Got (warm) Milk? How to Fix a Fridge
The rental industry has tried their best to make everything easy as pie for their guests, but unfortunately, appliances still fail us from time-to-time. From thawed meat to warm milk, a fridge that can not keep their cool is a problem. Below are some useful tips on how to fix the problem before calling in your local handyman.
Try the plug
Make sure that the plug is completely into the socket and is getting power. An easy way to check for this is to open the fridge door - the light should immediately come on. If not, try a different outlet.
Check the seal
The seals around the doors are to make an airtight seal so that no cool air can get out or warm air in. Check to see if they are on the doors properly and that there is no food or crumbs making it hard for them to close.
Take a look at the thermostat
The thermostat may have been accidentally turned down. Double check to ensure that both the refrigerator and freezer are at the appropriate temperatures. For the refrigerator, it should be kept between 35°F and 38°F (1.7°C to 3.3°C), whereas the freezer should be 0°F (-17.77°C).
Clear the vents
It is easy to keep piling up ice cream containers and frozen vegetables in the freezer, but be careful not to block the vents! Try clearing the way so that the cold air can easily circulate throughout the freezer to all of the items.
Clean the coils
On every fridge, there are condenser coils either under or behind the fridge - these are used to circulate the heat out of the appliance. Try vacuuming them or wiping them off with a cloth. If these are clogged, they can result in poor cooling.
Check the fan
If your fridge does not have any coils on the back, then it should have a condenser fan. It serves the same purpose as the condenser coils by circulating out the hot air. Make sure that there is nothing stuck in the fan blades and that it can move freely.
If all else fails
While at times it is much easier (and economic) to try and tackle the job yourself, if these tips do not help the cooling process you will have to call for a repair right away. Be sure to do your research before calling a handyman, it is often that you can find some in your area that offer free estimates - that way you know what is wrong before committing to any company.