5 Common Refrigerator Problems That You Can Fix

We think you’ll agree that your refrigerator-freezer is the most important kitchen appliance you own. The basic function of your fridge is obviously to keep food fresh and or frozen so that our families stay healthy by consuming food that would otherwise spoil. By contrast, every other appliance you own is really not as critical to you and your family’s daily life as the refrigerator. Obviously when your fridge stops working right, it can be a huge disruption in that daily routine. But we wanted to share 5 common refrigerator problems that you can fix yourself because they don’t actually require a service call. Frankly, we do this because of how important your fridge is, and many people do not have a back up or spare fridge.

What Separates Refrigerators From All Appliances

In fact, all other appliances can be replaced with an alternative solution and be dealt with for quite some time. For example, you can use your microwave instead of your stove, or vice versa, as well as a grill or smoker. Not only that, but you can also visit a laundromat if either the washer or dryer stop working, or wash your own dishes if your dishwasher stops functioning as normal.

On the other hand, the only alternative to dealing with a broken refrigerator is a working refrigerator. So having a spare refrigerator is the best safety net possible, which I highly recommend the newer your appliance. Of course this only matters if you have lost cooling in your refrigerator or freezer, or possibly if food is freezing in the fresh food compartment. Whether or not you have a spare, your fridge issue needs to be addressed, either with a fix or a replacement. Obviously fixing it is a better option to a replacement in many cases, but sometimes you might not even need to call for refrigerator repair service.

Easy Solutions to 5 Common Refrigerator Problems

Believe it or not, sometimes there can be a simple reason your freezer or refrigerator stopped working. Even better for you, it might be a reason that does not require 24 hour refrigerator repair service from AFLRR. Perhaps you just need to follow some of our other refrigerator tips or check out our refrigerator repair FAQ. Wouldn’t it be nice to save money by not having to call us to fix your fridge when you didn’t really need it? I’ll try not to take it personally. Now if only there were a refrigerator repair service near me willing to present 5 common refrigerator problems that you can fix.

1. Ice Maker Stopped or No Water Dispensed:

If your ice maker stopped making ice, believe it or not, one of the first things you should check is that the ice maker function is turned on. If no water or ice is dispensed, make certain the dispenser panel is not locked. Assuming ice maker is on or dispenser is not locked, the most common reason for either failing is a clogged water filter. Now here in Chicagoland, our water supply filtration system is pretty darn good, enough that the average water filter life is about 1 year before it starts affecting the flow of water. This is purely based on my experience of fixing over 22,000 refrigerators in Chicagoland since 2003, and my observation of the result of replacing water filters. If you don’t get your water supply from the city of Chicago, this will not apply to you and you should change your filter as recommended.
IMPORTANT NOTE: we highly recommend only using your brand’s filters, and not after-market replacements that “fit” your brand.

2. Food Is Freezing in Fridge:

Have you noticed that some food items have been too cold, perhaps even forming ice crystals or freezing altogether in the refrigerator compartment? Check that the temperature controls are actually set at a normal refrigerator temperature setting. Refer to your user manual for instructions how to adjust this setting. Also, make sure no food items are resting against any walls or obstructing any air vents, which can disrupt proper airflow throughout the compartment. Lastly, make sure all refrigerator and freezer doors close completely with little to no effort from you and the rubber door gaskets are not torn or misshaped, allowing warm air to leak inside.

3. Temperatures Aren’t Cold Enough:

If temps in either the freezer or the fridge aren’t what the normal refrigerator temperatures should be, once again make sure both controls are at least set to the recommended setting. This will typically be shown near the controls in some way, but varies from unit to unit. Is there any chance any door was left ajar, even as little as 1/4 inch, can drastically increase compartment temps. Are there any food items that are preventing a door from closing easily? How easy should a refrigerator door close? All doors should be able to be closed with little more than the pressure of one finger. Furthermore, one of the most neglected maintenance items that drastically effects proper temperature is cleaning the condenser coil.

4. Refrigerator Leaks Water:

Have you noticed your refrigerator or freezer leaks water either on the kitchen floor or inside the unit? If you recently replaced the water filter, did you use a cheap aftermarket filter that “fits” your fridge or factory OEM filter? Did you confirm the filter was inserted correctly? Refrigerator doors left ajar or door gaskets that have a gap in the seal can cause condensation which can drip. If you are concerned about water damage and want to shut the refrigerator water supply off, this has no effect toward cooling. PLEASE NOTE: Shutting water supply off does not guarantee appliance will stop leaking water altogether.

5. Strange or Loud Refrigerator Noises:

Now it is perfectly normal for your refrigerator to make various noises since there are a variety of motors and electrical components. Sometimes we can be the cause of the noisy refrigerator. For example, have you recently rearranged or added food items? It’s possible that something shifted, and is now pressing against a fan motor cover, or too much food is preventing the door from closing properly. This in turn can cause moisture buildup surrounding fan blades, which then makes noise. One other common thing to cause noises is when items are touching each other and make a rattling or clinking noise. By the way, this can happen with items inside or on the top side of your fridge.