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Go From a Problem to an Easy Solution
Problem: Fridge or Freezer Won't Cool
There are lots of malfunctions that can take the chill out of your fridge. One common cause of suddenly soft ice cream or warm juice is a simple loss of electricity. If the light doesn’t come on when you open the fridge door, make sure the fridge is plugged in and check the breaker panel. If the fridge runs but doesn’t get cold enough, chances are one of these fixes will restore the chill:
First, Check the Thermostat and Vents.
The temperature control dial inside the fridge is sometimes irresistible to curious kids. Make sure it hasn’t been turned way down. Also make sure the vents in the fridge and freezer compartment aren’t blocked by food containers—these vents supply the flow of frigid air.
Second, Clean the Coils.
In order for your fridge to create a chill, air has to flow freely through the condenser coils. On most older refrigerators, these coils are on the backside. Cereal boxes on top of the fridge or grocery bags stuffed behind it can reduce the needed airflow. Most newer refrigerators have coils underneath, where they can get blocked by trash and plugged with dust. Even if your fridge is working fine, you should pull off the front grille and clean the coils every year for efficient operation; do it every six months if you have shedding pets. Long brushes are available at appliance stores for $8.
Third, Free Up the Condenser Fan
Coils on the back of a fridge create their own airflow as they heat up. Models with coils underneath have a fan to push air through them. Dust buildup can slow the fan; wads of paper or other trash can stop it altogether.
Problem: A Noisy Fridge
Refrigerator noise comes from either the compressor under the fridge, the condenser fan motor under the fridge, or the evaporator fan motor inside the freezer. Open the freezer door while the fridge is running. If the noise doesn’t get louder when you open the freezer, pull out the fridge. Most refrigerators have a condenser fan motor. Unscrew the back cover and listen—you’ll be able to tell whether the noise is coming from the fan or the compressor. The best cure for a loud compressor is usually a new fridge. To replace the fan motor ($20 to $40), remove its mounting screws, unplug it and install the new one.
Don’t Wreck the Floor When You Pull Out the Fridge
Nine times out of ten, you can pull out a fridge without any damage to the floor. But a side-ways skid or a grain of sand caught under a wheel can scar any floor—I even managed to scratch the ceramic tile in my kitchen.
At the very least, lay down a cardboard runway before dragging out your fridge. For the ultimate floor protection, use 1/8- in. hardboard (about $6 for a 4x8 sheet at home centers). A pair of shims create a ramp for easier pulling.
Easy Solution:
If the sound gets louder when you open the freezer, the evaporator fan motor is the noisy culprit. This motor is easy to replace and costs about $25 to $40. Your fan may not look exactly like the fan we show here, but the basic steps are the same. Start by unscrewing the back cover panel in the freezer compartment. To install the new fan, just reverse your steps.
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