Poor cooling in the freezer compartment
Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost
build-up on the evaporator coils. You can't see these coils without
removing a panel on the inside of your freezer. A sure sign that there
is a build-up is the presence of any frost or ice build-up on the inside
walls, floor, or ceiling of the freezer. Such a frost build-up usually
indicates a problem in the self-defrosting system or damaged door
gaskets.
The refrigerator is supposed to self-defrost
approximately four times in every 24 hour period. If one of the
components in the self-defrosting system fails, the refrigerator
continues to try to cool. Eventually, though, so much frost builds up on
the evaporator coils that the circulating fan can't draw air over the
coils. There may still be a small amount of cooling because the coils
are icy, but with no air flow over the coils, cooling in the
refrigerator compartment is quite limited.
Here's an inexpensive, though inconvenient, way to
determine if the problem is with the self-defrosting system. Remove all
of the perishable food from the refrigerator and freezer, turn the
thermostat in the refrigerator to Off, and leave the doors open for 24
to 48 hours. (Be sure to have several towels ready in case the melting
frost and ice causes the drip pan to overflow). This allows the
refrigerator to defrost "manually." When the frost and ice build-up has
completely melted away, turn the thermostat back to a normal setting. If
the refrigerator then cools properly, it indicates a problem with one
of three components in the self-defrosting system:
The defrost timer
The defrost thermostat (also called the bi-metal
switch)
The defrost heater
If it still does not cool properly, there may be a
problem with the refrigerant level or the compressor. You may need to
consult with a qualified appliance repair technician to further diagnose
the problem
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