Appliance Repair in 19025 · Willow Grove, Hatboro & Horsham

A garage is not air-conditioned, and on a July afternoon in the mid-Atlantic it can get much hotter than the house. A refrigerator or freezer designed for a kitchen works much harder in that heat. The compressor runs almost nonstop, the condenser coils struggle to shed heat, and food near the door warms up every time someone grabs a drink.

Humidity adds its own trouble. Moist air that gets in when the door opens turns into frost on a freezer's walls and ice around the door seal, and a gasket that no longer seals tightly lets in even more. A chest freezer that frosts heavily in summer often has a worn lid gasket or a lid that is not closing all the way.

There are a few ways to help. Leave several inches of space around the unit for airflow, and vacuum the condenser coils, which collect garage dust quickly. Keep the unit out of direct sun if the garage door is open for long stretches. Check the manual too, because some models are rated for garage use and others are not. If the unit still cannot keep temperature, the technician will check the start components, fans and refrigerant performance and tell you whether a repair is worth it on an overflow appliance.

Pull the car out and clear several feet around the refrigerator or freezer so the technician can reach the back. Move anything stacked on top of a chest freezer. Make sure the outlet the appliance uses is a standard grounded outlet and not an extension cord, and have the model number from the label inside the door or on the side ready.