April 5, 2010
Maintenance Advice for your Refrigerator and Ice Maker – from RepairClinic.com
Maintain your Refrigerator and Freezer
Warm weather is here already – it was 85 degrees in Michigan last week! Early spring is the perfect time to do some light maintenance on your refrigerator and ice maker. Take care of any problems now and you will be ready for the hot summer months. Then you can relax and enjoy summer barbecues and cool drinks.
Refrigerator
Manual Defrost Refrigerator
• Although these types of refrigerators and freezers are increasingly rare, there are still a few around. If you own this kind of appliance, check for frost build up in your freezer. If frost has accumulated on the walls to a thickness of a half inch or more, it is time to clean up. Remove all food from your unit, turn your appliance off and unplug from the wall. Allow all the frost to melt and then wash the entire unit with warm soapy water. When you are done, reset the thermostat and resume normal usage.
Note: It is easy to puncture the evaporator and ruin the refrigerator, so, please, do not use any utensils or tools to scrape off the frost. Give it time to melt on its own.
Automatic Defrost Refrigerator
• On self-defrosting refrigerators and freezers, it is a good idea to clean the drain pan underneath the refrigerator that collects water. (Some are not accessible. Don’t worry if you can’t find yours.)
• Clean the refrigerator cooling fan and the condenser coils. The coils are located underneath your refrigerator. They are usually black and look like a series of small tubes with “fins” connecting the tubes. Order a Refrigerator Condenser Brush to make the job easier.
• Check the door seals to make sure they are sealing properly against the frame of your refrigerator or freezer. If the seals are damaged, or don’t seal properly, your unit will not cool properly. This problem will grow worse as the weather gets hotter and more humid. Clean the gaskets and frame with warm soapy water so they don’t stick to the frame.
• Inspect the back wall of your freezer for any frost build up. You should not have any frost on the back wall or floor of a self-defrosting appliance. The presence of frost is normally an indication that there is a problem. See RepairClinic.com troubleshooting guide for help with defrosting questions.
Ice Maker
• If you have a built-in ice or water filter, it is recommended that you replace the filter every six months.
• If you don’t have a water filter, and you find your ice has a bad taste or smells funny, use a “taste and odor” water filter on the incoming water supply line. Try the RepairClinic.com Universal Replacement Water Filter.
• If you don’t have an ice maker, consider installing one. Many people don’t realize that almost all refrigerators are set up to easily accept an add-on ice maker. Many refrigerators have a tag inside the freezer at the back that gives a kit number indicating exactly what kind of ice maker will fit in that refrigerator. RepairClinic.com carries kits that fit virtually every refrigerator and freezer on the market. Come and see the wide selection in the ice maker accessories section.
For maintenance advice on any appliance in your home, visit us at RepairClinic.com.
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