A refrigerator is an appliance you generally do not think twice about when it comes to possible problems. It sits there, every day, doing its job. However, like any other appliance, refrigerators can break down from time to time. Before calling for professional refrigerator repair, you can troubleshoot the most common refrigerator problems yourself!

Just because your refrigerator isn’t working the way it’s supposed to, doesn’t mean it’s going to be a costly repair. Some issues are simple enough to fix yourself. Here are a few of the most common refrigerator problems you are likely to run into:

What Causes It: One of the top complaints we get for refrigerators is when it stops cooling. Don’t assume the worst. If you notice your refrigerator temperature fluctuates and is warmer than usual, the solution may be simple.

Often the cause is dirty refrigerator condenser coils. The coils release heat to maintain a consistent temperature. However, too much dust and debris block the coils from releasing heat, and you’ll find your refrigerator not cooling.

How to Fix It: Clean your refrigerator coils every six months to resolve the issue. The location of the condenser coils depends on the make and model of your refrigerator, but you can typically access them at the bottom of your fridge or the back of the unit. Use a vacuum with an attachment to remove the dust and debris.

What Causes It: When our team thinks of common refrigerator problems, we think of a noisy refrigerator. However, a loud noise coming from your fridge is not normal. You might think it’s the compressor failing, but that’s not always the case. In fact, the culprit could be the evaporator fan motor or condenser fan motor.

The evaporator fan draws air over the evaporator coils and circulates cool air throughout both compartments. The condenser fan helps cool the compressor as refrigerant moves through the coils. If your refrigerator is noisy, one of these parts has likely failed.

How to Fix It: Check the fan blades to see if they move freely. If there is resistance, you’ll need to replace the motor.

What Causes It: The last thing you want to see is a puddle of water underneath your refrigerator. If this common refrigerator problem isn’t fixed right away, it will keep leaking on your floors and cause costly water damage. There are typically two different reasons your refrigerator is leaking water.

A blocked or frozen defrost drain will cause water to overflow and leak onto your floors. Another common cause is a broken water inlet valve. The inlet valve allows water from your house water supply into your refrigerator. If this part is loose or cracked, you’ll find your refrigerator leaking water from the back of the unit.

How to Fix It: You can defrost or unblock a frozen defrost drain by flushing the line with hot water. Unfortunately, if the reason your leaky refrigerator is a broken water inlet valve, you’ll have to replace it.

Chances are, you will run into at least one of these common refrigerator problems as your refrigerator ages. When you do, contact Reliable Appliance Service Repair to schedule your refrigerator repair appointment.