Is the refrigerator just making funny noises, or is it defective? Photo: Getty Images
By Daniela Cerciello | 02. February 2022, 11:19 a.m
If your refrigerator has been making strange noises or not cooling properly lately, these may be the first clues that something is wrong with it. Should you buy a new fridge right away because of this, or wait to make a new purchase for now?
For years the refrigerator was in use and always worked properly. But suddenly, it seems as if the refrigerator is defective. The freezer keeps thawing, and the butter isn’t as solid anymore either. Is it time to buy yourself a new fridge? What are the signs to be sure that the refrigerator is defective and you don’t put your money in a new refrigerator for nothing?
Übersight
1. Food is no longer properly cold
Could it be that the milk in the fridge is going bad more often lately? And yet you looked extra at the expiration date when you made your purchase. If this should be the case more often- and other foods spoil faster than usual- this can be a sign for a defective refrigerator. But before you pull the plug and dispose of the refrigerator, you should first check the temperature of the refrigerator. Maybe it was simply set too low.
Üby the wayIt is recommended to store cheese in the top of the refrigerator at +5 to +8°C and milk in the middle at +4°C. Meat and sausages should be stored in the coldest area of the fridge under the glass top at 0 to +2°C. Fruits and vegetables are best stored in the vegetable drawer at +8 to +10°C. If this does not lead to the desired success, the refrigerator is defective and must be replaced unfortunately.
2. The refrigerator hums all the time
Also a loud humming of the refrigerator could be an indication that it is defective. But then you shouldn’t act too hastily and dispose of the device immediately. A humming sound can in fact also have other causes. For one thing, the fridge door might be leaking, which would explain the constant humming noise. Another reason could be that the refrigerator has not been defrosted for a long time. So there are various causes for the hum. Unfortunately, it could also be that your refrigerator is slowly but surely giving up the ghost.
3. The freezer is heavily iced up
It’s actually quite normal for a freezer to produce ice cream. However, if a lot of ice crystals form on the stored and packed food, something seems to be wrong. Fortunately there is also a simple explanation for this. Perhaps the freezer is simply overloaded and needs to be defrosted and tidied up again?
Some freezer compartments have an automatic self-defrost mode, whereby the air temperature rises during defrosting and the food loses moisture. This process then creates ice crystals. Another cause: food gets into the freezer before it is really cold.
NoteTo ensure optimal freezing of food, always use suitable containers or bags. If all these precautions don’t work, the fridge might be defective.