What To Do When Your Fridge Stops Working

The stress of discovering that your refrigerator has stopped functioning properly is one that many of us have experienced. Whether it just doesn’t seem to get cold, beeps at your incessantly, or is just completely devoid of power, knowing what to do to manage this situation is very important as you don’t have a whole lot of time to limit the damage. Follow our guide to be better prepared for this unfortunate and frustrating time.

Save Your Food

As soon as you discover that your fridge has given up, you need to act quickly if you want to save the food inside. First, assess how long the fridge has been broken. If it’s just started, you’re in the perfect position to find a temporary alternative. Grab a cooler and some bags of ice and try to keep your refrigerator closed until you’re ready to transfer the contents. Of course, there are optimal ways to store your food in the fridge, and some foods also require constant refrigeration such as meat and dairy. You’ll want to strongly consider throwing away items that require careful refrigeration as eating these after a period of not being refrigerated may be harmful to your health.

Hire An Expert

Once you’ve saved as much food as possible, your next step is to determine what the issue is. Your best bet here is to hire an expert repair person to visit and identify the fault as refrigerators, especially uncommon makes such as American style fridge freezers require a professional hand to assess these issues. Avoid trying to fix it yourself as this can cause more harm than good to both you and the refrigerator. Instead, locate an expert that has knowledge of a range of different makes and models from Maytag to Sub-Zero such as those as dcclondon.co.uk.

Repair

With the help of an expert, you’ll be in a good position to know whether or not your appliance can be repaired successfully as well as how much it’s going to cost. A good repair person will advise you on if it’s worth attempting a repair or purchasing a new refrigerator altogether. If it’s a quick and simple remedy such as replacing a single part, it’s definitely worth trying. After all, buying a brand-new unit can be costly and throwing away large appliances can have a negative impact on the environment.

Replace

Sadly, it’s not always possible or economical to fix things, and ultimately you may have to consider replacing your refrigerator. To understand whether or not it’s worth replacing the appliance, work out first how much it’s going to cost you. If a repair person has to source multiple parts, especially ones that aren’t in production anymore, the price is going to skyrocket. It’s generally agreed that if this cost rises above 50% of the cost of a new model, you’re better off buying the new one. This is because all devices and appliances have a limited lifespan, with refrigerators typically lasting around 13 years depending on the make and model, of course. So, another thing to consider is whether your fridge is reaching its later years. If so, replacing your unit may be a better choice rather than waiting for inevitable breakdowns.