On The Fritz: Signs You Need to Replace Your Refrigerator

In 2017, more than 42.5 million refrigerators were sold around the world.

A refrigerator is, of course, one of those things that every home, office, and restaurant needs. When your fridge breaks down, it can make life very uncomfortable.

If you think your fridge isn't working right, you should check it out. After all, it can be very expensive to fix a refrigerator, and it's even more expensive to buy a new one.

If you can't decide whether to fix something or buy something new. Here are some signs that your refrigerator needs to be replaced.

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1. Condensation

If your refrigerator sweats when it's hot outside, there's something wrong. Most of the time, it means that it's not cooling. 

When you notice this problem, the first thing you should do is look at the rubber seal around the door.

There shouldn't be any water droplets on the rubber on the door. It shouldn't have any mold or mildew on it either.

If there is condensation on the inside and outside of the fridge, it means that warm air is getting in and cold air is getting out. This is a big problem, and if it keeps going on, food will start to go bad.

2. The cold is getting out of hand

Have you started to notice that there is ice on the outside of your refrigerator? If this is true, the cold and frost have gotten out of hand.

You should also be worried if the inside of your freezer looks like it belongs in the North Pole. 

If you have to chip the ice out of the freezer, it's time to try something different.

It means that the fridge isn't defrosting the way it should.

3. Food Going Bad

Food going bad is the clearest sign that you might need to replace your refrigerator. If your food starts to smell funny and goes bad more quickly than usual, you have a problem.

If things are taking longer to cool down, the fridge is definitely not working. If ice takes longer to freeze than usual, it's usually a sign that something is wrong.

Because the fridge isn't cooling as well as it should, it uses more energy than it should. 

This means that your electricity bill will go up.

This hurts your finances in two ways: not only will you have to buy new food that has gone bad, but your electricity bill will keep going up.

4. A fridge with hot coils needs to be replaced.

If you've noticed any of the three signs we've already talked about, it's time to manually check your fridge's temperature. 

Put your hand on the unit's back. If you feel like it's too hot, then something is wrong.

Feel the coils on the fridge. Because they are insulated, they shouldn't be too hot.

 If you notice that the coils are getting too hot, you can have a technician check them out. 

Then you can decide if replacing the coils is worth it.

But if your refrigerator is very old and has other major signs of internal and external wear, you shouldn't bother replacing the coils. Instead, you should buy a new fridge.

5. Age Matters

A fridge that is more than ten years old has lived longer than it was supposed to. This important kitchen tool has a shelf life, and there's not much you can do to stop it from breaking down over time.

It's not that fridges can't last longer than ten years, because sometimes they can. But if you have to keep fixing it over and over again, you are just wasting your money.

6. Energy Efficient Models

The price of electricity bills has gone down since energy star refrigerators came out. 

The best thing you can do for your wallet is to buy a fridge that proudly shows the energy star.

Energy-star-approved refrigerators are also better for the environment. If you want to save money on electricity, you should look at more than just the energy star. You should also look at how the unit is made.

Consider buying a manual defrost refrigerator instead of an automatic one because it uses less energy. But it may be hard to find one now, since most refrigerators are made to defrost on their own.

Also, you should know that refrigerators with doors on both sides tend to be a little bit more fragile than other types. If you use it a lot, you should expect it to show signs of wear and tear more quickly.

7. It is loud

A refrigerator is not the quietest kitchen appliance you can buy. But if you keep hearing humming and strange buzzing sounds, it might be time to get a new one.

The noise might stop if you unplug the unit and plug it back in. But if the noise keeps going on, you should call a technician.

If you fix the buzzing and it stops for a while, but then starts up again, it's time to think about getting a new fridge.

One Last Thing

A fridge is meant to last for years, and most of the time, it does. But there comes a time when you have to get a new fridge.

Since refrigerators are so expensive, it makes sense that you would want to know when it's time to buy a new one. 

The good news is that broken refrigerators make noises that are hard to miss.

Most of the time, this means that your food goes bad before it should.