Today’s refrigerators are high-tech machines that can keep your food at the perfect temperature at all times. Ideally, you would want your fridge to be between 35 – 40 degrees. While it may warm up momentarily when you open the fridge, it should generally stay cool.
If you find that your fridge no longer has a consistent cold temperature, then there may be an issue. If it is not cold at all, then you know you need refrigerator repair. However, if it is cooling – just not enough – then there may be things you can do to handle the situation yourself.
Look at What You Have in Your Fridge
It is possible that your fridge is not as cool as it should be because you have too much stuff in it. It is true that having plenty of food in your fridge can help maintain the cool because, once things are cold, they can help keep other things cold. However, there needs to be enough extra room that air can flow. If there is not, then you could end up with certain items warming than they should be because cool air can’t get to them.
Your Defrost May Not Be Working
The purpose of the defrost function in your refrigerator is to keep the level of ice in your freezer and fridge to a minimum. It may seem that if it is not working, the fridge would be colder but the opposite is true. Why? Because frost builds up on essential elements, such as fans and evaporator coils. The result is that the fridge is not getting air circulated correctly and may be warmer than it should be.
Check the Temperature Control
In most cases, your temperature control will be close to the front of your fridge. It may be at the top or bottom, or in a side compartment. If you see that it is set correctly (which should be between 35 and 40 or between colder and coldest) then you can move on. However, if it is set incorrectly, then you can simply change it to the right temperature and the issue should be corrected.
The Door of Your Fridge May Not Be Sealing Properly
As is true of the air conditioning in your home, if the door of your fridge is left open – even a crack – it can prevent the inside from getting as cool as it should. If you note that the door is not quite sticking closed as well as it should, try cleaning it thoroughly. If your gasket seems hard, try using some Vaseline to soften it and help renew the seal. If your gasket has been damaged, or become twisted, then it may be necessary to replace it.
If none of these steps have helped make your fridge retain its cooling correctly, then it is time to contact American Appliance Repair at 800-640-9934 for expert appliance repair help.
