Common Questions About Refrigerators

What temperature should it be inside my refrigerator and freezer?

The operating temperature range inside your refrigerator should be between 36F and 45F. The optimum temperature of the refrigerator is 40F. Any lower and you take a chance on freezing some items; any warmer and you risk spoilage of certain food items. The freezer temperature range should be between -10F to +10 F. The optimum temperature of the freezer is between 0F and 5F. You can check the temperatures in both compartments with the portable electronic thermometer.

If your refrigerator is not quite cool enough, adjust the thermostat one increment cooler on the dial and wait 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize. If it is a little too cool, adjust it one increment warmer and wait 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize.

Why does it seem like my refrigerator runs constantly?

When working properly, the thermostat turns the compressor on and off. Once the thermostat turns the compressor on, it will run until the temperature inside the refrigerator is lower than the setting of the thermostat.

Make sure that the refrigerator has enough air clearance on all sides. Refrigerators with a condenser coil grid on the back of them need room to radiate the heat away from the coils.

Verify that the door light switch is working properly. Push the switch with your finger to verify the light is turning off. If the light stays on, it will actually warn the interior of the refrigerator. Fix or replace the switch if it is faulty.

Modern refrigerators that have a lot of storage and large freezer compartments run for longer periods of time. They also start and stop very frequently to maintain an even temperature. This is especially true if you have just put a lot of warm food in the refrigerator, or if it is very hot and humid. It can take several hours to get back to the cool temperature you have it set for after putting a large amount of food in it.

If the compressor is not shutting off when the temperature inside the refrigerator is cold enough, you may have a bad thermostat. You may also have the temperature set too high in the refrigerator. Try adjusting the thermostat to a lower temperature. If this turns the compressor off, you had it set too high. With the help of a refrigerator thermometer, you can find a more ideal setting that will keep your food cold, but not so cold that the compressor is always running. If raising the temperature setting doesn’t help, it may be a problem with the thermostat and you will need to replace it.

If your thermostat is working properly, there’s a chance that you have low levels of refrigerant in the sealed system. If this is where the symptoms lead you, you need to contact a professional appliance repair person. Only an EPA certified technician can legally work on a sealed system. If you attempt to do work on this system, you will void the warranty.

If this is a new refrigerator, it will run for a long time, almost constantly, before it gets cooled enough to stabilize the interior temperature. Allow up to 24 hours for it to stabilize. The refrigerator should be at least one half to two thirds full. This will help to maintain a stable temperature inside the unit. The cold items inside will help to keep an even temperature inside after the door has been opened and closed. Some people prefer to keep a lot of stuff in the refrigerator as ballast, even jugs of water. This helps to maintain temperatures inside so that when the door gets opened and closed often, it doesn’t need to run as much to maintain the temperature inside.

Why does my ice taste like plastic?

If you have a brand new refrigerator, or have just added an icemaker, the new plastic lines are still leaching out some of the plastic smell. Throw away the first batch or two of ice. If you have a water dispenser on your refrigerator, you may want to run some water through the dispenser and toss that out as well. After a few gallons of water have gone through the system, all of the plastic smell and taste should be gone.

How often should I clean the coils?

It’s recommended that you clean the coils at least twice a year, and more often if you have pets. A good way to remember is to clean them when the time changes, spring forward or fall back, or clean them when you do spring and holiday cleaning.

Why is there a strange noise?

Refrigerators typically make a lot of sounds when they operate. The cause of the problem can usually be narrowed down once you determine where the sound is coming from. If you hear something coming from the bottom, the source is probably somewhere else. There is not much under a refrigerator to make noise. You may hear noise coming through this area of the fridge, but it is probably originating in the back of the refrigerator.

Regarding any water sounds, refrigerators have a drip pan behind the kick plate. During a defrost cycle, melt-water from the freezer ice typically drains through a tube and down the back of the refrigerator into the drip pan. You may hear water dripping into it or it may rattle. Usually evaporation empties the drip pan, but you can remove it and empty it if there is a lot of liquid in it. If it rattles, you can check the supports holding the pan to make sure they haven’t been damaged, you can replace the pan, or you can try to secure it with tape. Another water flow sound would be if you have a built-in icemaker. You may hear the water flowing into the

If the noise is coming from the back, there are a few things that could be causing the problem. If the unit seems louder when the compressor starts, it’s probably a normal sound. The compressor starts with a high pressure, but as the pressure balances, the noise should become normalized. The compressor is in a black case with no visible moving parts. It’s located at the back of the refrigerator near the bottom and has wires and a bunch of tubes going to it. If it’s humming, or making a steady noise, and your refrigerator is still not cooling properly, there could be a problem with one or more various components. If the compressor is making noise, there’s probably no repairing it. You’ll have to replace it. This is often a very costly job and needs to be done by someone with the necessary EPA certification to work on sealed systems.

You can usually hear air rushing, or a swooshing sound from the condenser fan motor and blade. If it sounds abnormal or different than usual, check for dirt or dust on the blade and fan motor. If this area is dirty, make sure the power is off and wipe it with a clean towel. If the fan blade is metal, make sure that it is not hitting anything and that it is attached securely to the motor. If the noise is still coming from the motor, you will need to replace it. The damper door opening and closing may cause a chirping or howling sound.

The defrost timer can also make noises. It usually will make a click when it advances. As the timer gets old, the motor that runs the defrost timer can begin to make noises as well. If the timer motor is making a loud sound, then you should replace the entire timer. Noises related to the defrost timer are: snapping, crackling, or popping sounds. This is most likely caused by the defrost heater getting warm, and cold water dripping onto it. You may also hear some metallic sounding expansion or contraction creaks as the coils warm or get cool.

Other clicking or snapping sounds may be caused by the water valve opening to fill the ice cube tray. This valve is operated by a solenoid, and most solenoids make a snap sound as they open and close.

If you notice a sound coming from the freezer, you’ll want to check the evaporator fan motor. This is the fan that circulates air through all parts of the refrigerator and freezer. When the compressor is running, this fan should run as well. The fan blows the air over the evaporator coils to cool it. As the fan gets older and worn out, the moving pieces in the fan motor can start to make strange noises. When you hear the noise, quickly open the freezer door and manually press the door switch. If the noise is louder, then the motor is causing your problem. The motors are not repairable, you just replace the entire unit.

Vibrating noises are often caused by dishes or other containers vibrating on a shelf inside. You can move the dishes around to see if that helps. Other times the vibrations may be caused by something on top of the refrigerator. These items could be touching and rattling around on top of the refrigerator. Verify that the refrigerator is not touching any nearby walls or counters.