A common reason we get refrigerator service calls at Able Appliance is a fridge that seems to always be running. Besides making a whole lot of racket, a refrigerator that never stops means you’re spending more on your electric bill. While the cause of a running refrigerator could be the result of shorted circuit and require a visit from the professionals, many times the problem is very easy to fix on your own.
Give It Some Time
Oftentimes a running refrigerator just needs a little time to cool off. If you just changed the temperature, spent some time loading it up, or there’s been a change in the air temperature around the refrigerator—fridges tend to hate humidity—it may need longer than you think to get fully cool again, especially if it’s an older fridge. Let the fridge run for at least a day, and if the problem isn’t solved, call the team at Able Appliance or keep troubleshooting.
A Leaky Door Seal
The seal between the door and the fridge prevents the cold air from escaping. If there’s a leak, then the refrigerator has to constantly to stay cool. Grab a piece of paper and place it between the seal. Close the refrigerator and try pulling out the paper. It should come out with a little bit of effort. Try again up and down the seal. Any place where there’s no resistance means you found a link.
Many fridges today come with a feature that alerts you if your refrigerator doesn’t seal. This is very handy to make sure you’re not wasting power or overworking your fridge.
Defrost the Freezer
Modern freezers defrost themselves, but if yours is an older model, you may need to defrost. Regardless, take a look at the evaporator coils. The frost should be even throughout. An overabundance on one area, and a lack of frost in another, could explain why the refrigerator is working so hard.
Clean the Condenser Coils
The condenser coils help to remove and get rid of the heat, but when they get dirty, it causes the fridge to have to run more to stay cool. You’ll find these coils either on the back of your refrigerator or on the bottom (there’s typically a switch to release them on the front or back of the fridge towards the bottom).
Unplug the fridge and use a brush or vacuum with a long handle to remove dirt and debris. Be very careful here as not to damage any coils. In general, rear coils should be cleaned about once a year, and floor coils about twice a year. Households with pets should clean twice as often.
Refrigerator and Outlet Shorts
In the event that you weren’t able to solve the problem with any other method, there’s likely a short in one of the refrigerator components or in the outlet the fridge is plugged into. Unless you’re an electrician or handy with circuits, a short can be difficult to diagnose on your own.
Don’t worry: any problem you can’t solve can be fixed by the appliance experts at Able Appliance, proudly serving the entire Kansas City area. Give our team a call or send us an email, and someone will be right out to help. And remember that service calls are still only FREE!
