Do It Yourself (DIY) Refrigerator Repair - How to Repair a Refrigerator

Refrigerators have become an indispensable part of our lives. These appliances are extremely reliable and work incessantly without much need for servicing. However, there might be a few occasions when your refrigerator encounters a problem. You can easily fix such problems yourself, without calling a professional help. But for that, you need to understand the basic working of a refrigerator.

Working of a Refrigerator
Refrigerator consists of two functional components - evaporating coil and cooling coil. The compressor circulates the liquid freon that acts as a coolant through these coils. Freon is cooled in the condenser and flows to the evaporator, where it comes in contact with the air inside the unit. It refrigerates this air and brings down the temperature. The cooling coil is situated outside the unit while the evaporating coil is inside the unit. The compressor is driven by a powerful motor.

Repairing Common Refrigerator Problems
Most refrigerator problems are pretty easy to fix yourself, if you know the fundamentals. Following are some DIY refrigerator repair tips:

Repairing a Leaking Refrigerator
The causes of a leaking refrigerator are:

• Condensation leak by the door
• Damaged or improperly placed drain pan
• An ice maker leak

Condensation by the door is either due to a damaged gasket or a malfunctioning door. Leakage due to drain pans can be solved by simply replacing or repositioning the drain pan, which is located at the bottom of the refrigerator. Remove the grill and slide the drain pan out of the unit. Discharge the water and inspect for damages. Pour some water in the pan and check if it leaks. If it does, you will need to get a new one. If the drain pan seems intact simply put it back properly. If the leakage is due to the ice maker, you will notice the water flowing from the backside of the unit. You need to inspect the water line that provides water to the ice maker and the fitting that attaches the tube to the refrigerator. Damage to either of them can cause leakage. Check for the damage and replace the corresponding component.

Repairing the Doors and Gaskets
If the door does not close properly, it means either there is a problem with the gasket sealed to the door, or the door itself. Check if the gasket is cracked or chipped, if it is, buy a new one. Make sure that you buy the one that is particularly meant for your refrigerator only. In case of a malfunctioning door, a little tightening of screws and bolts may help. It is better to keep the refrigerator tilted at slight angle, because the closing mechanism needs a little help of gravity.

Repairing the Refrigerator Light
The refrigerator light should switch on instantly when you open the door, if it doesn't, there may be several factors responsible for it. First, check if the bulb has not blown out, next check if the switch is not stuck. If everything seems fine, the problem is with the switch itself, which calls for replacement.

Repairing a Thermostat
A defective thermostat will make the compressor run all the time. To check if you have a defective thermostat, turn it on OFF position and see if the compressor runs or not. If it does, the thermostat is indeed faulty. But if the compressor stops running, you need to look out for some other problem, probably with the compressor.

Repairing a Condenser Fan
The blades may get jammed or bent due to accumulated debris in the fan unit, which may lead to malfunctioning of the fan. If the blades are clogged, simply clean the unit, while in case of bent blades, straighten the blades with pliers.

Repairing a Motor/ Compressor
If there is a problem with your motor or compressor, do not attempt to fix it yourself. Problems with motor or compressor, are often complicated and require a high degree of expertise. Hence, it can be best dealt by a refrigerator repair service.

These DIY refrigerator repair guidelines are only useful for common problems that are easy to deal with. While carrying out any kind of refrigerator repair work always make sure to adhere to the safety precautions in the manufacturer's instructions.