How to Repair Refrigerators and Freezers
If you are the handy type who likes to give things a try yourself before you call in a professional, a broken refrigerator or freezer can provide you with the opportunity to prove yourself. While some problems are severe enough to necessitate the help of a trained professional, there are a lot of minor issues that can be fixed with minimal expertise. If your appliance is suffering from one of these smaller issues, you can fix it yourself and save the money and time that calling someone in would involve. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Appliance Does Not Run and Light is Off
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1
Check the outlet to make sure that the appliance is properly plugged in.
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2
Check the fuse box to see if the fuse blew. If no other appliance in the kitchen is working or one of the switches in the fuse box has been flipped down, the problem should be fixed by simply flipping the switch back up.
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3
Test the voltage of the outlet to see if the problem lies with the outlet that it is plugged into. You can do this by using a voltage tester or by plugging in a different electrical device and seeing if that one works.
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4
Check the cord of the appliance for signs of damage. If you find that the wire is damaged, ripped or similarly unfit for use, you should call a professional to replace it.
Appliance Does Not Run and Light is On
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5
Examine the temperature setting to be sure that it was not accidentally turned off.
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6
Unplug the freezer and clean the condensor coils, which are the metal coils in the back of the freezer. These should be cleaned once a year and if they are neglected, the dust buildup might cause the freezer to stop working.
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7
Check the fan in the back of the freezer after unplugging the machine. If something is stuck inside, remove it and plug the freezer back in. If nothing is stuck, one of the blades might need to be replaced or it might require a new motor. If you suspect this is the problem, you will need to purchase a new motor that is the right size for your appliance, unscrew the back of the fan, remove the old motor and replace it with the new one.
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8
Test the defrost timer to see if it is functioning properly by locating the advance screw, which is usually under a cover plate inside the door of the freezer. Turn the screw clockwise until it clicks and wait to see if it activates the defrost setting. If nothing happens after about half an hour, the timer needs to be replaced.
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Tips & Warnings
There is an almost endless amount of problems that can be causing your refrigerator or freezer to stop working, so if it not one of the problems listed above, it might be time to call a professional for their expertise.
Always unplug your appliance before testing one of its parts to avoid electrical shock.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit contents of fridge image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
