Refrigerator Repair Los Angeles
If the water is dripping inside your refrigerator, if the refrigerator
is cooling is poor, if the refrigerator is making a strange noise,
or if you have any other issues that require a professional, Refrigetator
Repair in Los Angeles we are available 24/7 at our toll free number:
1-866-876-3188
We provide refrigerator repair to all Los Angeles zip codes, which
are listed on our areas of service
page.
How your refrigerator works
The refrigerator is a standard item in today's household. Many
homes in fact have not only a refrigerator with its built-in freezer
compartment but also a separate stand-alone freezer. Some also have
smaller refrigerators for the wet bar or out in the motor home.
Basic operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, servicing, and repair
is the same for all of them
A refrigerator or freezer works on the principle that a gas cools
as it expands and gives off heat when it is compressed. A refrigerator
or freezer has four basic parts: the compressor, the tubes carrying
refrigerant, a fan, and a thermostat. A compressor is used to compress
or "squeeze" the refrigerant and usually also to pump
it. A length of tubing is connected to the compressor and provides
a completely sealed path. The tubes are filled with the refrigerant,
which is usually Freon, either type R-12 or type R-22. This tubing
is divided into two basic sections: the evaporator and the condenser.
The names tell you just what is going on in that section. In the
evaporator, the liquid Freon vaporizes into gas. It evaporates.
In doing so it becomes cold and is capable of absorbing heat from
the inside of the refrigerator. Evaporation occurs because the liquefied
Freon flowing into the evaporator is flowing into an area of low
pressure. It then passes through the compressor and into the condenser.
The compressor squeezes the vaporized Freon and puts it under high
pressure. As the pressure increases, the Freon loses the heat it
has picked up in the evaporator side. This is helped along by cooling
fins or wires attached to the tubing and often by a fan that blows
air across the coils. The increasing pressure and the lowering temperature
turns the vapor back into a liquid. It condenses. To further increase
this action, a capillary tube is used to connect —or rather
to separate — the high pressure condenser from the low pressure
evaporator. As the refrigerator shuts off from its cooling cycle,
you will hear a soft whooshing sound. This is the rebalancing of
pressure between the two components. A thermostat is used to measure
the temperature inside the refrigerator and to trigger the compressor
and fan. If the temperature inside exceeds the setting, the compressor
comes on and the cooling cycle begins all over again.
Caution must be exercised when working with any refrigeration appliance.
The Freon inside the tubes is under pressure. It can be dangerous
under certain conditions and can turn into a poisonous gas. Many
of the problems involved require special equipment and background
and are best left to a professional.
Maintenance tips
An uninstalled and unused refrigerator can be one of the most dangerous
appliances in the home. If an old refrigerator is not in use, be
sure to remove the doors! This is to reduce the possibility of danger
to small children. Most recent refrigerator/freezer models have
specially designed doors that help to prevent children being accidentally
locked inside.
For normal vacation periods of up to four weeks, no special attention
need be paid to the modern refrigerator or freezer. Under frost-free
automatic operation, they can be left unattended with controls at
their normal settings. If you are to be away with the appliance
unused for periods of over a month, then remove food, turn all temperature
controls off, clean and wipe the interior dry, and leave the doors
open in order to prevent odors.
If you are moving a freezer or refrigerator from one location to
another, first remove all stored foods and thoroughly clean the
appliance. Then remove all shelves, trays, drawers, the evaporator
pan, and any other loose parts and pack these separately. Tightly
tape any moving parts such as the lever for the automatic ice maker
into position. Disconnect the power plug from the wall outlet, and
always be sure to handle the appliance with care.
CLEANING
Most refrigerator/freezer shelves and trays lift or snap out easily,
so that they may be cleaned in the kitchen sink right along with
dishes. Use detergent and a nonabrasive scouring pad on stubborn
stains. The exterior of the appliance may be wiped with a damp cloth,
then dried. Occasionally you may wish to use one of the special
appliance enamel waxing or cleaning compounds which will help to
renew the finish. Never use harsh or abrasive cleaners or pads on
the enameled surfaces. In case of accidental scratches, enamel touch
up spray is available at most appliance, hardware, or department
stores.
In removing shelves and trays or drawers for cleaning, be sure to
study the way the devices are to be inserted and removed. If available,
consult the owner's manual. Using excessive force to lift or pull
out a shelf may result in damage to either the item or the wall
bracket. Many of these clips or brackets are plastic and they will
break under excessive pressure or force.
In any cleaning, use warm but not hot water, since high temperatures
may cause some of the plastic components to warp or discolor. When
cleaning the interior, the normal baking soda mixture is about a
teaspoon of soda to a quart of water. After cleaning, it is good
to leave either a small box of opened baking soda, or a small amount
open in a saucer, somewhere in the fresh food compartment. This
will help in the elimination of food odors. To assist in curbing
these odors and to prevent the drying of stored foods, be sure to
use containers with tight-fitting covers for all foods placed inside
the unit.
The life of door gaskets may be enhanced if they are periodically
cleaned with warm soap and water, and then with the baking soda
solution. Rinse with clear water and wipe dry.
DEFROSTING
Long unit sections had to be completely emptied, the unit turned
off, and drip pans inserted on the shelves and unit floor in order
to catch unit ice from the freezer section. Now, automatic defrosting
is standard in even the most inexpensive models of units or freezers.
Preset factory controls permit the units to defrost automatically
on a regular basis. During the defrost cycle, there is normally
only a slight change from the normal sounds coming from the working
appliance. The defrost water is channeled down to the base of the
unit into an evaporator pan, where fans or blowers automatically
evaporate the melted liquid. That old-fashioned and messy defrosting
chore is literally a piece of history. However, it may be necessary
to clean the drip water channels and the evaporator pan and grill
(at the bottom of the unit) on a regular basis. Just wipe the interior
of the unit with a soft cloth moistened
with a mixture of baking soda and water and use a vacuum cleaner
to pull any dirt or lint from the grill and evaporator tray (the
grills usually just snap off in order to obtain cleaning access
to the evaporator tray).
All of the above tips are for informational
purposes only. For your safety, we strongly encourage any refrigerator
repairs to be performed only by a certified technician. Our technician's
are available at:
1-866-876-3188
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