Guidelines and Tips for DIY Refrigerator Repair
We know that, over time, our refrigerators can be affected; they start to cool less or stop cooling entirely and stop working. Here’s a simple, practical guide to common problems, the tools you’ll need, and how to fix them.
Common problems
The refrigerator is not cold enough.
This usually happens for two reasons.
- Is the temperature thermostat set too low, which is insufficient to keep food cold?
- Is the rubber on the door not sealing well, allowing the cold to escape, and the refrigerator cannot maintain the temperature?
The refrigerator is getting too cold and freezing the products.
It is because the thermostat is set too high. For that, we must take into account what the appropriate temperature is for our refrigerator. The other problem would be that the thermostat is damaged and does not regulate the temperature well.
The refrigerator is leaking.
There are two reasons for this. The first and most common is that the tray is too full and no longer has storage capacity. The second cause may be because the doors do not seal correctly, and when it starts to defrost, water starts to leak out and cause puddles.
The refrigerator makes noises.
It may be because the refrigerator compressor is malfunctioning or the motor or condenser fan is terrible.
The ice maker is not working correctly.
We may have problems with the ice maker.
- It does not make ice. The refrigerator is not warm enough to make ice.
- The ice does not come out the right size, it is too small, or there is almost no ice. This may be due to a blockage in the water supply that does not fill the ice container.
Tools used to fix-Refrigerator Repair
We will need the following tools:
- Screwdrivers
- Oil
- Adjustable Wrench
- Hair dryer
- Tape measure
- Cleaning cloth
How to repair a refrigerator?
The refrigerator does not cool enough.
If the refrigerator does not cool, do not worry. We will leave you with a list of steps to take if a problem arises.
The thermostat is incorrectly set.
We must make sure that our refrigerator maintains the proper temperature. This should be between 40°F (4° C) or less, and the freezer temperature should be 0° F (18° C). We can also consult our equipment manual to determine the proper temperature and ensure that our refrigerator maintains the indicated temperature.
Check that nothing is obstructing the air vents. These vents should always be clear.
If none of these is causing the refrigerator not to cool, the thermostat may be damaged.
In this step, we must already have our new thermostat. It must be purchased to the specifications of our refrigerator.
- Disconnect the refrigerator and, with a screwdriver, remove the cover usually located on the top of the cooling compartment (inside the box).
- Remove the screws and the protective cover.
- We will know the thermostat is a bronze-colored piece of metal attached to copper wires and a plastic capillary tube.
- Carefully remove the wires, taking into account the direction they go.
- We proceed to install the new thermostat, taking into account the position of the previous one and the sequence of the wires. Finally, replace the mounting covers with their corresponding screws.
Another problem is that the rubber on the door is worn and does not seal properly, which causes the refrigerator not to cool properly.
Step 1.
We must make sure that our doors close completely. If we see a minimum space, it would be best to change it. To do this, we will buy the rubber by model and size of our refrigerator. With a tape measure, we measure the size of the door.
Step 2.
We pull the old rubber, and if it is very hard, with the help of a flat-blade screwdriver, we remove it from the rail. Once it is all out, we clean the surface, leave it very clean, and proceed to guide the new rubber onto the rail.
The refrigerator is leaking.
Although it can be one of the most distressing problems, it is the easiest to solve.
The first cause of this problem may be the full drain pan. To do this, we disconnect the refrigerator, making sure to remove it carefully, and then we throw it away and proceed to empty it.
If the leak is not due to the retention tray, it may be because our refrigerator is not closing well. Condensation is produced due to the cold, which causes it to start dripping little by little. We will notice this because the leaks are seen in the front.
The first thing we will do is to check if the doors close well. If not, we will proceed to clean the gaskets well. If this does not work, they must be replaced. We will have the same size gasket and remove it carefully with a flat screwdriver or spatula. We will place our new gasket inside the rail and make sure it closes completely well.
The refrigerator makes noises.
When our refrigerator makes a strange or thunderous noise, it could be due to the motor fan, as the same bases are worn.
To do this, the first step will be to unplug the refrigerator.
Second, remove the base and the screws that hold it.
Third, remove all the bases or washers and replace them with new ones. Lubricate the fan with a 3-1 spray of oil.
Fourth and last, fix our bases well by placing the screws and the protective base again.
The ice maker does not work.
If our icemaker does not make ice, we should check that the freezer thermostat is fixed to a freezing temperature and that no air vents are blocked. However, if our icemaker makes very little ice, the hoses that supply the water to the ice container may be clogged, which does not allow the container to fill, leaving us with very little ice.
Step 1.
First, unplug our refrigerator. Then we proceed to remove the ice accessory.
Step 2.
We remove the screws and protectors that hold the icemaker.
Step 3.
Before removing the ice maker, disconnect the wiring.
Step 4.
When the water inlet tube is exposed, we make sure that it is not clogged with ice. For that, we use a hot-temperature hair dryer to thaw all the water that may be there.
When performing this step, we must have a container to retain all the water that will be released.
Step 5.
We reconnected the tube and the wiring and reinstalled our icemaker after resuming the flow of ice that had been obstructed.
Also Read : The Easiest Guide for Do-It-Yourself Gas Cooktop Burner Repair.