Your refrigerator is supposed to keep your food cold, but when you reach for the gallon of milk for an ice cold glass and it's warm, it's a problem. The food in your refrigerator could end up going bad if it's not cooled to the proper temperature. Read on for tips to help you repair your refrigerator.
Clean The Condenser Coils
The coils on your refrigerator could be on the back of the refrigerator or on the bottom of the refrigerator. They can get covered with dust, pet hair and other debris. All of this buildup can cause your refrigerator to not cool properly. Remove the cover on the bottom of the refrigerator (if this is where your coils are located), then use a shop vacuum to clean up as much of the debris as possible. Wipe down any difficult to remove dust or debris. Pull out the refrigerator and clean anything that was beneath the refrigerator, such as built up dust stuck to the floor. If your coils are on the back of your fridge, you can vacuum and wipe them down there as well.
Remove Belongings From The Top Of The Refrigerator
If you use the top of the refrigerator as a place for storage, you need to move those items elsewhere. The top of your refrigerator should be kept clean of all belongings and dust/debris. This may be causing your refrigerator to warm up.
Keep Vents Clear
Your refrigerator and freezer have an air vent inside. Don't pile up food inside so that air cannot flow properly throughout the entire refrigerator. Clean up your refrigerator inside and get rid of old leftovers, or stash some of your food in a different refrigerator outside, such as soda, water or alcohol that may take up a lot of space in your refrigerator.
Check The Door
The seal on your door may be dirty, which may cause the door not to close tightly. If this is the case, warm air inside your home can get into your refrigerator and warm up your food. Clean the seal with a soapy rag, then rinse it with a clean cloth. Wipe it dry and test the seal to be sure it's closing tightly. If the seal is not in good shape, you can replace the entire seal. You can find a new seal for your refrigerator at your local parts store. Remove the old seal and then screw the new one in it's place using the hardware that came with the part.
If your food is starting to get warm, use the troubleshooting tips above and make the repair. If you're still having issues, call a professional refrigerator repair technician for help.
