8 Signs You Should Get a New Refrigerator: Generally, refrigerators shouldn’t give you any problems because they are usually built to be tough and durable.
Thus, a fridge of decent quality can have a lifespan that lasts several years. This can make it difficult to decide when to call a technician for repairs or when you should start setting up a budget for a new refrigerator.
Fortunately, before your fridge packs up finally, it often gives off a few indications that it is wearing out.
This article will discuss the 9 signs that will tell you it is time to buy a new refrigerator.
1. Your food gets spoilt rapidly
This is a highly obvious sign that your refrigerator wants to break down.
Once you notice that the food you stored in the unit starts to give off a foul smell indicating rot days before it normally would or your canned and bottled beverages are taking longer to cool than usual, then it is a sign that the fridge’s lifespan is close to its end.
Refrigerators that take longer to cool or find it hard to maintain the required temperatures tend to use more energy than they should.
Basically, this means you’ll be spending much more on your energy bills. You will also be wasting money on food items that have to be discarded, no thanks to your declining refrigerator.
2. Excessive condensation
When your fridge appears as if it were sweating during a heatwave, the issue might be that it isn’t cooling as it should.
The first thing you should do is quickly check the rubber sealing around the door. You should look for water droplets or signs of mold or mildew.
If the sealing is not too badly damaged, then you should probably be able to fix it on your own.
In addition, you might also observe signs of condensation inside your cooling unit. Typically, this means that your temperature setting is not operating optimally.
If the problem continues for long, the chances are high that the inaccurate temperature will start aiding food spoilage.
3. Your freezer is over freezing
Another common sign of a refrigerator nearing the end of its life cycle is when it starts over freezing.
Of course, it is perfectly normal for a freezer to freeze items if you intentionally want them frozen solid.
However, when the items become so frozen that it is difficult to differentiate your bag of chopped peas and carrots from an iceberg, then you may have a refrigeration problem on your hands.
First things first, unplug and defrost the freezer. After it has fully defrosted, plug the appliance back into its power source and observe how it operates.
If the issue persists, then you can start planning on getting a new freezer or refrigerator. However, because most newer units now come with auto-defrost functions, this problem is becoming rarer.
4. Your fridge makes an unwelcome noise
Granted, refrigerators aren’t the quietest appliances, however, there’s no reason for you to take notice of it when it is operating normally.
A persistent buzz or clanging sound that never seems to stop can be an issue especially after you re-plug the appliance or open the doors.
If the loud noise doesn’t stop after a technician examines the unit, then your best option would be to toss that machine out and get a new one.
5. The motor’s running hot
When you place your hand at the back of your refrigerator, feeling its warm temperature is quite normal.
But when you start feeling intense amounts of heat in the same region, then it is an indicator that something is not quite right with your refrigerator.
The coils at the fridge’s rear are insulated, thus, they should keep you from feeling excessive heat.
If you notice that the heat is too intense, then it is advisable to bring in a technician to examine the coils.
Replacing the coils might be an option to consider depending on the magnitude of the issue at hand.
However, if the fridge is old, then we advise you to opt for a new refrigerator altogether than to continue spending on repairing a less efficient one on its final laps.
6. Your refrigerator is over a decade old
Fridges often last anywhere between 10 to 20 years. Typically, the older the cooling unit, the more it costs to have it fixed.
Thus, over prolonged usage, the cost of repairs may begin to outweigh the cost of a replacement.
If your fridge is more than a decade old and constantly requires repairs, it won’t be a bad idea to start saving up to buy a new one.
Repeated repairs are a sign that the life expectancy of your appliance is coming to a close and it may just stop working at any point.
7. Your fridge lacks energy efficiency
While using the same amount of power monthly, if you begin to notice that your energy bills have started looking a tad higher than previously recorded, then it is likely caused by the inefficiency of certain appliances.
You should start thinking of getting a replacement as not only is an energy-efficient refrigerator better for your pocket, it is also beneficial to the environment as well.
And if you’re planning on getting a new refrigerator, pay close attention to the specific fridge type and its features.
Well-maintained manual defrost fridges tend to be more energy-efficient than auto-defrost units.
Also, a refrigerator that has its freezer on top usually uses much less energy than fridges with their freezer at the bottom of the unit.
You can click here to see a collection of top-quality refrigerators you might be interested in.
8. You see a good deal on a Fridge
Good deals don’t come very often and if your current refrigerator is more than a decade old, you should really consider getting a new one when you come across an attractive deal.
Of course, you should also check to ensure that the model and features are exactly what you want before opting to purchase.
Sometimes it may seem expensive to buy a new fridge but remember that the older your fridge gets, the more you spend on repairs.
Also, you’ll have to contend with a machine that is less energy-efficient and likely growing to become an inconvenience.
So, instead of waiting for your fridge to say its final goodbye at the most inopportune moment, take advantage of a good deal when you see one.
Conclusion
If you cannot decide whether you still want to continue managing and repairing your fridge for a few more years or choose to purchase a new one, then try consulting an experienced technician.
In addition, you can also examine the information related to your fridge and see if it is under warranty or comes with an extended service plan. Although, this is highly unlikely, especially for older units, however, it doesn’t hurt to still check.
Just to reiterate it once more; it doesn’t matter if you own a mini-fridge or a bigger refrigerator with a freezer.
At a certain point, endlessly repairing an aging fridge will cost you significantly more than when you have it replaced outrightly.
