Hey everyone! So I've been having some trouble with my fridge lately. I turned the thermostat down from 38°F to 36°F a couple of weeks ago because it didn't feel cold enough, but now it's even warmer and I found some water on the bottom! I checked the temperatures with a thermometer and found that the bottom shelf is at 45°F and the top shelf is around 50°F, although the drawers are a bit colder. The freezer is still working fine though, with everything frozen solid. My dad thinks I could just defrost it and that might solve the problem – is there any truth to that? I'm not very handy, and I'd rather avoid paying a repairman a fortune for something simple. Any suggestions? Thanks!
3 Answers
I've faced a similar issue before. If everything looks good in the freezer, check for any frost buildup, as it could block airflow. Many fridges have a cycle to defrost buildup, and if a drain line gets clogged, it could cause condensation to back up, leading to problems with the fan running as well. If you see no ice and the fan in the back is working, then you might be looking at a complicated fix like replacing a valve or fan. It's worth troubleshooting it further, though.
Another possibility is that the coils are dirty. Even if the freezer is working fine, dirty coils can prevent efficient cooling. You might want to clean those to see if it helps!
If the coils are dirty, would that still keep the freezer operating normally?
It sounds like the issue might be that the vent between the fridge and freezer could be frozen over, or the fan might not be working well enough. Usually, the fridge gets its cold air from the freezer, so if there's a blockage, that's your culprit. Letting it defrost could help if that's the case!
Thanks for the insight! We just got back from a two-week trip, and it still feels warm in the fridge, so I think you're right. I’m considering letting it defrost and see if that improves things.
I took a look at the back of the fridge, and the coils were really dusty, so I cleaned them. The fan seems to be running fine, and there's hardly any ice buildup in the freezer. Still, the fridge temperature hasn't improved much.