You can do many refrigerator repair jobs yourself, but some require professional expertise. Choose a contractor that has experience with your refrigerator brand and model. A quality before-and-after photo makes a huge difference in how well your work is perceived online. Take your time and aim for consistency with the angle of each shot. Water Dispenser A refrigerator that has a water dispenser provides easy access to clean drinking water. It also declutters a space, eliminating the need for extra bottles that could fall and break. The lines that run behind a fridge need to be free of kinks and clogs in order for the dispenser to work. When this doesn’t happen, the water may taste funny or it might not be coming out at all. Homeowners who are adept at DIY projects can tackle some refrigerator repairs themselves, including replacing a rubber door gasket or cleaning coils. However, they should have a professional take care of any more advanced repairs or replacements. Homeowners can check a fridge’s power cord to ensure it’s plugged in and reset their home’s breaker if they can’t get their refrigerator to turn on. Ice Maker Ice makers let you keep a supply of fresh, clear ice at the ready without having to haul bags of it home from the grocery store or reach into your freezer. They work by transforming water into cubes through a cycle of freezing and harvesting. You may need to reset your ice maker if it stops making ice or doesn’t turn on at all. Check to see that the power switch is on and the metal switch in the bin is firmly set in place. Also, check to make sure the freezer temperature is appropriate and that the ice maker line valve (which looks like an ordinary water valve) is open. If the ice maker doesn’t work, try heating the water intake valve with a hair dryer to warm it up and get it to open. Condenser Fan The fan motor draws air in and circulates it through the condenser coils to cool the refrigerant. When this part malfunctions it can cause the refrigerator to not work properly. Homeowners can check the fan motor by turning off power and disconnecting it. Keeping track of wire connections can help homeowners reconnect the motor in the future. It is also important to ensure that the new motor is the right size. An HVAC expert can verify this if necessary. If the motor overheats, it could be an indicator that it isn’t getting the proper voltage from the contactor switch. This may also indicate that the fan isn’t moving enough to cool the condenser coils. Other possible problems include a burned-out motor or a fan that is blocked by debris. Drain Pan The refrigerator drain pan, also known as a drip tray, collects condensation that flows down from the defrost drain. It then evaporates, preventing the accumulation of ice. However, it can get clogged with food debris or frozen by the defrost system. It can also become a magnet for odors and mold. Cleaning it regularly prevents these issues and keeps it smelling fresh. The drip pan is usually located in the bottom rear of the fridge. You can access it by moving the fridge or sliding it out. It should be easy to spot since the defrost drain line empties into it. You can easily sanitize it with a solution of one part bleach to two parts water, but you should clean it more often if there’s a lot of mold growth. Leveling Legs Household appliances are required to be supported in a level position for proper operation. The present invention relates to self-leveling support assemblies for such appliances. One rear leg of the appliance has a leg-receiving opening 49 and a leg-support pad 52 extending between walls 25 of the base 14. A rigid connecting bar 61 extends across both legs of the self-leveling leg assembly, and each leg carries a pin which fits within a slot in the brackets 21 and 22. When the appliance is moved onto a sloped floor surface, the leg on the lower side automatically extends to make contact with the floor, and the other leg rises in response to this action because of the fixed distance between the legs as provided by the rigid connecting bar 61.
