It is crucial to determine why your fridge temp alarm keeps going off because the unit needs to maintain a food-safe temperature level. Fortunately, we have common causes and solutions in this article.
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Fridge Temp Alarm Keeps Going Off – Solutions
Check the following if the temperature alarm of your fridge keeps going off:
1. Door Seal
The door seal may be weak, causing the fridge to lose cold air and let warm air into the unit. That way, it becomes unable to maintain a stable temperature. While the door is closed, pass your hand down the length of the door to see if you feel cold air escaping. More likely than not, you will not feel it. So, use the dollar bill method to determine whether or not the seal is leaking.
Open the fridge door, place a dollar bill between the frame and the door, and close it. Next, gently pull the dollar bill to see if you can pull it out. Replace the fridge door seal if you successfully pull it out.
Another thing to check is whether the seal is clean. A dirty door seal, which happens with food spills and rubs, cannot tightly seal, thereby keeping the fridge from adequately cooling. As a result, the temp alarm will keep going off to alert you to the rising temperature. If you find that the seal is dirty, mix a little dishwashing soap in warm water and clean the seal with a rag. You can opt for an old toothbrush, especially if you want to reach all the seal’s crevices.
A loose door seal also affects the fridge temperature as a dirty or leaky seal. So, if it is not weak or dirty, it may be loose. Use a small flat-head screwdriver to push it into place in the seal retainer. That should fix the problem. Gently perform this task so that you do not puncture the seal.
2. Defrost System
If the fridge has an automatic defrost system, it may be malfunctioning. When it malfunctions, it cannot defrost the fridge, causing an ice buildup. As a result, the coils cannot release cold air for the fridge, leading to a rise in the internal temperature. Disconnect the fridge from electric power to allow the ice to melt through a manual defrost. Leave the doors open for a few hours until the unit thaws.
Next, troubleshoot the components of the defrost system, beginning with the defrost timer. Turn the timer to advance it into a defrost cycle. Wait for it to move automatically out of the cycle within thirty minutes. If the timer cannot do it, it may be faulty. Run a continuity test on it using a multimeter, and replace the timer if it has no continuity.
Test the defrost thermostat and defrost heater if the timer is working fine. Using a multimeter, check to see whether or not the thermostat and heater have continuity. Replace the thermostat and heater if they show no continuity.
3. Contents
You may have overstuffed the fridge, keeping the door from fully closing. While it is great to keep the fridge properly stocked, you must not fill it to overflow. Otherwise, the items may stick out and push the door open. They may also move the shelves out of place.
Reduce the contents of the fridge if necessary, and arrange the rest so that cold air freely flows. That way, the fridge can cool and keep the food safe, and the alarm can stop going off due to rising temperatures.
4. Air Circulation
The fridge may be too close to the surrounding walls, preventing the free flow of air around the condenser coils. It is crucial to move the unit about two inches away from the wall, creating space on both sides and the back. Therefore, find help and move the fridge to create adequate space.
While doing this, check the condenser coils for dirt. They should be cleaned once or twice every year, and more often if you have pets or live in a dusty area. Otherwise, the dirt will blanket the coils and prevent them from dissipating heat. The fridge stops cooling when the heat is trapped, triggering the temperature alarm. Remember to disconnect the fridge from electric power before cleaning the coils.
5. Location
Determine whether or not the fridge is close to any heat source or in the path of direct sunlight. The heat will affect its cooling capacity and cause the temp alarm to keep going off. Relocate the fridge to another corner of the room or house if possible. If you cannot move it, another option is to lower the set temperature a few degrees to counter the direct heat.
You can also cool the room with an air conditioner and shield the windows with curtains if the heat source is the sun. reduce the number of times you open the fridge door to retain as much cold air as possible in such a situation.
6. Balance
Ensure the floor is level. Improper balance can trigger the alarm in the fridge, among other things. If necessary, you may need a wedge to balance the fridge, but you can also level the fridge’s feet by turning the adjustment screws. Consult the fridge’s user manual to determine how to level the unit correctly.
Hire a professional technician if none of the above solutions fixes the beeping fridge. It may have something to do with the electronic control board or another internal component.
Note: The same solutions apply to a freezer temp alarm that keeps going off. Let a qualified technician look at it if you do not find the source of the problem.
Check out these other articles…
Refrigerator Thermostat [How to, Issues & Proven Solutions]
Refrigerator Thermistor [How to, Problems & Solutions]
Refrigerator Temp Goes Up and Down [How to Fix]
Laying a Refrigerator Down [Critical Information]
How to Bypass a Refrigerator…[Detailed Guide]
How to Turn Off Alarm on Refrigerator
To turn off the alarm on your refrigerator, locate the alarm button on the control panel. Press the key just once to disable the alarm. In some models, you will need to hold down the alarm button for about three seconds to turn it off. But if these do not work, unplug the refrigerator from the wall receptacle for about a minute, plug it back into the wall, and check the alarm.
Your refrigerator may need servicing if the alarm keeps going off after resetting it. It may be a pointer that the control board is faulty but not necessarily damaged. Therefore, consider employing the services of an appliance technician to provide a permanent solution.
It is important to note that regular servicing and maintenance eliminate most faults and errors. Contact the manufacturer for servicing or hire an independent technician to check the refrigerator every few months.
Recap
Check the door seal, fridge contents, air circulation around the fridge, condenser coils, and balance if your fridge temp alarm keeps going off. If one or more of these are the source of the temperature rise, they are pretty easy to fix. However, contact a technician for more complex fridge problems.
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