5 Steps to Tell if a Refrigerator Compressor Is Bad May 5, 2017 . The refrigerator in your home is an essential appliance that you count on to do its job consistently. Yes, we all know the joke. Your compressor will also be faulty if some parts of the fridge are less cool than before. If you see signs that this start relay is bad, such as your refrigerator not cooling, you'll need to replace it. Refrigerator compressor trouble? Once the ice has melted, turn your refrigerator back on and look for signs of ice build-up over the next few days. Well you’d better go catch it!” HAR HAR HAR. “Is your refrigerator running? Now, you have to check for other alternatives for saving food, other than a large repair bill or purchasing a new fridge. If something knocks inside it that means the relay is bad and this is excluded from refrigerator compressor failure symptoms. Shake it out and hear the noise. You can then melt the ice by blowing on it with a hair dryer or placing a pot full of boiling water inside. Make sure you keep your fridge door closed to prevent your food from spoiling. And if you do end up needing a new fridge, first find out which is better: a top or bottom freezer. Since the compressor is an important part of the fridge, you usually check this part when the refrigerator has a cooling problem. This is directly attached to the refrigerator compressor problems and has major information to deliver about how do know the refrigerator compressor is working badly. To tell what is happening, test the compressor motor. This is the job of the refrigerator compressor relay. It also needs help starting up each time the cooling cycle begins. Let’s get started! You can hear the motor Of all the home appliances, refrigerators tend to be on the loud side. When the fridge stops cooling, it can cause panic as you stand to lose money on the frozen and chilled food being stored inside. As mentioned above, failure of the fridge to cool enough is a clear telltale sign you have a problem with your compressor. Here’s a bunch of other refrigerator repair tips. Lexington-Fayette, Fayette. The compressor is the heart of your refrigerator's operating system. Although, you may want to try to fix your refrigerator yourself, these appliances require skill to diagnose and fix them. This article will give valuable info on signs how to tell if refrigerator compressor is bad. Often, the issue lies with the compressor. Your fridge is one of the most essential appliances in your home so paying close attention to the obvious signs that your refrigerator is dying and in need of repair is very important. A refrigerator that makes a buzzing or humming sound but doesn’t keep the food cold may have: A blown compressor (big bucks); Or just a bad overload or compressor relay (much cheaper). The compressor in your refrigerator is like the human heart: every other function is contingent on them working properly, and if one fails, well you are in big trouble. To do it, you need to access the motor from the back of the fridge. We had this exact problem with a refrigerator and called Costas Stavrou, our appliance consultant. However, before you make a pricey call to a repair company, some simple DIY troubleshooting can frequently identify the issue with minimal effort.Below, we’ll provide a few simple tips for ensuring your fridge compressor keeps humming along for years to come. 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