COMMON REFRIGERATOR OR FREEZER PROBLEMS

Ice and frost build-up in the freezer – This usually means that there is a problem in the self-defrost system.

You may have damaged refrigerator or freezer door gaskets. When you open the freezer door, you also let in a blast of warm, often humid air. This moisture usually freezes onto the evaporator coils immediately.

Water is inside at the bottom of the refrigerator – This is usually caused by blocked drainage tubes.

Your refrigerator feels warm or is cycling on and off frequently – Clean the condenser coils located at the bottom of your refrigerator behind the kick plate/grill.

Call Absolute Appliance Repair NOW if you have any problems with your Refrigerator or Freezer!

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HOW A REFRIGERATOR WORKS

Before refrigeration, preserving food was a big job. You could salt foods, and in winter, you could bury food in a snow drift and hope the critters didn’t find it. To stay stocked with the essentials, though, you had to work at it — or be rolling in money. Refrigeration is one invention that changed the way we conduct our daily lives. We can preserve food more easily nowadays, so we have much less to worry about when it comes to food-borne illnesses. The food supply is more stable, too. That gallon of milk can last a couple of weeks in the fridge as opposed to a couple of hours on your countertop. That’s huge. It means you don’t need to keep a cow in your backyard if you want a regular supply of milk.

The main function of the refrigerator is to keep fresh and perishable foods from spoiling as quickly due to the rapid growth of bacteria. This is attained when food is kept at a temperature that is lower than 40°F (4°C).

A refrigerant gas such as ammonia or chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is compressed and cooled so that it turns into a liquid. The liquid is then evaporated, a process that requires energy or heat from the surrounding area. The heat is drawn from the inside of the refrigerator, which thus loses energy, therefore decreasing the temperature inside that area. The whole process then starts again once the liquid becomes a gas and this is how the temperature of the refrigerator is maintained.

The normal temperature of a refrigerator is between -34°F – -41°F. Anything lower than this and it would be too cold and cause the contents of the fridge to freeze, whilst anything higher would mean that bacteria would multiply quicker and food would get spoilt faster.

The coldest area of the fridge is at the top, just under the chill tray or the freezer section and the warmest area is at the bottom, in the crisper drawers where vegetables should be stored and on the inside of the fridge door.

The refrigerator door should be kept closed at all times and should only be kept open for the shortest amount of time possible. Leaving the fridge door open or frequently opening and closing it will cause the temperature inside to rise, as warm air is being drawn in all the time, therefore making the fridge work harder and use up more energy and electricity to lower the temperature back down to where it should be.

FREEZER AND REFRIGERATOR TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Refrigerator troubleshooting isn’t a precise science, but there’s a lot that the home user can do to attempt to fix refrigerator or freezer problems. Hopefully, these handy freezer and fridge troubleshooting tips can help you out of a pinch without hiring a professional.

Check for Power First
Power can be the answer to many refrigerator or freezer problems. Check that the refrigerator is securely plugged in, and that the fuse or circuit is fully functional. If your fridge or freezer has power but still has issues, make sure you unplug it or turn off the circuit breaker before doing any refrigerator troubleshooting to avoid electrocution.

Check Cords for Wear
Sometimes refrigerator or freezer cords get damaged during normal use. The cord could get pinched under the machine and short out over time, or an extension cord could go bad. Take extension cords out of the circuit, and examine the fridge or freezer cord for signs of damage. If the cord is pinched or cut, you may need to replace it.

Light Works, but Refrigerator Isn’t Running
First, check the adjustable temperature setting knob inside the refrigerator or freezer. These knobs are typically along the top of the fridge near the light assembly, or along the side of the fridge or freezer. If the temperature is at a low setting, turn it up to make the fridge colder.

If the refrigerator compressor doesn’t kick on, check the fridge for airflow. You should leave at least three inches between the refrigerator and walls, and an inch at the top to provide air flow and prevent overheating. Try unplugging the refrigerator for a couple of hours, and then plugging it back in again. If the compressor turns on, it’s overheating. Try cleaning the condenser coils underneath the fridge as well. Dust that builds up makes it harder for the condenser to work, which can cause overheating.

Refrigerator Works, but Light Doesn’t
Sometimes light bulbs inside a fridge or freezer burn out. Light bulbs are one of the easiest refrigerator parts to replace. Simply take the bulb out, find a matching bulb and install it. If the light still doesn’t work, it’s probably a problem with the door switch. Try manipulating the door switch manually; if you can’t get the light to work, the switch or assembly may be defective.

It’s Not Cold Enough
If your appliance isn’t cold enough, check the temperature selector first. If it’s set low, turn the setting up and see if the fridge or freezer gets cooler. Next, check that there’s proper air flow around the appliance, and that vents are clear. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, the condenser coils may need to be cleaned; fuzzy or clogged condenser coils won’t cool the refrigerator’s interior properly. Check the seals to make sure the door is sealing properly and keeping cold air inside. Defrost the freezer to see if that corrects the problem. If none of these steps work, you may need to consult a professional.

 

Refrigerator Basics

There are three basic appliances that go into every kitchen or else you really can’t call it a kitchen. These are a sink, a stove and a refrigerator. The first household refrigerators were referred to as ice boxes. This was because that is essentially what they were: boxes that contained a huge block of ice to keep food cold. Ice men would travel through neighborhoods selling big blocks of ice that they would insert into your “ice box” until it melted the following week. With the advent of electric refrigerators, the ice man was put out of business and the “ice box” became self-sufficient. Modern Refrigerators Today, buying a new refrigerator is not unlike shopping for a new car. With both of those items, you’re basically making an investment in a product that needs to last you for several years. It’s not like buying a pair of shoes that you know are going to wear out with constant use. Your refrigerator should be maintenance-free (or as close to that as possible!). It needs to have a roomy capacity to meet all your food storage needs and needs to look good in your kitchen alongside your cabinets and other appliances. And today’s refrigerators ofter many time and effort saving extra features. Types of Refrigerators If you haven’t shopped for a refrigerator lately then you don’t know what you’ve been missing.

Companies like Amana, Frigidaire, Electrolux, GE and KitchenAid have poured all their engineering genius into the next generation of refrigerator design. Isn’t it time you checked out the market for yourself? The classic refrigerator design often meant that you had a double horizontal door. The lower portion was for the main refrigerator storage area and the upper for the freezer zone portion. There are many great refrigerators that still feature this comfortable layout. In fact, people who have grown up with this design often prefer it over other models. Some designs have reversed that classic horizontal lay out by flipping the freezer section with the main storage area. This makes the main refrigerator area more accessible. You can even have a horizontal refrigerator with vertical doors for the main storage area.

Think of it as half a side-by-side refrigerator and half a standard model. This type of refrigerator is perfect for singles and small families. Then there is the line of vertical door refrigerators. These side-by-side models have a large portion dedicated to the main storage with the smaller side containing the freezer. One of the great benefits with the vertical door models is that they often come equipped with a fresh water and ice dispenser. This is a very nice feature that provides filtered water and ice (cube or crushed!). No more messing with clunky ice trays or tap water. With these units you’ll have to replace an interior water filter every six months but this is as easy as changing a light bulb. Refrigerator Features If you are going to make the investment in a new refrigerator then one of the determining factors should be the capacity. Varieties of fridges can range from 18 cubic feet up to 27 cubic feet. If you are replacing your current model you want to make sure you take specific measurements to insure that your new fridge will fit in the proper place. Inside the refrigerator you’ll be presented with many shelf and storage options. This is where your particular taste and eating habits come into play.

You might prefer deep door trays to hold a gallon of milk or liter bottles of soda. You might like a deli meat and cheese drawer to keep those particular items fresh. And of course you need a decent size compartment designed to keep your veggies crisp. Don’t think that the refrigerator you are buying can be adapted. The shelves and drawers should all be adjustable to allow you to move them around for what suits you best. With all the particular designs also come the wide variety of styles and finishes on refrigerator. You could design your entire kitchen around what your refrigerator looks like or find the perfect fit for your current environment. Purchasing a New Refrigerator You might have grown accustomed to shopping on the Internet for smaller items like clothing, books and DVDs but there is no reason why you can’t go for the big ticket items like a refrigerator.

Refrigerator buying guide

Refrigerators have long been thought of as the boxy, boring behemoths of the kitchen, and buying one used to be as simple as choosing between eggshell and off-white. But times have changed, with manufacturers increasingly thinking outside of the icebox to try to redefine what the modern refrigerator is really capable of. Today’s shopper will find an ever-increasing range of color and style options, cleverly-designed units designed to disappear into your decor, and a wide variety of new smart features, including ones aimed at transforming your kitchen itself into an entertainment hub. It’s enough to make you wonder if the ol’ fridge might be going through a bit of an identity crisis.

This reinvention of the refrigerator comes with a daunting new reality: finding the perfect model for your needs and budget is no easy task. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place — a handy overview designed to help you narrow down the countless options and come out confident that the refrigerator you’re buying will give you the most bang for your buck.

In the end, finding the right fridge is all about understanding your own needs and asking the right questions, so let’s get started with:

What type of refrigerator is best for me?

Style-wise, you’ve got four options to choose from, and each comes with its own pros and cons. Figuring out which one is best for you is the first, most obvious step towards making a final buying decision.


Top freezer

When I say the word “fridge,” chances are good that this is the style that pops into your head. With the bottom two thirds dedicated to fresh-food storage and the freezer unit sitting on top, most of us probably struggled to reach the Popsicles in a top freezer unit when we were kids, or we at least used one in our first apartment. Tastes have moved forward since then, so if you’re looking for something modern, high-end, and feature-rich, then a top-freezer model probably isn’t for you. If, however, style isn’t as much of a concern, then you’ll find that top freezers offer some of the best bargains on the market. Plus, there are still enough being made to offer a solid variety of choices.

Bottom freezer

If you’re looking for something on the simpler side, and would enjoy slightly easier access to your fresh foods, then a bottom-freezer unit might be right for you. Bottom-freezer units aren’t much different from top-freezer units except for the fact that the freezer is located — you guessed it — on the bottom. This means that you won’t have to hunch over while rooting around for commonly used ingredients. However, it also means that frozen foods will be located down around your ankles — though a majority of models now come with drawer-style freezer doors, which can make getting the ice cream out a little easier. Bottom freezer units tend to be just slightly bigger than top freezers, but there’s also less variety of models to choose from.

 

Side-by-side

Side-by-side units split your fridge right down the middle, offering you frozen foods on the left and fresh foods on the right. Some models offer equal real estate for both sections while others allocate an extra couple of inches for the fridge. This can make for an especially narrow freezer section, so frozen-pizza aficionados might want to consider something a little less limiting. Side-by-side units come in a wide variety of models and tend to showcase more features than their horizontally minded counterparts. Many of these features are aimed at saving space, especially when it comes to the shelving inside the doors. Side-by-side units also require much less clearance to open the doors, making them ideal for narrow kitchens. Due to the vertical split, you’ll probably want to go with the widest model that will fit into your kitchen, and your budget.

French door

Highly popular, French-door models combine the drawer-style freezer of a bottom-freezer unit with the low-clearance doors of a side-by-side unit. This means that you’ll have a full-width, double-door fridge with plenty of storage space. With your refrigerator door effectively split into two, it also means that you won’t be letting as much cold air out when you’re opening just one door to grab the milk. Some models come with two separate freezer drawers, with the top one located about waist-high. This will keep you from bending down quite as far as you would with a bottom freezer. With the high demand for French door refrigerators, you’re sure to find a huge variety of options, including models with top-of-the-line smart features you won’t find with other styles. You can also upgrade the look of your fridge to match your kitchen or even camouflage itself entirely among your cabinets, but be aware that you’ll likely be tacking a few thousand dollars onto the already steep price tag.

Refrigerator and Freezer Repair in San Francisco Bay Area

With many years serving San Francisco Bay Area, Abolute Appliance Repair always here for you for any of your Refrigerator or Freezer problems.

We Repair all brands and makes of refrigerators and freezers including including Admiral, Ariston, Amana, Asko, Bosch, Broan, Caloric Dacor, DCS, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Frigidaire, Gaggenau, Garland, General Electric, Gibson, Hotpoint, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, Kitchen Aid, LG Electronics, Magic Chef, Marvel, Miele, Maytag, O’Keefe & Merritt, Roper, Samsung, Siemens, Speed Queen, Sub Zero, Tappan, Thermador, Viking, U-Line, Wedgewood, WindCrest, Whirlpool, White Westinghouse, Wolf and more ….

Absolute Appliances Repair serves all households in the San Francisco & Surrounding Areas: South San Francisco, San Francisco, Sausalito, Tiburon, Belvedere, Marin City, Tamalpais, Mill Valley, Strawberry Corte Madera, Larkspur, Kentfield, Ross, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Fairfax, Woodacre, Novato, Brisbane, Daly City, Millbrae, Pacifica, San Bruno.

We employ only the most skillful factory trained and authorized technicians to ensure consistent, high quality service. If you need good old-fashioned in-home appliance repairs in San Francisco & Surrounding Areas, we’re just a click or a phone call away.

Refrigerator is the most frequently used appliance in every house. It is used on 24 hours basis. Consequently, it is not abnormal for refrigerator to develop faults occasionally. But there are certain precautions you have to take in order to get the best refrigerator repair in San Francisco, Bay Area.

Probably, you will like to get your refrigerator the same day. There are many refrigerator repair but only few of them offer same day services. Find out if the refrigerator repair company you have chosen will be able to repair your refrigerator the same day otherwise you may be running the risk of having your food spoiled.

Another thing that you have to find out from the refrigerator repair company you have chosen is whether they charge hourly or whether they have a fix amount for their services. Most of the appliances repair companies have fixed amount. It is advisable for you to discuss with the company in details so that there will be no misunderstanding outlast. Always get the quote or estimate from the refrigerator repair company you have chosen.

Companies differ also in terms of their proficiency. This is one of the basic factors that you have to consider before choosing a tech. To ensure that your refrigerator is properly fixed, choosing a reliable, trusted and professional guy is paramount. Household appliances like refrigerator can be fragile and therefore should be handled by professionals.

It is not always easy to find out this since it can only be discovered through experience. But with little effort you can easily discover that.  It is not a bad idea for you to ask your friends or colleagues who have done such repair work to guide you in choosing a better refrigerator repair company.

Some of the faults a refrigerator may develop do not really require the attention of a technician. You can really do some by yourself. Consequently, reputable repair companies always provide tips on how to fix such problems. It is advisable for to read through these tips before employ for their services.

You can simply browse through our Refrigerator Articles and Videos on the right for some refrigerator tips.

Styles of refrigerators

Most households use the freezer on top and refrigerator on bottom style, which has been the basic style since the 1940s.

  • Traditional style — 1940s to present. Freezer top/refrigerator bottom (although most of the earlier models, some of the cheaper later models, and still some mini-fridges use the “freezer chest”, or what is known as the “freezer in the fridge”). A separate freezer compartment — not located within the larger refrigerator compartment — became the industry standard during the early- to mid-1960s.
  • Side by side style — introduced by Amana in 1949 but not popular until 1965–present; left side is freezer and the right is refrigerator.
  • Top refrigerator/bottom freezer style — mid-1950s to present.
  • French door style — late 1990s-present. Two French doors for refrigerator and bottom freezer. In the early-1950s, most refrigerators were white, but from the mid-1950s through present day, designers and manufacturers put color into refrigerators. In the late-1950s/early-1960s, colors like turquoise and pink were popular, brushed chrome plating (similar to stainless finish) was available on some models from different brands. In the 1970s, common colors were Harvest Gold, Avocado Green and almond. In the 1980s, black was viewed as luxurious. In the late 1990s, stainless steel became stylish, and in 2009, one manufacturer introduced multi-color designs. Many refrigerators can be blended into the cabinetry of the kitchen with panels that can slide over the doors for a built-in look. Most home refrigerators weigh between 200 pounds (91 kg) and 450 pounds (200 kg), with some models weighing up to 875 pounds (397 kg).

The GE Cafe Series refrigerator now with a built-in Keurig brewer.

Even people who don’t love to cook seem to get excited about high-tech kitchen appliances. Combine that with people who love coffee, and I’m pretty sure that covers nearly the entire population. Or at least all of us geeks here. If you count yourself among us, you’ll be interested to know that GE and Keurig have teamed up to release a first-of-its-kind refrigerator with a single-serve brewing system built right into the door.

Crazy, right?

The new GE Cafe French door refrigerator is an evolution of a previous model with a hot water dispenser built in. I love the idea of being able to make hot drinks on demand, since I’m not a hot water with lemon kind of girl.  Apparently, GE Cafe fridge owners felt the same: Their repeated requests to turn the hot water dispenser into a tea or coffee dispenser inspired the partnership between GE and Keurig.

 

While I haven’t tried the fridge myself yet, I have to admit that my first thoughts as a parent went right to safety. I kept imagining that my little one would burn himself and my older son would have wayyyyy too easy access to hot chocolate. However given the hot water dispenser in the existing model, I’m going to guess that scalded little hands haven’t been a major issue. But if you’re seriously considering this fridge, I’d definitely look into child safety features. The lock control button on the console seems like a good indicator that GE has looked into it too.

As for having hot chocolate on tap, Willie Wonka style, you might want pretend those Swiss Miss K-Cups don’t exist; at least if you want the Keurig to be all about your morning joe.

The next question I had was about the waste factor of K-Cups in general, since I’m new to that world. If you didn’t know (I didn’t!), K-Cup pods are not recyclable through municipality programs, and Keurig doesn’t currently offer their own recycle program–though they do say that they are working on one. Which makes sense considering how huge the market is.

In the meantime, our editor Liz found these awesome refillable Ekobrew cups that work with some K-Cup brewers. There are also biodegradable coffee pods from San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee. I’m really hoping either of these options will be compatible with this fridge’s Keurig brewer, since I know how much busy families all love our kitchen time-savers, and we’re sometimes willing to turn a blind eye to the eco trade-offs of our choices. So whatever GE can do to help us on that front would be great.