Discover The Most Common Refrigerator Problems


Your fridge gets put through a lot and as one of the only kitchen appliances that are relied on to work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year it can eventually take its final toll on an appliance.

Although fridges typically have a lifespan of around 10 - 20 years, depending on the reliability of the manufacturer and the amount of work you put the refrigeration appliance under, you may still face common fridge problems throughout the lifespan of your fridge.

Although you may be tempted to replace your fridge with a new one when these issues occur, it may be cheaper and easier to repair your refrigerator rather than breaking the bank for a new refrigerator thus helping you save money and time in the process.

Throughout this list, we will document four everyday fridge problems that we commonly see across the board and some handy general maintenance tips and tricks you can use to try and prolong the longevity of your fridge and avoid these issues from occurring.

Not only this but although some fridge repairs may be technical and require professional assistance, some issues may simply be resolved by a case of solely unplugging your fridge or replacing a simple spare part.

That being said, it is important that if you are not a qualified fridge repairs expert, it is recommended that you do not partake in any type of repair on your broken fridge and instead leave it to a professional refrigerator repair technician. This is due to the health and safety risks to yourself and those around you as well as the risk of causing even more damage to your fridge causing you more hassle and having to spend more money. Therefore if you are unsure, it is best to leave it to the pros.

 

Typical refrigerator problems

If you are suffering from refrigerator problems and are thinking of purchasing a new refrigeration appliance, it may be worthwhile that you to consider a repair instead. Not only is it typically cheaper but also can save you the hassle of having to go out of your way to purchase a new one.

The majority of fridge repairs require a professional appliance repair technician to solve the issue at hand however there are some maintenance tips and tricks that you can also use to help you avoid these problems from occurring to your fridge. 

To help you diagnose your fridge issues at hand, we have created a list of the top four most common and typical fridge issues that people often report and tips on how you can prolong the life of your fridge and avoid these certain issues from occurring.

1. The fridge is leaking water

2. The fridge is constantly cycling or running

3. Loud Noises

4. The fridge is working but the light is on

 

 

1. The Fridge Is Leaking Water

The most common refrigerator problem that people report is that their fridge is leaking water. This issue is not only a health and safety hazard to anyone who is navigating your kitchen but also a complex issue that could be caused by a range of factors.

If your fridge is leaking water onto the floor of your kitchen it is not only a health and safety risk to the people walking around your kitchen as they could slip on it but persistent leakage of water if not amended can cause irreparable damage to units, flooring and other appliances within your kitchen space resulting in some hefty costs to replace and repair any damage caused, thus it is necessary that you get your fridge repaired as soon as possible.

Fortunately, as the fridge leaking water is a typical issue that most repair specialists have to come across, it is a relatively easy and cheap repair. 

The most likely suspect for why your fridge is leaking water is that the defrost drain is blocked or a water supply line is frozen or blocked. Typically a defrost drain can be blocked by debris such as food particles. You can attempt to flush the drain hose by using warm water. 

To do this, locate the defrost drain hose on the back of your fridge (if you are unsure where it is located it will be identified in the user manual). From here clean it with hot water and soap to remove anything clogging up and blocking the hose pipe.

The second most likely corporate for your fridge leaking water is the water supply line is frozen or blocked. To amend this issue, unplug your fridge from the mains electricity and ensure that its shut-off valve is closed. Next, you want to inspect the water supply line to see if there are any breaks or tears or if the water supply is blocked. If the water supply line is blocked and it does not appear to be ice, please consult with an appliance repairs specialist or speak with the customer support team for the manufacturer of your fridge. If the water supply line is blocked by ice or does contain any breaks or rips, the line will need to be replaced.

If your fridge is leaking water and it is not due to any of these issues it is worth consulting an appliance repair specialist to take a look further at your appliance.

 

2. The Fridge Is Constantly Cycling or Running

Another common refrigerator repair problem is that the fridge runs or cycles too frequently. What this means is that typically your fridge needs to run in order to maintain its cool temperature that ensures that your food and drink stay fresh all day long. 


A refrigerator does not need to run a cycle constantly as it should be able to maintain a cool temperature however when this happens it should make a very noisy sound, constantly. As a fridge is one of the most energy-intensive appliances meaning that it uses up a lot of power, if it is running cycles constantly it will eat up a lot of energy causing you to have to pay unnecessarily larger amounts on your energy bill due to this issue. 

The most common reason that your fridge is constantly running cycles is because of a build-up of dust in its condenser coils. To amend this issue you should unplug the fridge from the mains electricity and clean the condenser coils with a brush to dust off the debris and dirt. To avoid this problem in the future, simply maintain the fridge by regularly brushing and cleaning the condenser coils so they are free of dust.

If this fix does not amend your issue, please get in contact with an appliance repair specialist. 

 

3. Loud Noises

If your fridge has begun making loud noises that were not persistent beforehand or have been abnormally loud in general there may be an issue with one of the refrigerator fans. A fridge should not make a noise loud enough that it can be heard above a regular conversation so if that is the case then it may be a case of the refrigerator fans being at fault.


In the modern day, a typical fridge features a condenser fan motor as well as an evaporator fan.  The condenser fan is used as a means to cool the fridges' condenser coils as they are used constantly. Whilst the condenser coils are being  cooled by the condenser fan motor, the evaporator fan pulls cold air over the fridge's evaporator coils while the compressor is running. If either the evaporator fan or the condenser fan has an issue as they both run at the same time it can cause loud noises and mean that your condenser coils or evaporator coils are not having a sufficient amount of cold air being blown onto them which can cause more issues. 

To get the motors of your fridge fixed it is worth contacting a fridge repairs specialist. 

 

4. The Fridge Not Working But The Light Is On

If your fridge is not working but the light is on, there could be plenty of issues at hand that may need looking into. When facing this issue due to the complexity and range of issues that could be causing the issue, it may be worthwhile attempting the simple solutions first. 


For example, a simple unplug of the fridge from the mains electricity may solve the tick as the fridge may not have been plugged in efficiently. That being said, it may be as simple as food packets or a large bottle blocking the airflow inside your fridge.

If these simple fixes do not do the trick, it is worth speaking with an appliance repair specialist who will be able to diagnose the issue and provide you with the best and most cost-effective solution 

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, from reading this article you have been able to identify the refrigerator issue at hand and have now successfully repaired or maintained your fridge so that it is back in working order.


That being said, if you are unsure how to repair or fix your fridge, it is always best to speak with a local appliance repair specialist who will be on hand to help diagnose and amend your fridge problems. The majority of repairs are fairly cheap in comparison to purchasing a new fridge and if the issue at hand is going to cost you a fortune, the repairs specialists will typically insist that you purchase a new appliance anyway.

If that is the case and you are based within the Wirral area, look no further than Powerpoint Wallasey for all your refrigeration appliance requirements. We stock a selection of high-quality fridges at low prices for quick delivery across the Wirral.