FRIDGE FREEZER REPAIRS

A good fridge-freezer from a top brand should last for many years, but, like anything else, these appliances are not indestructible. Here, we look at some of the more common things that can go wrong from time to time, along with a number of potential causes and possible solutions:

• Fridge-freezer making too much noise
  As with other domestic appliances, a strange noise such as a groaning, cracking or whirring that’s louder than the usual background hum of the device is never a good sign, and will need proper investigation. The fan or the motor are the most likely culprits, since there are no other moving parts in fridge-freezers. Don’t try and fix this problem yourself. You’ll need to contact a local fridge-freezer repair specialist for help.

• Fridge is not cooling properly
  As a general guide, your fridge should always be set at between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius, the freezer between 18 and 22 degrees below Celsius, to keep food safe for consumption.

  Clearly, a lack of proper cooling needs prompt attention – before your fridge-freezer’s contents become a health hazard. The issue could be to do with the thermostat, or it may be down to compressor failure. Or a build-up of ice may be stopping the free movement of the fan. If the freezer part seems fine, a gas shortage or blockage could be preventing proper cooling. Unless you have specialist knowledge, don’t try and fix this yourself. You’ll have to enlist the services of professionals to provide fridge-freezer repairs.

• The icemaker has stopped functioning
  Icemakers are common (and excellent) features of many modern fridge-freezers and, generally speaking, they’re pretty reliable. However, if yours is no longer doing what it should, that could be because of a faulty water valve, or because the filters have become clogged. Check the ice tray first of all. If there is no water in it, try cleaning the filters or replace the defective water valve. However, if you can see water in the tray, this means it’s likely to be a more complicated problem and so you’ll need to get in touch with a professional fridge-freezer repair firm.

• Water is leaking from the fridge
  This is a more common issue than you may have realised, and clearly the resulting wet floors are a slip hazard as well as being annoying and time-consuming to clear up. First of all, check whether the doors of the unit are closing fully as they should, and whether the seals in the doors have become worn. Either of these issues will have caused the appliance’s self-defrost function to kick in.

• The freezer section is freezing up
  It’s definitely meant to be icy, but if your freezer seems to be overly frosty, it can spoil the food inside. The frost shouldn’t be more than 3mm thick, and in fact most modern models don’t need to be manually defrosted. Check your seals for holes or rips, even quite small ones; this may mean they need to be replaced. Try a manual defrost if applicable, and remove some items if the appliance is too full of food.
  In newer products, frosting up could suggest an issue with the defrosting mechanism or the thermostat. Try a different setting on the thermostat to see if that helps. But if problems persist, the best option is to seek expert professional help.

• The fridge-freezer is starting to smell
  Your appliance may not be cold enough (see above), or food could simply have been stored in your device beyond the date at which it is safe, or it may not be wrapped up tightly enough. A thorough clean may well be enough to solve this issue – try using baking soda or white vinegar and remember to pay attention to things like drip trays and shelves. But if bad odours linger, you will need to call in a fridge-freezer repair professional.

• Water is pooling in the appliance
  This is another quite common snag with fridge-freezers, unfortunately – water collecting in the salad drawers or the bottom of the device. The chances are that this is happening because of a blockage to the condensation drainage hole, perhaps because of food crumbs. Condensation is usually drained via a gully at the back of the fridge. If you know what you’re doing, you can clean this yourself with a cotton-wool bud. Otherwise, seek a specialist fridge-freezer repair service.

• Water dispenser not working
  This may not seem like a particularly serious problem, but it can still be annoying, since a steady supply of cool drinking water is a definite bonus with a high-end fridge-freezer. In all likelihood, the water tube in the door has frozen. Try disconnecting the tube and blowing air through it. Another potential reason could be that your water pressure is not high enough for the water dispenser to work. It will need to be at least 20 psi in order for it to function properly.