Your refrigerator is an essential part of your household, so it’s important to pay attention when it starts showing signs that it’s reaching the end of its lifespan. If you know what to look for, you can replace your refrigerator before it bails on you, and you’ll avoid the inconvenience (and additional expense) that you’ll face if your refrigerator malfunctions or dies and you have to throw out thousands of dollars of food. To make sure you don’t end up living out of a cooler while you wait for a new refrigerator to arrive, watch for these five telltale signs that it’s time to start looking for a replacement refrigerator:
1. Your Food Spoils Too Quickly
It’s upsetting to discover that the milk you just opened has already spoiled, but it happens to everyone once in a while. However, if you start to realize that everything in your refrigerator is spoiling quickly, the chances are high that your refrigerator is actually what’s going bad.
2. You Notice New Sounds or Excessive Noise
You’re probably so accustomed to your refrigerator’s usual noises that you might not even register the compressor’s almost-silent hum or the sound of fresh ice falling into the ice bin. Don’t ignore it if you start hearing new sounds from your refrigerator: Unusual noises might be the only warning sign you get before your refrigerator decides to retire, so pay attention to any new rattling, knocking, or straining sounds.
3. You Can’t Trust the Internal Temperature
Storing your food at the correct temperature is one of the most important aspects of food safety, so temperature fluctuations inside your refrigerator can be particularly dangerous. Even if the temperature displays within your refrigerator appear normal, trust your instincts if the food inside your refrigerator feels too warm. Place an inexpensive ambient thermometer inside your refrigerator to make sure your refrigerator is at 37F and your freezer is at 0F. If the temperature inside your refrigerator is above 40F, you might need to discard the contents of your refrigerator and start looking for a new refrigerator immediately.
4. You Find Condensation in Unfortunate Places
If you notice condensation forming on the front of your refrigerator, inspect the flexible seal that runs along the inside of the door. Cold air will leak out of any cracks, gaps, or breaks along this seal, which will reduce your refrigerator’s efficiency and might cause your food to spoil. While condensation on the outside of the door might seem alarming at first, you might be able to fix it if a cracked door seal is the only issue.
If you notice excess condensation accumulating on the inside of your refrigerator as well, it’s probably time to start looking for a replacement. A minimal amount of condensation on the inside back wall of your refrigerator is normal, particularly if you live in a warm, humid environment. But if you find unexplained puddles forming on your refrigerator shelves from excess internal condensation, your refrigerator is trying to tell you that something is going on behind the scenes.
5. You Bought Your Refrigerator More Than 10 Years Ago
Refrigerators last for about 12 years on average, so your refrigerator is in the winter years of its life after about a decade. Key components like the compressor and control board are more likely to fail as your refrigerator ages, so you might want to go ahead and find a replacement before your current refrigerator calls it quits.
Your refrigerator plays a central role in your daily life, so it’s important to recognize when it is time to replace it. If your refrigerator starts showing any of the signs discussed above, it’s probably time to start looking for a replacement. Stop by Garner Appliance & Mattress and check out the refrigerator selection at the Triangle’s largest locally owned appliance store today.