Summer and the Death of your Refrigerator - Home - Home Repair

More refrigerators fail during the summer than any other time of the year. It is a fact. But why?Because: just like humans, a household refrigerator can suffer a premature death due to the heat and humidity.A domestic refrigerator is designed to operate in a maximum ambient temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Exceed this temperature and the refrigerator begins struggling. Even with room temperatures below this limit strange things can happen inside the refrigeration system Things that can lead to its demise.Firstly, it will begin having trouble removing the heat generated inside the refrigeration system itself. If the cooling components start failing the internal pressures become erratic. Consequently, the temperature in the food compartments may also become erratic, leaving the food warmer than usual. Next, the compressor will begin to overheat since it cannot dissipate its own heat fast enough. If too hot the compressor can actually shut itself off in the hope of avoid ing destruction. This off period could last minutes or hours, causing the machine to operate very strangely. If this scenario continues the compressor can overheat until the refrigerant gas passing through it actually starts to decompose. This will produce highly corrosive acids that can destroy the compressor and lead to a condition known as, a burnout. Early stages of a burnout will make the compressor inefficient. The compressor valves, which act much like your heart valves, will not close properly and further compound the problem. For example, the machine appears to be cold inside, but will not fully freeze the food. Overall the refrigerator will act lazy.I use the analogy that since a compressor works like a heart then an inefficient one would be equivalent to a person with heart disease. That is, everything works well if the patient simply walks on level ground (like the refrigerator on a cool day), but ask the patient to run up a flight of stairs and they'll collapse. The heart is unable to pump efficiently enough to do the work required (like the refrigerator on a hot humid day). So if an erratic refrigerator is left un-serviced it can in effect have a heart attack.Compounding the overworked refrigerator syndrome is the human factor. The hotter the temperature the more often people will open the refrigerator. Plus, every time the refrigerator is opened to get a beverage the cold air pours out onto the floor, while hot moist air invades the interior to replace the cold. This makes it run more often, resulting in additional work for the compressor. Even the defrost system becomes fatigued in hot weather. All the extra moisture invading the refrigerator cabinet has to be removed during the defrost cycle. Additionally, with hot weather comes high humidity, which stresses the automatic defrosting components to their limit. Lastly, age is a factor. Older refrigerators are more affected by the heat than new ones. Just like humans a refrigerato rs parts become worn with age. The gaskets don't seal as well, the compressor valves get weak, the insulation sags, and the motors begin to slow down. Any refrigerator more than 10 years old is at risk. Those approaching 20 years are in imminent danger during a heat wave.Remember, your first line of defense against premature refrigerator death is to be aware of any erratic or unusual symptoms. If caught early enough the compressor may only be inefficient rather than burnt out. One positive about an inefficient compressor is that it can often give partial refrigeration for days or weeks before it finally fails. Time enough to call the service company. Simply getting to them in time has saved many refrigerators.