Your refrigerator’s primary function is temperature control. If it doesn’t cool, it isn’t serving its purpose and your food can spoil. In most instances, a dusty and dirty condenser coil is why it does not cool. Cleaning this component should be part of regular DIY refrigerator maintenance or professional refrigerator service. For this, you must know its location and the best way for to clean the condenser coil.
Locating the Condenser Coil
The coil could be located in different places depending on the fridge type, such as:
- Side-by-Side Refrigerators – In standard side-by-side refrigerators, the condenser is located right by the compressor. There is an access panel in the back, right at the bottom of the fridge. In some models, the coils could be located right underneath the refrigerator.
- Freezer-Mounted Refrigerators – The condensers in these types of refrigerators are in the same place as the side-by-side ones. However, in certain brands, you might find them on the fridge’s exterior rear wall, making them easier to access and clean.
Tips for Cleaning the Condenser Coil
Once you have located these components, cleaning them is straightforward. The first step is to unplug the refrigerator. For ones that are under the fridge, just use a long lint brush and follow that up using a vacuum cleaner’s hose attachment. If your fridge’s condenser is at the rear of the unit, you can simply clean it with a damp rag. If you have to move it away from the wall, make sure the fridge is upright when you are cleaning the component.
The ones located beneath the fridge require more work to get dust-free. If you have pets, you will find a lot of fur attached to the condenser as well. Cleaning condenser coil regularly is one of the simplest ways to keep the component clean and in good condition for longer. It also means you won’t have to spend money unnecessarily on its replacement.
If you don’t feel confident about handling this job yourself, hire a home appliance professional for the job. They will provide this service as part of regular refrigerator repair. At All Area Appliance, we have years of experience in handling maintenance and repair of all types of home appliances and offer reliable and prompt refrigerator maintenance services. Once you contact us and hire us for this job, our team will come in at specific intervals to clean the condenser coils. During the visit, they will also inspect other components, which helps them identify potential issues early so they can be fixed before they get out of hand.