Repairing your fridge doesn’t have to be an expensive business
Sometimes having your refrigerator repaired by a professional can be quite expensive. It is this fear of overinflated charges, call out fees and the cost of replacement fridge spare parts that can often lead to us simply taking the fridge to the nearest recycling centre and buying a new one.
Quite often though, repairs can be carried out without the need to contact a skilled tradesman as the problem can be relatively simple to fix, if you are prepared to take a little time to do your research and work through things methodically. The cost of replacement parts can also be a lot more affordable than you may think too, when purchased from a reputable online appliance parts stockist.
For instance, if a fridge has recently been moved and you suddenly find it will not work, you may find that the problem is simply a loose wire. Checking the wires both at the plug and then on the appliance itself (usually located behind a service panel or rubber grommet) can often lead to finding the cause of the problem. If any loose wires are found then you can attempt to re-attach or tighten them, if it is obvious where they have come loose from, and you feel confident in doing so.
Obviously when undertaking repairs on any kind of electrical appliances, ensure they have been properly disconnected from their power source first and that you are entirely happy with the safety of the repair work carried out.
Fridges and freezers in particular often have something called a capacitor; this component is located in housing on the top of the motor. Capacitors store electricity, even when the power to the unit is turned off. Before you do any work on a capacitor-type refrigerator or freezer, you must discharge the capacitor, or you could receive a severe shock.
Another common, easy to repair, problem with refrigerators is the seal around the door of the appliance. A badly fitting or broken door seal can result in electricity being wasted. Cracked refrigerator door seals can be temporarily remedied by unrolling the seal and applying silicone spray inside the door seal.
However, if the door seal is beyond repair and therefore needs to be replaced, this can easily be done. Firstly, buy a new fridge door seal for your chosen model from a reputable appliance spare parts centre. Simply, remove the old seal by taking it off the door (usually secured underneath a retainer strip or by screws). Once the old seal has been rolled back and the screws loosened, it can then be removed.
The brand new fridge door seal can then be positioned over the retainer in the door corners. Once in place, the seal can be slipped under the retainer and all screws tightened. Be sure to tighten the corner screws first before moving on to the rest of these screws and remember to ensure not to over tighten or you may end up cracking the new seal or plastic retainer.
For more advice and help on how to repair a fridge or freezer, including disassembly and instructions on how to discharge a capacitor, try having a look at this interesting article on How Stuff Works.
So, buying spare parts for your fridge and doing the simple repairs doesn’t have to be a big deal after all. By taking the time out to find a company that stocks a large supply of domestic spare parts makes it more affordable to repair and maintain all of your household appliances.
