leading to water buildup and leakage. Sometimes, cracks in the water tray can also cause water leakage. A faulty water supply tube or loose connection of the water supply tube can also cause water leakage.
To rectify this, first unplug the refrigerator to ensure safety during the repair process, remove the water tray, and locate the drainage pipe. Check the pipe for any bends, clogs, or holes. If none are found, proceed to inspect the water collecting tray for cracks, dents, or any visible damage.
If there are any issues, call the warranty service to have it replaced. If water leakage persists, check the drainage pipe behind the refrigerator for damage or looseness and replace the pipe if necessary.
Check if the ventilation duct and return air duct from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment are connected. If they are not, use a dryer to melt the ice to connect the ventilation ducts. If you've done everything and the refrigerator continues to leak, call a service technician for repair.
4. Refrigerator making loud noise issue
- Loose panels may cause vibrations or noise when the refrigerator is running. Items placed on top of the refrigerator and magnets holding items on the refrigerator surface may also be the cause of noise when the refrigerator is running. You can press on both sides of the refrigerator or remove everything from the top of the refrigerator to see if the noise is eliminated.
- If the noise is coming from the bottom, it may be due to the refrigerator being unbalanced or when the refrigerator is running, one of the legs of the refrigerator may only lightly touch the floor, so when the refrigerator runs, that leg will vibrate or 'squeak' on the floor, causing loud noise. You need to check if the balance is the cause by tilting the refrigerator to remove all weight from one side and then the other. If the noise stops, then the issue lies with the refrigerator legs and they need to be adjusted.
- If the noise is inside the refrigerator, it may be due to the refrigerator defrosting and the refrigerator with an ice-making compartment will make noise while running. Or when the water valve opens to refill the ice-making compartment, the refrigerator will make noise. When water drips onto the hot coils on the defrost model refrigerator, there will also be noise.
- If the noise is from the back, the cause may be an old compressor. You can check by pulling the refrigerator away from the wall and hearing the noise coming from the lower area behind, which is the compressor. In this case, you may call a technician to have the refrigerator checked.
5. Bright light but refrigerator not running issue
When the refrigerator is plugged in but not running, it is one of the malfunctions that need to be addressed and rectified as soon as detected. If not identified and repaired promptly, it will lead to more serious damages, especially the quick spoilage of your household food.
- If the refrigerator compressor (block) has issues: Check if the compressor block at the back of the refrigerator is running. If not, verify if there is power supply to the block. If there is no power supply, check the wiring.
If there is power supply to the block but it's still not running, inspect the protective relay and starting relay of the block for functionality. If these relays are faulty, replace them. If the relays are fine, the compressor block might be damaged, requiring professional replacement.
- If the refrigerator fan is damaged or the wires are severed, causing it not to run: When the fan isn't running, cold air cannot be circulated to the compartments for refrigeration. Open the refrigerator door and if you don't feel any cold air coming out from the upper compartment, the fan is likely damaged. In this case, purchase a suitable fan with the correct specifications for replacement.
- Malfunctioning or stuck timer clock (for regular refrigerators): First, locate where the timer clock is positioned, it could be inside the food compartment or at the bottom near the compressor block.
When you find the timer clock, hold it in your hand and check if it's vibrating. If it's vibrating, it's functional; if not, it's damaged. Simply purchase the correct type and specification of timer clock for replacement. If you're unable to fix it yourself, consider calling a technician.
