Is my fridge dying? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

The noise from my fridge's compressor is getting progressively louder day by day. It's over 11 years old, and came with the house. Should I be looking for a new fridge if the noise gets really loud, or is it worth repairing?

 

[Kevin P]

If you can get at the compressor and motor, see if it's coming loose and vibrating, or touching something and making it vibrate. You might be able to tighten it up.

It could also be that the freon is getting low. Does it seem to run longer or more often than it used to? If it's 11 years old, it might be worthwhile to get a new fridge as they're more energy efficient now.

KJP

 

[KyleS]

Also how long has it been since you cleaned the compressor? It could be that the compressor is about to die due to dirt clogging it up making it work harder. The Freon is certainly something that could be causing it to go bad. I would agree with Kevin that at 11 years old it has served pretty well for you and that it may be time for a newer, more efficient model.

KyleS

 

[Patrick Sun]

I guess I'll be peeking behind the fridge this weekend...

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Yeah Patrick - watch out for those dust bunnies.

Glenn

 

[Patrick Sun]

No! No! Not Dust Bunnies!!!

 

[Andrej Dolenc]

Definitely inspect the compressor and get the freon level checked. But at 11 years old, that fridge should have plenty of life left in it.

My folks have been waiting for the fridge in their place to die ever since they moved into the place. The beast finally kicked the bucket a month or so ago. Indications were that it just wasn't cooling anymore. Compressor was working all the time, but the fridge part was warm. Freezer part was kinda like the fridge part was. In retrospect, it mighta been freon level, but the folks were tired of that beast.

Anyway, my folks bought the house in '84, and the fridge is by all accounts a relic from the 70's. It had that extra stylish puke green color.

Fridges aren't that cheap, may as well see if you can get more life out of it.

Andrej

 

[Chris Baucom]

Patrick,

Definitely look at the compressor. Perhaps just moving the refrigerator out from the wall will reveal some other problem, like perhaps a lose mounting bracket, a foreign object that has fallen back there, etc. I agree with the preceding comment that you should get more than 11 years out of a refrigerator. If you can't diagnose the problem, then the next step would be to have someone look at it. Depending on the model and how much a comparable replacement would be, it is probably well worth it (even if it is a couple of hundred dollars) to have someone look at it before you take the plunge on a new one.

Did you ever watch the Brady Bunch? My parents have the exact same model refrigerator that they had on the show. I am 34 and they have had the same refrigerator my entire life, with only one or two service visits. And yes, it is green.

 

[Philip_G]

refrigerators often times do not have service valves on them, if the refrigerant level has dropped where did it go? it leaked somewhere, perhaps from the coil. Get a new fridge

 

[Steve Christou]

PatSun if the noise gets louder and the fridge starts shaking and moving around the kitchen than I think it is time to give it the last rites, or start running for your life, you may need an exorcist.

We knew we had to put down our old fridge when we regularly found it standing in a pool of water. I still miss that fridge [sniff].

 

[TimDoss]

My fridge, just last weekend was making a lot of noise
and the freezer, while still cold, was not freezing anymore...
noise and lack of coldness turned out to be due to a faulty
fan... cost me $38.00 and about two hours... worth a look.