A refrigerator is hard at work all day long, keeping your food cool. The evaporator is one of the most significant components that enables this process. The whole fridge can go out of order when the evaporator develops issues. The thing is to discuss what can fail and how you could rectify these problems.
Your refrigerator's evaporator can be compared to the heart of the cooling system. It is typically located in the freezer locker, behind a panel. The section resembles a battery of metal coils or metal tubes. Its work is to collect the heat inside your freezer and fridge to keep all the items cold.
You could think of it as a warm sponge that absorbs warmth rather than water. The evaporator removes the heat when it is functioning effectively and throws it out of your food compartments. This makes your milk cold and your ice cream frozen.
It is the evaporator that collaborates with other components of your fridge to make the cold air. The evaporator coils have a special liquid known as refrigerant flowing through them. When this liquid passes through the coils, it is converted to gas. This shift enables it to steal heat from its environment.
A fan blows this air over these cold coils, and this cooled air is forced into your fridge and freezer. That is equivalent to having a mini air conditioner in your fridge that never goes off.
Your Refrigerator is not Cold Enough
The most noticeable thing is when your fridge stops feeling cold. The milk that you drink may taste hot, and the vegetables will wilt more quickly than before. When the temperature of your fridge is too high, the evaporator may fail.
Wrong Places Ice Buildup
It will occasionally happen that thick ice will be imposed where it is out of its place. This may be in the walls of your freezer or the evaporator housing. It is all right to have a little frost, but when there are large pieces of ice, something must be wrong.
Strange Noises
Your fridge may begin to produce abnormal noises. You would get clicking, buzzing, or gurgling that was not present previously. When the evaporator area is not working well, these are the sounds that can be heard.
Internal Water Leakage
When you discover that water is pooling at the bottom of the fridge or freezer, this can be an indication that the evaporator is failing to effectively manage the moisture. That is how it should be as the water flows away; however, when the water backs up, it can end up where you would not like it.
Frozen Coils Evaporator
It is one of the most popular problems. The evaporator coils may be covered with thick ice. When this is the case, the air cannot pass over the coils efficiently, and thus, they are unable to absorb heat as they should.
It is a common issue that occurs when the defrost system fails. Your fridge will have a system that regularly melts ice off the coils. In case this system malfunctions, the ice is allowed to accumulate until the coils become clogged.
Dirty Evaporator Coils
The accumulation of dust and dirt can take place over time on the evaporator coils. The coils are unable to absorb heat well because of this dirt, which acts like a blanket. Just a light film of dust will cause your fridge to work a lot harder to remain cool.
Faulty Evaporator fan
The fan that blows air past the evaporator coils may fail to work. If you don't have this fan, then cold air fails to circulate properly in your fridge. It may be that the evaporator is working alright, but the cold air is just staying in one place instead of circulating.
Damaged Coils
In other cases, the coils become damaged themselves. They may have small openings or breaks that allow the refrigerant to escape. In such cases, the coils lose their ability to absorb heat.
Frozen Coils Defrosting
In other cases, your evaporator coils freeze, and you have to defrost them.
* The first thing you should do is to unplug your fridge and empty it. Take shelves or drawers out of the way.
* All you should do is leave the fridge open, and all things will melt naturally. This may take hours, so be patient.
* It is possible to place towels at the bottom to collect melted water. Do not apply any heat to this to speed it up, such as a hair dryer, as this will kill the coils.
* After ensuring that all the ice has melted, reconnect your fridge to the power line and check if it begins cooling again.
Cleaning Dirty Coils
* To clean dirty evaporator coils, you will need to access the coils.
* This usually involves taking out a panel within your freezer. To be sure of how to do this with your model of fridge, it is best to refer to your owner's manual.
* After gaining access to the coils, you can dust them off with a soft brush or even a vacuum. Bend the coils very carefully to avoid breaking them. They are sensitive and costly to replenish.
* Once the cleaning is done, assemble everything again and plug in your fridge. It will begin to cool off more appropriately in a couple of hours.
Troubleshooting Fans
The evaporator fan may not work, and you can fix it.
* First, ensure that nothing is blocking the fan blades. The fan may stop due to ice or debris.
* If the fan is evident and still not operating, it needs to be replaced. This is something that many people can do, but they will have to get the proper replacement part for their fridge model.
Handling Damaged Coils
When the evaporator coils are damaged and leaking refrigerant, this most often requires a professional repair person. There is a refrigerant system, which is closed and involves repair with special tools and knowledge.
It may give off a hissing sound or oily spots surrounding the coils in case they are dripping. Never attempt to repair this on your own, as the refrigerant is not only hazardous to handle but also requires special training to do so.
Clean Your Refrigerator
Frequent cleaning can avoid numerous complications that may happen to the evaporator. Clean up any spills promptly and maintain order in your refrigerator, which allows for free air movement.
Don't Stuff Your Fridge
When the fridge is over-stuffed, there is no decent air circulation. It causes the evaporator to work harder, which could cause problems. Nonetheless, leave some breathing room between products so chilly air can circulate between them.
Check Door Seals
Check that the seals on your fridge door are in good condition. With warm air still entering continuously, the evaporator is forced to work harder to maintain a cold temperature. Buy a door sealing cleaning agent and clean the door seals periodically to replace the cracked and damaged ones.
Do Regular Maintenance
Annual inspection of your fridge by a professional may help to discover minor issues before they lead to major difficulties. They can clean inaccessible areas and identify problems that you would not otherwise see.
Some issues with the evaporator can be fixed by yourself, while others require specialized help. When you smell gas or chemicals, when there is electrical sparking, or the issue recurs even after you make repairs to it, call a repair person.
By ventilating the evaporator of your refrigerator, you will enhance its performance and increase its lifespan. With some regular maintenance on it and a little bit of quick patch-up work, you can make your food last for years.
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