If you are in the market for a new refrigerator, you are likely looking for something that is aesthetically pleasing and functional, but above all, reliable. Refrigerators come in many different styles and finishes, but here we will discuss how to determine whether the fridge you are looking at will be reliable.
Electronics are incorporated into every modern refrigerator in order to make them more energy efficient, and although electronic control boards are more failure prone than the old mechanical timers which were used to control our older appliances, we unfortunately do not have the option to buy mechanically controlled appliances anymore. This is a result of government energy efficiency regulations which require appliances to comply with certain energy efficiency standards. So, if you have an older mechanically controlled appliance, it may be wise to repair rather than replace it, if possible. If you are located in Calgary, Alberta, consider giving General Appliance Repair Ltd a call. However, in regards to purchasing a modern refrigerator, we will discuss here some of the most common causes of expensive and sometimes unrepairable refrigerator failures that you do have the option of avoiding:
- It is never a good idea to have the icemaker housing located inside of the fresh food compartment. When the seals around the icemaker housing begin to shift and fail as the appliance ages, warm and cold air begin to mix, forming condensation and icemaker failure. These problems can often be expensive to fix, and tend to occur commonly on a variety of popular brands. If the icemaker is located inside the freezer, this problem can be avoided entirely. Side-by-side refrigerators may be a good choice for those who want to have an in-door ice dispenser – this allows the icemaker to be located in the freezer while still allowing for ice to be dispensed through the door, instead of having to scoop ice out of a bucket, as is usually the case with icemakers that are located in freezers.
- It is also never a good idea to have second evaporator coil located in the fresh food compartment, because these coils tend to get covered in frost as a result of minor drain tube obstructions, air seal movement, temperature sensor failures, or common design flaws, and often cause the plastic liner to crack as the ice build up expands, which can be a serious problem if moisture infiltrates the foam insulation. These dual evaporator units are marketed as being about 8% more energy efficient than single evaporator units which consist of a single evaporator coil in the freezer, but they are much less reliable, more expensive to maintain, and more prone to refrigerant leaks. These refrigerators may be marketed as ‘twin cooling’ or ‘dual cooling’, and should be avoided.
- Certain brands of refrigerators tend to have common failures, which can be expensive to fix. It pays to do some research on the internet about the refrigerator brand that you are considering. Or call a local appliance repair company that you have worked with before and trust, and ask them for a recommendation on which brand they would recommend.
Overall, simplicity generally results in reliability. If you choose to buy a refrigerator with many extra features that you enjoy, that may be the best choice for you, as long as you are aware that the more complex a refrigerator is, the more expensive it will be to maintain.
