Many refrigerators have forced-air condensers; that means they have a small fan to pull air across the warm condenser coils. These condensers must be cleaned regularly, usually every thirty days. Regular cleaning is essential to prevent a lint buildup far back in the condenser coils where you cannot reach it with a vacuum. If you can reach the coils, vacuum them thoroughly with a soft brush attached to the vacuum hose.

To reduce the energy consumption of your refrigerator, position it as far away from any warm air ducts or the range as possible. Test your refrigerator's temperature periodically, Put a glass of water in the refrigerator compartment for 24 hours, and then insert a reasonably accurate thermometer in the water. To check the freezer temperature, place the thermometer between several packages of food that have been in the freezer compartment for at least 24 hours. The ideal refrigerator temperature is around 37 degrees, while the temperature in the freezer section should be about zero. A colder refrigerator or freezer does not preserve food any longer, and it costs you more for its higher energy consumption.

Be sure that your refrigerator or freezer is connected to a separate 15-ampere circuit with a grounded outlet. The appliance should have adequate air space above, behind, and on the sides, and never add more warm food than can fit into 10 percent of the unit's storage compartment. The box must be sealed effectively to prevent the hot air outside from entering and warming the closed compartment. Test the seal by closing the refrigerator door on a dollar bill. Next, pull the bill out. If there is no resistance as you pull, the door needs adjusting. The most frequent cause of too much hot air entering the refrigerator, however, is not a failure in the door's sealing ability; it is in the fact that the door is opened too frequently. Make sure that your refrigerator door is opened only as often and for as long as is absolutely necessary to take out or put back the items you refrigerate.

If the compressor runs continuously or excessively, there may be any of several possible problems. You may have the thermostat set too high or the door may not be providing the proper seal. The required repairs are obvious. Other possible causes for the compressor functioning excessively are not so simple to fix. For example, there may be a leak in the system. The thermostat would continually tell the compressor to function, but the unit would not get any cooler because there would be no refrigerant to vaporize in the evaporator coils. You would have to call in a repairman to fix the leak and to recharge the refrigerant.

If, on the other hand, the compressor does not function at all, check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers before examining the components of the cooling system. Other possible causes of compressor malfunctions are defective thermostat, defective timer, defective relay, and defective compressor.

If the refrigerator is excessively noisy, you should be able to correct the problem easily. A refrigerator that is not level will clatter; check it with a carpenter's level and adjust the refrigerator's position if so indicated. Of course, a compressor that is loose in its mountings will rattle noisily; merely tighten the mountings to quiet the unit.

Finally, the noise may be caused by the tubing of the cooling system hitting against the cabinet of the refrigerator. If this is the case, you should be able to adjust the tubing to, prevent it from striking the cabinet.

An automatic ice maker is merely a mold to which a temperature-sensing switch is attached. When the water in the mold reaches a preset temperature (usually around 15 degrees), a motor is energized and the ejection cycle is initiated. As the ice leaves the mold, fresh water flows in to fill it again. A switch senses when the storage bin is full, and it stops the ice-making action at the appropriate time.

If your automatic ice maker suddenly stops working, look for a blockage in the water-inlet valve strainer. To clean these strainers, you must unplug the refrigerator and remove the water line where it enters the valve (usually at the bottom edge of the refrigerator). Then, remove the stainless steel strainer and clean it thoroughly with an old toothbrush.
You can usually trace unpleasant tastes or odors in the ice to uncovered foods in the refrigerator compartment. The odors get picked up and circulated throughout the cabinet, and the ice absorbs them readily. Brown paper bags used for food storage are often responsible for the tastes or odors since these bags have a high sulfur content.

Be sure to unplug your refrigerator before attempting to service it, and take special care to avoid damaging any of the refrigerant-carrying tubing. Few refrigerator problems originate in the sealed system itself. When they do, call in a refrigeration technician. The refrigerants are non-toxic under normal conditions of slight concentration, but they must be handled with care. If you suspect a leak in a refrigerator, open several windows, provide plenty of ventilation, and shut off any open flames (such as pilot lights).