Top 10 Signs Your Refrigerator Needs Repair In Seattle – King County – Bellevue WA

Despite what we may want to happen, there is a time in the life of every appliance when your old, reliable refrigerator is on its way to the recycling center.

Maybe it should be replaced. Maybe you should upgrade to a newer one with more features. Either way, the refrigerator you’ve got just isn’t fulfilling all of your family’s needs – or cooling what’s in it, to be honest.

Here are some of the more important warning signs to look out for:

1 It’s really old – as in, more than 10 years old

If your refrigerator remembers the 80’s (or earlier), then it’s time to award it the Medal of Valor – and seriously think of replacing it. Even if you have scrupulously maintained it and it still cycles like a champ, an older refrigerator will be a huge energy hog compared to a modern one and can be responsible for some hefty power bills.

2. Your power bills are skyrocketing

As mentioned in #1, an older refrigerator can cost much more to operate than a new one that’s far more energy efficient. If this sounds familiar it’s time to start evaluating models for a new one, taking into consideration the number of Energy Stars it’s rated for.

3. It’s noticeably noisier than when it was new

People tend to get used to noisy refrigerators – their powerful hum, rattling, or clunking noises become familiar signs that it’s working and that your expensive food and beverages are safe and cold.

But…

When you can hear the compressor cycle turn on from the other side of the house, that’s a problem.

4. It runs constantly

You do not want to know the reality of the joke. “Is your refrigerator running? Instead of catching it, you’d better pick out a replacement for it.

The methodology behind an operating refrigerator is that when the thermostat climbs above a set temperature level, the motor turns on and runs the compressor until the refrigerator reaches the temperature setting and then the motor shuts off. This cycle repeats numerous times during the refrigerator’s life cycle.

If your refrigerator’s motor runs constantly, then it’s trying to do its job – and failing. It’s also using far more energy than it was designed to use.

We recommend Bosch’s Digital Inverter Motor, which keeps the temperature stable by speeding up and slowing down when needed, rather than abruptly jumping from on to off. This helps use much less energy over time, and tends to reduce wear and tear on one of the refrigerator’s most critical components.

5. The door seals are going, going, GONE

Have you noticed that it takes practically NO EFFORT to open your refrigerator? That may seem convenient when your hands are full, but it’s also going to make your energy bill climb as a trade-off!

That’s not convenience, it’s a problem. A tight refrigerator door seal is designed so that the cool air stays in and the warm outside air stays out.

A simple test can tell you how secure your seals are. Take a piece of paper and close the refrigerator door on it. If you can pull it out without any resistance – or if it just falls out! – then the seals are not functioning and you should start browsing for either a repair service (US, RIGHT?) or a new fridge…

6. It’s just TOO small – or TOO big

People’s needs change as they go through life. If your family grows larger, such as a newlywed couple’s might, and the refrigerator is straining to keep all of the food fresh, you’ll need to start shopping for one that can handle a much larger load.

Or it’s possible that you or a family member need a fridge for medical purposes. Some medications may require a specialized storage section only found in a bigger or specialized model refrigerator.

On the other hand, if your circumstances change so that suddenly you find your refrigerator is so big that it’s half empty all the time, then it may be time to downsize. There’s no penalty for replacing it with a smaller unit that is more efficient.

7. You want to try new features

Newer refrigerators – especially models introduced in the last 5 years – have many amazing features. Some are useful and some are just fun.

– Cooling drawers with adjustable climate settings

– Amazing door-in-door design that opens a part of the fridge instead of the whole door, or providing immediate access to certain sections

– Ice and water dispensers that don’t require opening the door (or handling trays)

– Other features designed for convenience, speed, and/or energy efficiency abound

That said, some of these features can use slightly more energy than a regular refrigerator without those features.

8. The refrigerator is hot – but not in a good way

This is basically the opposite of what refrigerators are meant to do, if either the inside OR the outside of your refrigerator is warm, something is definitely wrong.

This is not a symptom that you want to ignore!

We recommend an immediate service call to determine what’s causing the heat buildup so that it does not either spoil all of your food or become a safety hazard to your home and family.

All electrical appliances generate some amount of heat as a by-product of operating. In a refrigerator-freezer, this includes the motor at the rear of the unit. When it starts to get hot – or uncomfortably hot – around the back of the refrigerator, it should be investigated IMMEDIATELY.

9. Your food is going bad while IN the refrigerator

Even if there’s very little food kept in just a single section of the refrigerator, food that’s going bad well before its pull date is likely a sign of a defective refrigerator or possibly uneven cooling.

If everything in your refrigerator is spoiling unreasonably early, it may be worth considering a replacement. The time and expense you spend monitoring the food is not something YOU are supposed to do – the REFRIGERATOR is supposed to keep things preserved.

10. You need to clean and/or defrost it – A LOT

Manual defrosting isn’t something that should be required – especially since all modern refrigerators of any size now include an auto-defrost cycle. Most new freezers are designed to be frost-free. If they start to resemble Antarctica before the defrost kicks in – or it NEVER kicks in – then something needs to be repaired or replaced.

Finally, most all refrigerators will need some cleaning now and then. But, if you find that you have to scrub the seals, mold, and/or mildew out of the corners then something is probably wrong. A new refrigerator has a non-toxic, antibacterial coating on its interior and can be a big help in keeping the refrigerator safe and sanitary.