I'm an old pro at fixing my fridge already. Of course, even sometimes I can't manage to fix it on my own and have been stuck fridge free. If you're having fridge problems and are thinking of fixing it on your own, here are some tips that you might want to consider.
Some appliances are more important than others. Most people can manage for a couple of weeks without a vacuum cleaner but could not do so if their refrigerator were to break down. The problem is that when you are living on a tight budget you sometimes find yourself without enough cash to be able to call in a repairer. In that situation, you have little choice but to have a go repairing your refrigerator yourself. Fortunately, often, that turns out to be a lot easier than you think.
Check that you can source the parts
First, establish that you can still get your hands on the parts for your make and model. There is no point spending hours determining what the problem is only to discover that you can´t get what you need to fix it. Most of the time you will be able to find what you need online. For example, parts to fix your GE refrigerator are available here. The older your refrigerator is the more important it is that you check that parts are available.
Check the warranty on the parts
It is also worth making sure that they are new rather than re-conditioned parts and what the warranty is like. You don´t want to spend time and money repairing something with a secondhand part that may well go wrong after just a few weeks.
Troubleshoot the issue
Once you are happy you can get the parts, clear some space in your kitchen and pull your appliance out. This will give you plenty of room to work in. Make sure that the lighting is good or wear a head torch. Being able to see what you are doing will make it easier for you to diagnose the problem properly. Use this troubleshooting article to quickly narrow down the root cause.
Assess whether you can make the repair
When you have worked out what is wrong, go online and find out how to repair it. Watch several videos to make sure that you understand how complex the job is.
Work out the cost of the repair
Once you are sure that you know what the issue is cost out the repair. Remember to include the cost of buying any tools that you do not already own. Using this figure, you will be able to work out whether it is cheaper for you to fix your refrigerator or buy a second-hand one. If you are lucky, you will be able to pick one up for virtually nothing. Provided you have a way to transport it to your home that may be a better option than repairing it. Use this short buying guide to make sure that you do not inadvertently end up with two refrigerators that do not work properly.
If you are still stuck, try not to worry. You can always buy an electric cool box to use as a stopgap. Pop a thermometer in it, so that you can monitor the temperature. But do not plan to store meat or other highly perishable items in an electric cool box. Instead, buy them just before you are due to eat them.
Have you ever fixed your fridge before or do you leave that to the professionals? Any tips you'd add to this list?
Great tips. We've done without a fridge for weeks during some power outages; in the summer, even in the 90s, it's a pain but doable. (Winter's easy here in the US northeast.)
ReplyDeleteNever thought about being able to source the parts myself -- excellent suggestion, especially now when there are so few workers available.