There’d be no cool watermelon, ice cream or worse – no ice cold beer for your customers! However as all appliances are, they require maintenance and could break down with age. Here are some of the more common refrigerator problems and how to troubleshoot the situation.
1. The fridge or freezer isn’t cool enough
If your fridge or freezer doesn’t seem to be cold or worse if its warm on the inside, check if the back wall of the freezer is cold. If it is, check the freezer vents if you can feel air flowing and listen for the sound of the evaporator fan running. If there is no air or you do not hear anything, there is most probably an issue with the evaporator fan.
If there is air flow and you can hear the fan running, it’s time to check on the refrigerator’s compressor. You would have to look at the back of your fridge by pulling it out from its fridge recess in your home. On the back of your refrigerator are the condenser coils that release the heat from your fridge into the room. Turn off the unit and clean the coils with a vacuum or a brush to rid any dust that may be preventing air from moving across the coils and interfering with the refrigerator’s cooling. If the condenser coils are clean, you should call a professional or maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
2. The refrigerator is noisy
No one likes a noisy fridge. The reason it is generating extra noise is most likely because it is cycling too often. This is a problem not only because of the noise (no one likes it when their refrigerator is rocking out to its own beat) but because the constant cycling can result in higher energy bills – and no one likes a slim wallet.
One of the reasons why your refrigerator is cycling too often is because there is a buildup of dust or debris on the condenser coils. Repeat the same steps above to clean the coils and plug in your fridge to check if the problem is solved.
If cleaning the condenser coils did not fix the problem, it could be that your refrigerator’s temperature has been set too low. This can cause some of your food to spoil (think frozen eggs) and results in your unit being overworked. The optimal temperature to set your refrigerator at is at 4° C or below whereas your freezer should be at -18° C. Once again, if the problem isn’t resolved, it’s time to get a professional in as the issue could be with a defective part.
3. Frost built up in the freezer
This is especially common in old units. If you notice that your freezer has become a winter wonderland, the likely culprit is a damaged door seal. Check the door seals of the freezer to see if there are any cracks or if they’ve become loose (especially common with old units). If there is damage, the seals would need to be replaced. If your seal is in good condition and your unit is a newer model with a no frost function, there could be an issue with the defrost sensor. And yes, you will need professional help with the repair.
If the above solutions do not work for you, it’s time to give our team at Perth Commercial Fridges a call. We will be happy to help you our with all of your refrigeration needs and if your unit can’t be repaired, we have a huge range of products to suit all needs. As a bonus, all our products that you purchase from us come with our 12/24 Warranty where there is a 12 months parts & labour warranty and 24 months warranty on the compressor. Still not convinced on a purchase? We also provide Rent to Buy* and Rent-Try-Buy* options on our products where all warranty issues and repairs are covered regardless of the age of the machine.
*conditions apply
