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

Stove, Range and Oven Fault Finding

Stove, Range and Oven Fault Finding

HowTo Repair  a Stove or Oven.

For the most part basic ovens are usually quite simple appliances until you introduce advanced features. However price sensitivity in this area, especially on contract ranges normally supplied to builders and kitchen contractors, means that a lot of the lower end products are not the best build quality by far.

The faults and information here will relate to built in ovens as well as stoves and double ovens as all operate on the same principles with the exception of ovens that also combine microwave technologies, however these are rare and not within the scope of this article.

Safety First When Working On An Oven Or Cooker

To get the best possible service we recommend to call Mr Rogers before doing anything by yourself. Sometimes you can get more faults by trying to fix one. Get a certified technician check your faulty stove, range or oven.

CommonOven And Stove Problems

Stove / Oven Problem #1 - The stove or oven does not heat up

This does not apply if the stove / oven is totally dead. If the fan is running and the thermostat light comes on but you get no heat (or just the thermostat light on in non-fan ovens and cookers) then the probability is that the fan element or heating elements have failed. These are usually fairly straightforward to test for continuity and to replace, however safety must be observed.

The other suspect with this sort of fault can be the main oven changeover switch. The normal arrangement is to have a changeover switch, sometimes called a "commutator", to select the various oven functions with the thermostat mounted on the back on cheaper models and a separate thermostat, often also regulating the grill temperature, on more expensive models or those with more features.

The safety thermostats or, on some models, a thermal fuse can also cause this failure although if they have failed there is normally a reason such as a faulty thermostat or poor ventilation.

It is also possible that a thermostat failure can cause this fault although this is rare.

·         Fan oven element

·         Oven element/s

·         Oven thermostat

·         Oven changeover switch

·         Thermal fuse/s or safety thermostats

If you need a stove technician you can call Mr Rogers and get your range fixed at an affordable price and every repair with warranty.

Stove / Oven Problem #2 - The stove / oven overheats and burns everything

Normally this is a simple thermostat failure which would manifest itself as this symptom.

When replacing thermostats be careful with the "“phial", this is the long "sensor" that has the temperature probe on it which is inserted into the oven cavity. You must not kink or break that phial as if you do you will have broken the part and it is rendered useless. The phial is filled with a gas which expands and contracts thereby operating the on/off action of the thermostat.

Call Mr Rogers and have you oven be check by an oven certified technician.

Stove / Oven Problem #3 - The oven door isn't closing properly

Normally this will be faulty hinges or the hinge runners.

For the most part what will happen is that the hinge runners, NOT the hinges, will go faulty usually the little rollers will fail, causing the door hinges to run off true. This in turn places strain on the hinges that they were not designed to cope with and they will then fail, often snapping.

Most technicians will advise strongly that both hinges are replaced, both rollers or runners replaced, or a set of each at the same time. Replacing one is a false economy as 99.99% of the time if one has gone the other is sure to follow very soon.

·         Door hinges

·         Door hinge rollers/runners

Stove / Oven Problem #4 - The oven door fell off!

See previous, there is really no other reason or cause.

Or simply call Mr Rogers. We have appliance factory trained technicians.

Stove / Oven Problem #5 - The units are burning at either side of the oven or cooker

Under normal circumstance this will be caused by a faulty door seal where the oven or cooker is a few years old or possibly by the door not sealing correctly due to faulty hinges or runners/rollers, see above.

On newer appliances that have not been installed too long (months, not years) it will almost certainly be either poor installation with inadequate ventilation, not enough space allowed between the oven front and the adjacent cupboard doors or poor quality kitchen cabinetry in general. It is virtually unheard of for this to be caused by a fault with the appliance, other than physical damage causing the door to not seal correctly, where there is no fault with the thermostat.

So for older appliances:

·         Oven or cooker door seal faulty

·         Oven or cooker door hinges faulty

·         Oven door hinge rollers/runners

·         Possible oven thermostat fault 

For new machines:

·         Physical damage to oven (transit damage)

·         Inadequate ventilation

·         Inadequate spacing between oven and cupboard doors

·         Poor kitchen doors that cannot withstand temperatures of 100?C Possible thermostat fault

It doesn’t matter if your stove is new or old, Mr Rogers can help you fix your faulty range. We offer Same Day Service and Emergency Service Call.

Stove / Oven Problem #6 - The oven door or knobs are too hot

This is a common complaint with new appliances.
In essence, when installed correctly, the chances of the oven not meeting BS Standard is almost impossible so much so that we have only come across such an instance once or twice in tens of thousands tested over the years. The accepted solution is that replacing with a superior model fitted with better cooling ability or with a cooling fan (many cheaper models, especially contract ranges) as many do not have these fitted as standard to reduce costs. 

CallMr Rogers and have a technician check your stove today.

Stove / Oven Problem #7 - The oven or stove cuts out after it's been on for a while. Stove burner suddenly turns off.

This is an overheating problem which can be caused by the main oven thermostat or a faulty safety thermostat that will be causing the problem. It can also be caused by a failure of the cooling fan, where fitted, but usually these go noisy before failing, only rarely do they go open circuit.

Safety thermostats are used to prevent the oven or cooker overheating and causing physical damage and are usually mounted on the outside of the actual oven cavity. They can be hard to find as all too often they are buried in the insulation surrounding the oven cavity if the wires are not evident and easily seen.

·         Main oven thermostat 

·         Faulty oven safety thermostat

·         Faulty oven cooling fan motor

·         Poor installation, ventilation issue

No matter what your problem is you have an expert to call. Call Mr Rogers and ask a certified stove technician to  help you fix your stove burners or oven heating element.

Stove / Oven Problem #8 - The oven or stove is noisy

Noisefrom the stove is rare but noise in the oven is limited to being produced by the moving parts so the fan motor and cooling fan motor are the most obvious causes where fitted. When new it is not uncommon for a cooling fan motor especially to be misaligned or damaged giving off a screeching sound as the blades catch the casing.

On older ovens and stove a bearing failure in either motor will cause this issue and, in the case of fan motors, if the fault is not rectified reasonably quickly the fan element may fail as well as the motor turns slower than it should allow the fan element to overheat. In some cases the fan blades may even "clip" the element, again leading to its premature failure.

It is worth noting that some rattling type noises can be caused by loose screws, faulty hinges etc.

·         Fan oven motor failure

·         Oven cooling fan motor failure

·         Physical damage

No one likes a noisy oven. If you have this problem you can call Mr Rogers and ask for an oven specialist to  repair your oven.

Stove / Oven Problem #9 - Why does a fan run after I switch the oven off?

This is a cool down period and can vary massively from appliance to appliance and even from kitchen to kitchen as it is dependent on the temperature that the machine was running at, the insulation (how good it is) and the ventilation of the cabinets in which the oven or cooker is housed. It is not uncommon for a cooling fan to run on for half an hour or more after the oven is switched off and this is perfectly normal.

You can call Mr Rogers and ask a technician for tips on energy saving or giving your stove maintenance.

Stove / Oven Problem #10 - The oven door seal is faulty where can I get a new one?

Door seals are easy to spot on failure as they tend to break up and they are normally easy to replace, most being simply clipped into place. We can send a technician to your home to check your stove and see what type of seal we need to ordered. Once we have the oven seal we will call you and schedule and appointment. We have Same Day Service, Next Day Service and Emergency Service available for your convenience.

Stove / Oven Problem #11 - How do I clean the oven?

We hope to have a more detailed article on this in the near future however as a start some tips are detailed here:

·         Refer to the user guide for instructions on removing the door and door glasses

·         Do not use abrasive cleaners where there is stenciled lettering or legends

·         For oven interiors, but not self-cleaning panels, Fairy Power Spray is excellent

·         To clean inside the door, between the glass, disassembly of the door is usually required

·         Knobs usually "pull off" for cleaning, gently prise if required

·         Do not clean panels with wire wool or "Brillo" pads as you will damage the surfaces

·         Do not use any chemical cleaners on self-cleaning panels, you will ruin them

If you need a certified technician to clean the oven for you, call Mr Rogers.

Stove / Oven Problem #12 - How do I clean the oven door?

See above, but most oven doors can be removed for cleaning and, if possible, this is normally detailed in the instruction manual. If you need help or advised on how to clean your oven door you can call Mr Rogers and scheduled an appointment for a technician to visit you.

Stove / Oven Problem #13 - The door glass has shattered, why?

We have had much debate on this subject and the short answer is that there is no definitive answer to the question, we can only tell you what we do know to be fact or has been advised by the manufacturers.

The problem can be caused by minor defects in the glass and these can be caused in many way including:

·         Hotpots from resting hot dishes on the glass

·         Slamming the door which can weaken the glass

·         Leaving wet dishtowels either on the glass or in contact hanging on the door causing a temperature differential

·         Impact damage

·         Temperature regulation problem

·         Improper installation, ventilation

·         Large casserole dishes (or similar) touching the inner glass whilst cooking

·         Oven thermostat problem (overheating)

·         Oven door seal faulty

·         Oven door hinges faulty

As you can see there has been a number of reasons put forward but, unfortunately, the evidence often lies in a thousand pieces making determining the reason for the glass to explode (as it is often reported) virtually impossible.

The upshot of it is that this does happen on occasion and can happen to any brand, no one brand has escaped this phenomena and there is no definitive time scale in which it will happen nor any definitive reason other than a thermostat failure or, possibly, the hinges and door seal as they can be ascertained.

With either the inner or outer door glass not properly in place do not use the oven for safety reason, it can be dangerous to do so.

If you need to replace you oven door or door handle you can visit Mr Rogers or call us and ask a technician to assist you.

Stove / Oven Problem #14 - The light inside the oven is faulty

Normally this is simply a case of replacing the bulb. However is the bulb cover is stuck, it often happens due to the build up of cooking grease, then you may have to smash the cover (carefully) to access the bulb. Occasionally a full light assembly is required.

If you do have to smash the bulb get an old towel and place it over the lamp cover and smash. The towel should catch most of the glass, stop you getting cut or shards of glass flying at your face as well as protecting the oven liner.

Most common bulbs used for ovens and cookers are available from this link, make sure that you use a correctly rated bulb for the temperature or the new one could explode!

A Technician help you identify the main problem. Call Mr Rogers now and ask for the stove repair service. We offer Same Day Service Call, and Emergency Service Call.

Stove / Oven Problem #15 - The oven is totally dead

First things first, check the electricity supply and make sure it is okay.

Next check that the oven is not on automatic, if you are not sure check the manual.

Next, it has become increasingly popular for builders to cut costs by not installing a proper 30 Amp cooker supply, instead placing ovens on a 13A socket and plug. The problem is that invariably the socket will be behind the oven and you have to take the oven out from its housing to check the fuse.

After that check the mains cable with a meter (DO NOT LIVE TEST)

If you can’t find the problem call Mr Rogers and let a technician check your range for you.

Stove / Oven Problem #16 - The oven door handle is broken, is it easy to change and can I get a new one?

Depends on the oven. Some are really simply, being only two screws to release and change and others require a total stripdown of the door.

Just call Mr Rogers to have an advise on how to do it.

Stove / Oven Problem #17 - What's the black glue that holds the door glass or hinges on? 

It is this special heat glue that is used for these types of jobs. Bear in mind that you must allow this glue to set completely before refitting any components glued with it.

If you think that black glue is not doing his function correctly you can call Mr Rogers and ask for advise.

Stove / Oven Problem #18 - The grill element in my oven or cooker doesn't work

This would usually indicate that the grill element is faulty.

Also check the main oven changeover switch, energy regulator (grill) if fitted and any overheat thermostats.

·         Grill element 

·         Oven changeover switch

·         Overheat thermostat 

·         Main oven thermostat, if used to regulate the grill temperature

If you need to repair your grill element from your oven you can call Mr Rogers and schedule a service call.

Stove / Oven Problem #19 - The outer part of the grill element doesn't glow

They mostly don't. Most, especially continental grills, do not use an infra-red outer zone and therefore they do not "“glow" as such but they are still heating.

The only way to safely check this is to carry out a continuity check on the element itself.

Get a stove technician to check it for you. Call Mr Rogers

Stove / Oven Problem #20 - There's smoke from the oven, what is it?

Invariably spillage except on a new installation or when a new element is fitted. The elements come with a protective coating which must "burn off" before you commence cooking.

There is nothing in the oven that is flammable or that can cause any odours or smoke in normal use and so the cause must be external in origin.