Get to know your Refrigerator!

Refrigerators

You have come to the conclusion of keeping your Refrigerator and other appliances running like brand-new! Beneath can be a number of quite helpful info on just how refrigerators work, along with what can go wrong together. You'll discover responses to a lot of frequent questions, and also discover ways to properly keep your icebox. Currently many restoration and also assistance tips on refrigerators. Any handy do-it-yourselfer may use this unique data to view what is incorrect making use of their icebox. This BUILD IT YOURSELF may further utilize this expertise to fix their icebox using the correct appliance elements. Currently any style lookup feature and also an easy to use appliance elements finder to make ones restoration jobs less difficult. All of us have appliance cleaning items, and also an easy to use shopping cart software package.

The subsequent data really should enable you to restoration ones Refrigerator. The info applies to the majority of helps make and also designs such as: Admiral, Amana, Electrolux, Frigidaire, General Electric, Gibson, Hotpoint,  Jenn Air, Kenmore, Kitchen Aid, Maytag, Roper, Sears, Subzero, Westinghouse, Whirlpool,  plus much more.

Alert! Lessen your possibility connected with injury as well as dying. Detach your appliance from it's electric power source when you begin just about any troubleshooting as well as repairs. Danger connected with electric powered surprise when working away at electric powered devices. Home appliances include many razor-like machined ends; be careful when working inside of just about any appliance.

How can Refrigerators work?

Most household refrigerators operate inside a identical manner. Most refrigerators include these components: any compressor, condenser, evaporator, capillary conduit, along with a thermostat. Refrigerators having an computerized defrost never-ending cycle include smaller heaters in ideal locations to be able to defrost the rocks build-up. The normal process connected with refrigeration can be which you get rid of temperature. A number of people believe refrigeration functions cooling down a thing, but it's only using temperature absent. This refrigeration process is basically easy. The icebox will take hot air and also causes it to become cooler by means of shifting the warmth employing evaporation guidelines.

Refrigeration starts off using the compressor. This compressor would be the workhorse for the icebox. This compressor can be switched on when electrical power can be shipped to the item because of the thermostat. The idea mechanically compresses, as well as pushes, any refrigerant gasoline. This compression setting reasons the gasoline as a sizzling, high-pressure gasoline. Future, this specific sizzling gasoline streams via some condenser coils where the item goes away it's temperature, and also condenses in to a liquid.

This condenser coils is usually a process connected with tendency hoses of which tell you skinny components of material. These types of skinny components of material are now and again referred to as fins. These types of fins appear to be any radiator which you might see inside a car or truck. This high-pressure gasoline on the compressor streams in the condenser coils and also modifications point out as a liquid. Because this specific modify develops, the hoses portray temperature on the refrigerant gasoline. This temperature can be carried out far from the coils because of the fins that come with the hoses. This capillary conduit connects the condenser coils for the evaporator coils, and yes it regulates the strain of the refrigerant mainly because it goes in the coils.

Since the refrigerant moves from the quit of the capillary conduit, the liquid refrigerant expands, boils, and also evaporates in the evaporator coils, and yes it gets any cool, low-pressure gasoline. This cool gasoline streams from the evaporator coils, allowing you the gasoline to soak up temperature, and also by means of ingesting of which temperature; the item cools lower the environment flowing at night coils. This fan in the freezer’s compartment circulates the environment to hold the temperatures consistent and also frequent. Since the evaporator coils tend to be and so cool, they will bring about just about any moisture within the air to be able to frost nova upon the evaporator coils because the rocks as well as ice. This refrigerant can be next was terrible back to the compressor in which the process can be recurring. Any thermostat regulates the method, helping to keep iced foods with the desired temperatures to maintain quality.

This fan that is certainly located in the refrigerator's freezer compartment circulates the environment to hold the temperatures consistent and also frequent. The process can be managed using thermostats and also buttons, which in turn help to keep ones foods at the desired temperatures to maintain quality with out freezing the foodstuff, as well as leaving the item and so comfortable which it destroys. When the temperatures can be awesome ample, the thermostat feelings the item, and also tells the compressor and also fan to consider an opportunity. While the item receives too comfortable once more, a similar thermostat tells the compressor and also fan separate occasion has ended.

Most modern refrigerators provide an computerized defrost process consisting of several key components: the defrost timer, defrost thermostat, and also defrost heat tank.

This defrost timer, around each and every 6 to be able to 12 hours, pieces off the capacity to the compressor and also cooling down process, and also buttons about the defrost heat tank. Since the the rocks melts, the item drips by way of a depletion hole, by way of a conduit, and also directly into the evaporation griddle where the item evaporates by using any fan of which hits comfortable compressor air in excess of the item to improve evaporation. This defrost heat tank has a electric powered heat aspect and it is located underneath the evaporator coils. This heat tank aspect receives sizzling, and also because proximity for the coils, just about any the rocks as well as ice build-up generally melts very quickly. When the defrost timer advancements, as well as the defrost thermostat, located at the evaporator coils, finds how the temperatures because of the coils features lifted up to a certain pre-set temperatures, the cooling down product leg techniques the government financial aid.

Source: Mr Rogers Appliances

For more info visit these great websites:
Mr Rogers Appliance Repair
Mr Rogers Used Appliances Sale

Want to repair your washer? Learn how they work...

Want to know how your washer works?

Many units are created while using same fundamental aspects. The knowledge below Mr Rogers has write for you will help you understand how the majority of units work. Prior to considering the down sides having units, it is important that you just have an understanding of the direction they work. No matter if you decide to repair or buy a washer in brandon, valrico, or any city in tampa bay area.

If you must do any kind of restore as well as repair about this unit, be sure to unplug it from your power.
Units work by doing 3 key series, this populate, clean as well as agrivate, and drain series. Very first anyone weight your washing machine with all the clothing you need wiped clean. Make sure you do not load up this clothing within way too firmly; you need this clean h2o to pass amongst the clothing to get these as clean as you can. The next phase is to decide on whether it's a big, method, as well as small weight.

The adjustments are wide and varied for every washing machine. The adjustments enable you to modify clean configurations, such as h2o conditions, spin and rewrite rates, timer series, etc. While running correctly this washing machine completes this routine picked for the timer.

There might be many selector activate your washing machine. 1 permits you to decide on your sought after configurations for weight dimension, and another enables you to choose whether or not you wish to make use of frosty, cozy, as well as hot water. The start transition is usually incorporated with all the timer construction. When you collection this timer for the sought after routine, anyone often grab as well as thrust inside timer knob to start this routine.

What are the results next will be that the solenoid run h2o mixing up valve starts and lets this washing machine top off having frosty h2o, hot water, as well as a variety of equally, in accordance with that which you include picked while using selector transition. The water-inlet valve contains about three key pieces including: this frosty h2o solenoid, this hot water solenoid, along with the valve mixing up entire body. A pair of hoses are usually clamped for the valve intakes from your residence, just one very hot, just one frosty. There is certainly another for stuffing this washing machine in which is going from your valve mixing up entire body for the washing machine bath. The river subsequently blends with all the soap and clothing. The selector transition and timer connect to the strain transition that methods this interesting depth regarding h2o inside bath. Once the sought after amount of h2o will be attained, this transition transmits a sign for the solenoid in which sales techniques this water-inlet valve.

Now that this washing machine bath will be entire, it is period with the agitator to start it is work. The agitator could be the plastic-type material inverted cone having biceps as well as fins onto it and is located in the heart of this bath. It is influenced by the motorola clutch and tranny system attached with this electric motor. This method subsequently rotates this agitator biceps backwards and forwards. This specific motions pulls this clothing lower and with the clean h2o and soap mix continuously, loosening this dust from your clothing. The send re-circulates this clean h2o from your base for the top through the clean routine. Once the timer shows it to help, this washing machine subsequently penis pumps the stream out of the bath, as the bath is additionally spinning in between 500 to help 400 rpm. This specific spinning gives a centrifugal drive in which catapults the stream for the not in the bath the place that the send may pull each of the clean h2o out of the bath.

To get the best weight units, this agitator will be in the heart of this bath; there isn't a agitator itself for front weight units, although clean principle is quite similar. The washing machine bath tumbles, transferring this clothing with the clean h2o and sloshing this clean h2o in excess of and with the clothing.
The selector transition and timer come together to complete this routine you've chosen. The timer transition is usually physical, and is electric motor influenced having cameras to help start and in close proximity switches. Modern types might use an electronic control routine aboard. The timer shows this washing machine what direction to go next by transmitting this guidelines and capacity to this washer's pieces on the appropriate period.

Following your turmoil as well as tumbling will be completed, this timer developments, along with the soiled h2o will be pumped out and about. A lot more h2o will be made possible to help wash this clothing as the washing machine agitates as well as tumbles a lot more to be certain this clothing are usually rinsed nicely. The machine revolves this clothing all over again, using centrifugal drive to get as often h2o from these as it could though moving out and about this wash h2o, that is certainly it.

You will find about three fundamental methods units send h2o: one on one push, belt push, and also a different send and electric motor construction.

A number of safety capabilities which can be integrated into automatic washers. What are the results if you pick up this top on your washing machine? This halts spinning as well as agitating instantly considering that the top transition stimulates this brake. This can be to stop problems for your biceps and palms. There is a brake system constructed into units for legal reasons due to the fact many people are already damaged during the past by placing the palms and biceps right into a spinning clean bath. The brake system runs within much the same approach as auto and street motorcycle brakes. Using the top start, your washing machine may perhaps nonetheless populate, although it will not spin and rewrite as well as agrivate. There are times this top transition may don't succeed, along with your washing machine will not likely work unless you replace it. Going by this particular, if your washing machine floods, although will not likely agrivate as well as spin and rewrite, it is possible to infer until this transition could possibly be malfunctioning.

Perhaps you have remarked that bankruptcy lawyer las vegas washing machine commences to help spin and rewrite, it is possible to pick up it pick up pace? Electric powered motors may accomplish entire pace within a second, on the other hand, under a load regarding clothing and h2o, looking for up to this particular pace instantly is just not best for certain elements. The motorola clutch and tranny construction also comes in practical the following, making it possible for this bath to help little by little increase it is spin and rewrite pace, with no harmful any kind of inner pieces. The motorola clutch fundamentally lets this belt slide a bit and little by little tightens it right up until entire pace will be attained.

The electric electric motor powers this agitator throughout clean series and revolves this inside bath through the damp dried out as well as spin and rewrite routine; this electric motor additionally hard drives this send with several types. Right after laundering as well as rinsing, this send gets rid of the stream from your bath with the drain hose-pipe, and pulls it out and about for the drain.

Many units have a reversible electric motor, it might convert clockwise and counterclockwise. A single route this electric motor uses this tranny as well as motorola clutch system to help spin and rewrite this inside bath; within the additional route, it uses the same tranny as well as motorola clutch system to operate this agitator. Regarding units in which lack the reversible electric motor, the solenoid automatically changes this tranny through agrivate configurations to help spin and rewrite configurations.

A number of units make use of plastic-type material and silicone coupler assemblies in which join this electric motor straight to this tranny. This creates the call without necessity to get a belt. This specific aspect smashes frequently. If you need to repair your washer machine call us now and schedule you repair service appointment.

Source: Mr Rogers Appliances

For more info visit these great websites:
Mr Rogers Appliance Repair
Mr Rogers Used Appliances Sale

Cleaning Ovens and Stoves

Cleaning Ovens And Stoves

Caring For And Cleaning Your Oven

We often get asked on the best way to keep your oven clean and, quite often, we get asked about the best products to use to do this. As many of us have been involved in refurbishing appliances we know many shortcuts and tips on cleaning and, keeping clean, most appliances.

We also occasionally hear of an oven that smells or has a burning smell and, even on occasion an oven or cooker that has gone on fire. For almost all of these sorts of faults the problem is that the oven has not been kept sufficiently clean and the built up grease has ignited or is emitting a foul odor or smoke. In virtually no instances is there a problem with the actual oven or cooker as manufacturers build them from non-flammable and non-fume emitting materials but, what you put in the oven can cause all these symptoms and more.
Many of these tips are from the refurbishment experience and a lot from the appliance manufacturers themselves with most of the products approved by us, we've tested them and we know they work.

Some manufacturers of cleaning products get a bit miffed with us as, if we don't get to test the product or, we don't think it's good enough we will not recommend it and we won't even offer it for sale.

Please Note: Many of these oven cleaning products can be caustic and we strongly urge you to wear gloves whilst using them to protect your hands

Cleaning The Inside Of Your Oven

Enamel Interior 

A few manufacturers recommend that the interior (oven cavity) is cleaned using a Kleenoff Mop Head Oven Cleaner following manufacturer's instructions.

However we also have found that Fairy Power Spray is really good as well. The Mr Muscle oven cleaner is okay but tends to leave white residues if it isn't totally removed and, although clean, it doesn't look very good. You can get the same with the Fairy but it tends not to be as bad. However the caveat with both of these is that, if you use it on the door/s and it seeps between the glasses then it looks just terrible, but more on that below.

Our own current recommendation is the Oven Mate oven cleaner which, while harder to use, does do an excellent job. You can get Oven Mate using this link from our store although this is more effective for a dirtier oven then the two products mentioned above.

Oven Mate is a gel like liquid that you brush on, leave for a while till it eats the built up grease and then wash off but, do be careful, it is particularly nasty in some ways and can cause skin irritation so the use of the included gloves is highly recommended. And, like all other cleaners, don't get it on any self cleaning catalytic liners of it will ruin them leaving you only the option to replace the inner oven liner.

Once you're done allow the oven to air and dry then remove any excess with a damp, soft cloth and the enamel should come up really well.

A top tip is to clean the oven door glass, especially the inner one using a good quality ceramic glass cleaner following manufacturer's instructions for the product. The reason is that this is designed to be used on this type of glass and not to lead to damage to the glass itself and, it does a cracking job.
Once done, remove the ceramic cleaner with a damp cloth or plastic scouring pad. Use only a damp cloth or scourer to avoid water ingression between the door glasses causing staining, again this looks really bad if it happens.

Pyrolitic Ovens

Remove all oven furniture; shelves and trays etc

Turn function knob to Pyrolitic setting and cleaning will commence once the door locks

The minimum cleaning time is normally about 1hour 30 minutes this will clean only the oven lining

The maximum cleaning time is 3 hours this will usually clean the entire oven cavity and the glass door

To use this cleaning process for longer than 1hour 30 minutes, set the timer to the desired cleaning time

The oven will turn off automatically at the end of the cleaning time

Leave oven to cool

Wipe any dust from the oven liners and from the base of the cavity

Buff the exterior of the oven with a dry blue microfibre cloth

Stay Clean Liners

Stay clean liners are designed to "burn off" any grease that spatters onto them, especially useful if you like an open roast, but they have their downsides as well. One is that, should you get any chemicals on them at all then they will be ruined and need replaced. So don't go near these panels if they are fitted to your oven with ANY cleaning products even if you are told otherwise or you will ruin them.
You will know if they are ruined as they will go a sort of whitish and, after that, they will never work correctly again.
To clean these panels do the following:

Set oven to 200°C or above

Leave on this setting for approximately three quarters of an hour

Environmental suggestion; simply leave the oven on after cooking a roast dinner

Carry out this cleaning process at least four times a year dependent on how often the oven is used and how soiled the liners are

If the liners are badly soiled; leave the oven to cool down and brush the worst of the soiling off the liners. Now set the oven to 200°C or above and carry out the cleaning cycle.

The cleaning function can be carried out using any of the oven functions ie full fan, static, or fan ducted.

The average life of stay clean liners is 5 - 6 years after this they will need to be replaced.



DO NOT USE DETERGENT ON STAY CLEAN LINERS as this destroys the self-cleaning properties in the panels.

Oven Exterior

On the outer door glass you can use the ceramic cleaner but this is mildly abrasive so if there are any stencils or writing on the glass it may remove them on poorer quality door glasses.
We do recommend using the likes of the blue microfibre cloth to clean the exterior with only water fro two reasons, one is that it does a good job and won't cause any damage to the stenciled or printed lettering on the oven fascia and also that it is a cheap and environmentally friendly solution. However, do be aware that there are different qualities of these types of cloth, just like most other things and you often get what you pay for. Our recommended cloth is available in our online store from this link
On most cookers and ovens the knobs will pop off (they are normally a push fit) to allow you to clean them separately and also to clean the fascia behind them. The clock knobs vary from model to model and may not be removable, but many are.

Of late we've seen a massive increase in the popularity of stainless steel ovens and, for these we do currently recommend the Chromol stainless steel cleaner as it is absolutely superb on stainless, especially in maintaining the look of highly polished stainless steel.

Dryer Basic Fault Repair Service

Dryer Basic Fault Repair Service

How To Repair A Dryer

Repairing a dryer is often a relatively easy task for most people reasonably competent in DIY and working with electrical products as they really are rather simple appliances all things considered.

Of course things get a little more complex once you step up from simple plain old vented dryers to condenser dryers and finally (for now) to the much newer low energy use heat pump dryers.

Vented dryers are the oldest of all types and, generally, the most reliable and the easiest to repair when something goes wrong. This type requires a vent hose to be fed to the outside through a wall or window so are easy to spot.

The next up the ladder is a condenser dryer which have become far more commonplace because they can be installed without the requirement to have a vent to the outside. However, it should be noted that these cannot be installed just anywhere and there are restrictions on temperatures and that cleaning filters regularly becomes essential.

Now we have low energy heat pump dryers which are, for the domestic white goods industry, a relatively new technology although these types of dryer have long been in use in commercial applications and the actual technology is far from new.

Heat pump dryers work largely on the same principle as a condenser dryer but with a few notable differences, the largest being that instead of a heating element as such it uses a small heat pump, much like a refrigeration unit, to provide heat to dry laundry.

To correctly diagnose a dryer fault you will need to have a grasp of how your dryer works and the main components of the dryer. Of course how these are implemented can vary hugely from brand to brand and even from model to model but the principals will remain almost constant. Schedule Repair Service

How A Dryer Works

There are three basic types of dryer in common domestic use, the condenser dryer, heat pump dryer and the vented dryer.

In short the vented dryer requires a vent to push the hot exhaust air out of the room in which the dryer is operated and this is normally to the outside either through a wall or window by way of a venting kit or hose.

A condenser dryer is "self-condensing" meaning that the moisture removed from the clothing during the drying process is condensed internally and the water vapour either drained to the house drainage system or collected in a container which has to be manually emptied.

In both cases the basic operating principles of the drying action are pretty much identical and so the rest of this explanation is generalized.

When it comes to faults on a dryer, of which not heating is by far the most common, like all other appliances you need to methodically determine where the fault lies and so you have to understand how the machine works to do that. Simply guessing and blindly replacing parts until it works again is not the way to go about things.

In any dryer there are three things that must be present for the machine to be able to dry, heat, mechanical action and airflow. If any of those fail in any way then the dryer will not dry. Appliance Repair Service

Dryer Heaters And Thermostats

The heater and thermostats are the most common area to fail in some way. Normally this will be a case of simply determining which has in fact failed which is normally quite easy by simply testing the heater elements for continuity using an electrical meter. If the heater is open circuit it will require to be replaced, bearing in mind that many are in fact two elements for the different levels of heat, so check both circuits.

If the heater is not open circuit and you have continuity then you should then look at the thermostats. Normally there are one or possibly two mounted around the heater housing but there are also often another one, possibly two, cunningly hidden on the vent, this is commonly known as the "exhaust stat". It's not so common that an exhaust stat will fail but, it does happen and how you determine the part faulty as an amateur is difficult at best as usually we will apply some heat whilst we have a meter on it to check that it turns on and off as required.

The usual two thermostats at the heater itself will usually be a cycling thermostat and the other an overheat stat, sometimes referred to as a TOC (Thermal Overload Cutout). Brandon Appliance Repair

The cycling stat controls the normal dryer operation cutting in the power to the heater as and when more heat is required whilst the overheat thermostat simply does nothing until an overheat condition is recognized by it.

It is increasingly common to find these overheat thermostats have failed or, in actual fact, have operated correctly. The overheat thermostat is in effect a safety device designed to stop the tumble dryer from overheating and, possibly, catching fire should a failure of the main cycling thermostat occur or the airflow in hindered in any way. However it is common these days that these have "tripped" with no other problem to be seen. The reason for this is almost invariably that the user has opened the door before the dryer's cool down phase has been completed. This causes latent heat to build inside the dryer thereby raising the temperature enough to trip the overheat thermostat.

Many of these thermostats are now of the non-resettable type and therefore must be changed to resume normal operations. Under absolutely no circumstances should an overheat thermostat be by-passed, fitted incorrectly or modified or you could have a serious safety risk.

Airflow Through Your Dryer

As stated previously, in order to operate correctly your dryer needs a constant flow of air. We Repair Dryers

This is true both internally and externally!

We cannot stress enough how important airflow to a dryer is. If you kill the airflow you will kill the dryer.

Simply put, a dryer draws in cool ambient air, heats it over and electrical (in most cases) heater and then "blows" that air through the clothes to condense the water content and then exhausts that out the vent.

If you do not have a sufficient supply of air coming in then the dryer won't work correctly. If you do not have adequate airflow out then the water vapor and expelled air have nowhere to go and, the dryer won't work correctly.

On a condenser dryer the main difference is that the expelled air will pass over a condenser (hence the name of condenser dryer) which will condense the expelled water and usually pump or drain that water to a tank which can then later be emptied. This saves the need for an external vent but does complicate the appliance somewhat.

Common airflow problems are usually not that hard to track down and the usual complaint in this area would be poor drying performance or complaints that the dryer takes ages to dry clothes. Interestingly poor airflow is very likely not just to decrease the performance, increase the drying time but it will almost certainly mean much longer running times which will cost you a lot more in electricity. It is very worthwhile checking the dryer on a regular basis to ensure that the airflow is good.

Check the filters first, blocked filters will mean reduced airflow and this can seriously affect the dryer's performance. This is simple routine maintenance that, if not carried out, will mean possible poor performance, longer dry times and bigger electricity bills.

Externally make sure that the dryer is not completely encased. All dryers MUST have a good supply of air around them or you will almost certainly have problems. Whilst this should be noted upon installation it may often not come to light for months and, in some cases, years before it causes an actual failure.

Where the dryer is vented the vent must be clear and unobstructed.

Common Tumble Dryer Faults

No heat in dryer

This is the most common failure reported, often with a simple solution on inspection.

If the machine does not heat check for a reset button usually a small red button on the back and see if the machine works after this is pressed. These are almost always fitted to appliances manufactured by Crosslee who make tumble dryers for just about everybody from Candy to Zanussi so it's worth having a look.

$1·         Heater faulty

$1·         Thermostat or thermostats faulty

$1·         Blocked with ooze or fluff

$1·         Safety thermostat tripped

Tumble dryer drum not turning

Again a fairly common fault to come across and, in the case of tumble dryers a faulty belt is not at all uncommon.

$1·         Belt faulty

$1·         Motor capacitor (where fitted)

$1·         Motor faulty

$1·         Jockey wheels faulty

Dryer too noisy

It's again not uncommon and usually fairly straightforward to find the problem however, solving the problem however is often is far from easy.

$1·         Bearings faulty

$1·         Jockey wheels faulty or worn

$1·         Felt pads worn

$1·         Motor bearings faulty

Dryer not starting

This is not really a very common problem on most but some machines and older machines especially it does happen usually due to the door micro switch failing. It can also be caused by a timer failure, but that is unlikely.

Other problems include steam, if you get steam then your appliance is not vented properly or the vent hose is broken in the main. But if you just hang the hose out the window it could well be that the condensed air is being blown back into the room!

Bad smells from a tumble dryer are almost always caused by the vent hose having a dip in it where water gathers ad goes stale, it could be worth checking.

Well that about covers standard dryers any other faults really require the services of an engineer.

Self-Condensing Dryers

These appliances are lot more complex and for the layman, not really to be tampered with unless you either know what you're doing or are confident in your own abilities.

If the appliance leaks check that the water tray in its housing correctly and in not full.

If you get steam from the appliance it may be that the room is too cold make sure that the room temperature is within the limits in the instruction book. This can also happen with a normal dryer too especially if the room is too cold.

The common problems are pretty much the same as they are for the normal dryers, but with the added complications of a condenser system. That said, make sure that the condenser itself is clear, many can be removed and cleaned.{/slider}

The Big Warnings for All Dryers

Let any dryer run through its cool down phase!

Pulling the door open to check if stuff is dry and such things will, almost certainly in a modern dryer, result in the overheat thermostat being tripped and, many are now "one-shot" devices meaning that they won't and cannot be, reset.

Make sure filters are clear and regularly cleaned. Failure to do so will cost you both time and money.

Ensure adequate ventilation and a ready supply of fresh air, if you don't you will have problems.

Source: Mr Rogers Appliances Repair Services Brandon

Common faults of a Fridge Freezer, Freezer Or Fridge

Commonfaults of a Fridge Freezer, Freezer Or Fridge

Every single home in the US will have some sort of refrigeration, be it a small fridge with an icemaker or a grand American style side by side fridge freezer and, very often, they give problems. When they do fail they are also, probably, one of the more specialized areas of our industry as they employ a gas system, which is under pressure, to act as a heat exchanger.

The gas system, including the compressor and the changeover valves which will be mentioned below are specialist areas only and you will require a professional technician to assist you.

In essence there are two types of refrigeration system used on domestic fridges, freezers and fridge freezers; falling air and forced air and it is important that you know what you are looking at.

Falling Air Fridges

Falling air means that the effect of refrigeration relies upon cold air "falling" off of an evaporator which will normally be a metal plate at the back of the fridge, the actual icemaker in a small fridge or often now, that plate will be mounted behind the rear wall out of site.

This really isn't that efficient but it is very reliable as it minimizes the use of moving parts and is very old technology, but also very robust. One of the big problems is that you get temperature differentials between the bottom, where the cold air falls to first, and the top where the heat rises to. It also means that when you open the door, either fridge or freezer, that the cold air at the bottom rushes out making the unit work hard again to re-establish the correct temperature.

Manual defrosting is a must in any unit using this system that has any freezing capability.

These units are normally controlled by a single simple thermostat although electronics are increasingly being employed to improve the efficiency somewhat.

Forced Air Refrigerators And Freezers

Forced air is where the air is "forced" by being blown over an evaporator into the fridge and/or freezer. The effect of this is similar to that of a blast freezer where the freezing cold air is driven into the unit and this produces the result, to cut the story short, of the appliance being frost free. Of course it isn't really frost free as the frost builds up on the evaporator just as it does in a falling air unit and has to be removed to prevent a blockage.

This is where the problems mainly lie with frost free units, the defrost.

Periodically the refrigerator has to run what we refer to as a "defrost cycle" and this will be determined by the thermostats or thermistors in conjunction with the defrost timer or the electronic controls. These defrost cycles will generally run in multiples of four hours depending on the fridge, so 4, 8, 12, 24 hour defrost cycles and commonplace.

Safety First When Repairing Fridges And Freezers

To get the best appliance repair technician call Mr Rogers Appliances, which serve All Tampa Bay Area. It is your guarantee that the service that you receive will be a quality repair that is fairly priced and guaranteed.

When it comes to refrigeration there is another danger, one that you may well not have considered at all.

Food "goes off" by the cellular structure breaking down and then bacteria forming, hence the blue mould on the cheese if it is not used in time. In order to prolong the life of the food you keep it chilled or frozen which slows that degradation of the food and this has to be done in a fixed temperature range to maximize the food's lifespan. If you don’t do a repair and that temperature is not maintained then you could have early degradation of the food, it may even seem okay but not really be fit to eat.

Refrigerated food should be kept between +1?C and +5?C, any more or less and it's dangerous. Frozen food should be kept between -18?C (optimal) and -20?C. Whilst the temperature may swing either way a degree or so the mean should lie within those ranges, if not then it is dangerous.

If you're freezer has defrosted or the food appears to be "soft", you've lost it already DO NOT re-freeze this sort of food as it will have degraded and there is a disease risk with some foods, such as poultry and other meats (including fish) especially.

Common Fridge & Fridge Freezer Problems

Refrigerator Problem #1 - Fridge or freezer over-freezing

This can be caused by air ingress to the fridge or freezer but it is a common symptom of a failure in the control system, be that electronic or good old electro-mechanical.

On a simple thermostat controlled machine you can check this easily with a multi-meter as electro-mechanical thermostats are simple, pretty dumb actually, on/off devices. They simply switch off the power to the compressor when the machine achieves the desired temperature. For the most part these are easily changed but there are a huge number of peculiar thermostats although many of the standard ones will cover a vast amount of machines but if you are not sure then call Mr Rogers and ask help from a technician, as it is very easy to get the incorrect one, especially for fridge freezers. You will require the make, model and serial number as they do get changed during production quite often and from version to version.

It is absolutely vital when replacing a thermostat that you do not kink, cut or break the "phial" which is the long pliable wire that goes to the back wall or plate as it is filled with gas. The expansion and contraction of that gas is what makes the thermostat actually work. Check the following

·         Door seal/s faulty or not sealing allowing air ingress

·         Thermostat faulty

·         Evaporator door (icemaker fridges) not sealing correctly

·         Insulation failure

·         Blockage in gas system (can cause an ice-ball)

If you need professional assistance you can Call Mr Rogers Appliance Repair and a technician will help you fix your appliance.

Refrigerator Problem #2 - Fridge not cooling

This can be caused by a thermostat failure (refer to the above section) but that is rare to be honest. More likely the compressor is not running or not running properly for some reason.

·         Compressor failure

·         Compressor PTC

·         Compressor relay

·         Thermostat

·         Electronic failure

·         Thermistor failure

If the refrigerator cools a little on a fridge freezer and the freezer section seems okay then it can also be a sign that there is either a blockage or a shortage of gas. Please note that a gas shortage will not manifest itself magically after a few years unless there has been physical damage to the pipework.

Basically this is pretty much an experts area, but the causes are as follows in the main:

·         Shortage of gas on appliances under a year old

·         Blockage or choke in pipework

·         Changeover valve faulty

·         Compressor pumping weak (highly likely on older machines 8 years or more old)

Refrigerator Problem #3 Freezer not cooling.

See above as it's pretty much the same as for a fridge.

MrRogers technicians can also help you repair your freezer.

Refrigerator Problem #4 - Bad smell coming from the fridge

There are many reasons why a refrigerator can have bad smelling. To be sure what’s going on with your fridge call Mr Rogers Appliance Repair to have a technician assist you in Tampa Bay Area, Brandon and nearby.

Refrigerator Problem #5 - Fridge leaking water

"How a "self defrosting" system works using this principal is that every now and then the appliance cycles and the ice formed by condensation on the plate, or back wall, liquefies and runs down to a defrost channel. It is with this part that problems happen.

Tiny bits of foodstuff or dust slowly clogs that defrost channel for the water to run away and you see water in the fridge. There is, basically a hole in the center of the defrost pan it is this small tube that gets blocked and water can no longer drain away as it should and then you get water in the fridge. Easy to cure, just poke a bit of flexible wire down the drain hole and you've fixed it!"

What happens is that the water runs forward and produces a "leak from the fridge" and this is the most common reason for it by far.

Of course there are other possible reasons as well including:

·         Insulation failure

·         Defrost tray on compressor overfilled or damaged

·         Spillage inside the unit

If you get a leak from a chest freezer it will almost certainly be an insulation failure which is, pretty much as far as practicality goes, unrepairable.

Refrigerator Problem #6 - I punctured a smallhole while defrosting and now the fridge freezer won't cool, what's wrong?

Oops, you've just killed your fridge, freezer or fridge freezer.

We see this a lot I'm afraid and it's this simple, don't ever go near the inside of a fridge with anything sharp and metal to defrost with as there is an extremely high probability that you will pierce a pipe in the fridge. This lets all the gas out, so no cooling, then because most people run them thinking it might be okay, oil gets dragged up from the compressor and chokes the pipework. Invariably the machine is a total write off.

If this is your problem, sorry but there's not much that anyone can do to help you I'm afraid.

Having said that some of the American style fridge freezers, such as GE and Maytag, can be saved and can be worth saving due to the cost of a replacement, but on cheap refrigeration it's simply not worth the trouble as you are facing a $150+ repair bill with no guarantee of a successful repair in most cases.

Refrigerator Problem #7 - I get condensation around the door, why?

This is very common on a host of fridge freezers especially. What this is, is what is known as the "anti-condensate" line, a pipe of hot gas that runs just behind the door opening to stop condensation forming at the door seal. Sadly in a cold environment the result is that you will get condensation forming as a result.

It is perfectly normal but may signify that the room temperature is too low, below the accepted operating temperatures as given in your use manual.

Refrigerator Problem #8 - Fridge freezer is noisy

This can of course be caused by a few things, in a normal fridge you are pretty much limited to the compressor or excessive gas noise as that's all that moves, but in frost free things get a whole lot more complex. On this type of refrigeration you introduce, at least, a fan and fan motor, both of which can become noisy through blockages, ice build ups and bearing failure in the motor.

Many American style fridge freezers also have a cooling fan to cool the compressor, another possible source of noise. We've also seen air stats jamming the flap between the sections causing an ice build up and, consequently, noise.

The most common is an ice buildup and the fan will strike the ice formation giving a screeching noise, the reason is normally a thermostat failure of some kind leading to the buildup of ice. However a defrost element failure can produce the same result, as can an electronic controller.

Don't forget to also to check the cabinet for air ingress as that too, as explained previously, can cause an ice buildup. It is also worth noting that, on fridge freezers with an ice and/or water dispenser that a leak from either of those can also cause excessive ice and, if it reaches the evaporator in the freezer, it may well be the culprit.

In some machines there is a fan to drive air in the fridge as well as one if the freezer connected by an air channel, if this blocks or the second motor fails then abnormal noise is almost certain to occur.

·         Fan motor failure

·         Ice build up, fan clipping the ice

·         Thermostat failure leading to ice build up

·         Air channels blocked or obstructed

·         Compressor failure – noisy

If you have this fridgeproblem call an appliance certified technician to get professional appliancerepair service.

Refrigerator Problem #9 - There's lots of ice in my freezer, what is wrong?

See previous section.

Main culprits will be as follows;

·         Fan motor failure

·         Ice build up, fan clipping the ice

·         Thermostat failure leading to ice build up

·         Air channels blocked or obstructed

Refrigerator Problem #10 - Fridge not cooling but freezer cold

This will happen more on American type fridge freezers but can happen where there are two fan motors as well. Basically the cold air used in the fridge to cool is drawn off from the freezer section and something is stopping that from happening.

·         Fan motor failure

·         Ice build up, fan clipping the ice

·         Thermostat failure

·         Electronics failure

·         Compressor weak

Need to repair yourrefrigerator? Call Mr. Rogers now

Refrigerator Problem #11 - Fridge freezer not working at all

This is pretty simple usually for the technician, but often not for DIY.

First things, check the electrical supply, plug and fuse are okay. Assuming that they are then the following are the most likely causes;

·         Compressor failure

·         Electronics failure

·         Compressor PTC

·         Compressor relay

·         Terminal block

If you need a certified technician to help you with the refrigerator repair call Mr Rogers Now.

Refrigerator Problem #12 - Fridge Freezer Ice maker not working

Nightmare stuff, usually we just get told to replace everything!

Obviously that's not really practical in the real world so we have to think about it a bit.

If there's no water in the ice tray then chances are that the water valve is faulty or that the inlet in blocked in some way, this can happen especially if the filters get clogged up.

Usually the ice makers are really pretty simple things internally but recently, as with the likes of the Samsung and Whirlpool machines, we've seen the increasing use of electronics. For example, the Whirlpool ones use an infra-red beam to cut off the ice making, the boards fail and are very expensive to replace.

Of course the ice-making unit itself can go faulty, but it's rare and they do appear to be very reliable on the whole, so long as they are not electronic.

If your Ice maker is not working and you want to fix it you can call Mr Rogers anytime to get an appliance expert assist you.

Refrigerator Problem #13 - Where do I get a water filter for my fridge freezer?

Call Mr Rogers and we will gladly help you get a new water filter.

Refrigerator Problem #13 - Bottle holder broken in fridge

Call Mr Rogers and we will gladly help you fix you bottle holder.

Refrigerator Problem #14 - Glass shelf in fridge broken

Call Mr Rogers and we will gladly help you get a glass shelf.

Source: Mr Rogers Appliances