Fridge "died" last night

[Callisto in NC]

So I got home yesterday and the liquids on my bottom shelf were warm (aka my beer) but my water on the middle shelf was cold. This morning things were getting warm and the internal temp of the fridge 65. On the plus side, everything in the freezer was still frozen solid. I ran to Walmart and bought two ten pound bags of ice and left them in there while I went to work today. Now the question becomes, can my jellies and marinades and other things be saved? If the ice isn't melted all over the floor, are the fridge contents okay? Not the milk, that's gonna be tossed because it was the first thing I noticed being warm last night. But the jelly and butter and other things. What about them?

 

[Loprraine]

Oh my, a dead fridge in NC at this time of year. Butter will be fine, I keep some out on the couter all the time. Jelly, if you eat it real fast, I think it will be ok. Hard to say if the rest of the contents are ok, without knowing what they are.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I didn't do an inventory before work. I was hoping it was just that I might have left the door cracked yesterday when I went to work. When I woke up this morning I knew that wasn't the case. I have four coolers that I can put stuff into when I get home tonight so I'll know more tomorrow. My air conditioner is working overtime today, I'm sure. I cranked it down to 72 to try and keep the house cool to off set the fridge. Unfortunately I can't get a fridge in there until Friday night so it's cooler city until then.

 

[CharlieD]

Nothing will be with the jellies. I reraly put mine in the frifge, never enough space for them, and they are fine.

 

[pacanis]

I just had this problem with my fridge and started a thread, too. If you look through my old posts you'll come across it and what I saved, tossed, and other folks' suggestions/opinions.

 

[mcnerd]

There's not much that I would dare to keep, considering that the temperature must remain below 40°F to suppress bacteria growth and you've been way above that for more than a day.

Ice in the freezer won't help keep things cold enough either. Most everything in there will need to be cooked (immediately) to avoid total spoiling and loss. You should have gotten "dry ice" which would keep temperatures much lower.

But you are the best judge of the situation with each item, but remember that bacteria and molds can cause some serious ill effects if consumed.

 

[GotGarlic]

Jams, jellies, marinades, condiments, pickles and sauces should all be fine. Jams, jellies, pickles and condiments are all preserves - the sugar or vinegar treatment they got help prevent spoilage.

 

[MexicoKaren]

I've been having problems with one of my fridges, too - fortunately, I have two, but the one that is working well is small, and we keep it on the service porch just for beverages, usually. The problem with mine is that that the automatic defrost system keeps freezing up - probably because it is so hot and humid right now. You might try taking everything out, letting it sit open for 12 hours or so, and then plugging it back in, letting the evaporator/cooler fully defrost itself. If you can locate where it is from your owner's manual, you can also defrost it with a hair dryer. But don't stand in a puddle of water when you're doing it! That might be your problem. Then, minimize how often you open the door, don't pack it full, etc. GG is right about the condiments, etc. I had two quarts of heavy cream that I had to throw out, though! There goes the homemade ice cream....

 

[Callisto in NC]

There's not much that I would dare to keep, considering that the temperature must remain below 40°F to suppress bacteria growth and you've been way above that for more than a day.

Ice in the freezer won't help keep things cold enough either. Most everything in there will need to be cooked (immediately) to avoid total spoiling and loss. You should have gotten "dry ice" which would keep temperatures much lower.

But you are the best judge of the situation with each item, but remember that bacteria and molds can cause some serious ill effects if consumed.

If Wal-Mart sold dry ice that's what I would have gotten but, alas, they do not. The only place I found dry ice was the Harris Teeter 12 miles from my house and you have to be over 18 to purchase it so I couldn't even send my daughter.

Surprisingly, the two bags of ice cooled the fridge enough that I was able to feel safe in salvaging SOME stuff. Nothing with meat in it, that all got tossed. The milk, even the cat wouldn't drink that so it got tossed. Short of the butter any dairy got tossed after I opened the sour cream and saw what was there.

As for the freezer, it is amazing! Everything is still frozen solid. I put a bag of ice in there and all is good. I did take the ice cream next door to my neighbor but all my soups and sauces are still solid bricks of food. Thank goodness because I didn't have enough coolers for that stuff.

 

[AllenOK]

I think only the really big Wally Worlds have dry ice. The "little" Wally World in the town I live in doesn't carry it, but the "big" Super-Center that's on my way to work does get it.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Callisto, that is exactly what my fridge does - the freezer is fine, and the fridge part gets warm. Try taking a look at this. You may not need a new refrigerator...

Refrigerator Diagnosis Tips at ApplianceStuff.com

 

[MexicoKaren]

Here's another handy self-help suggestion I found when I googled:


It sounds like you have a plugged defrost drain line. This is where the water goes to in the bottom of your freezer when it goes through the defrost (removal of ice from the freezer coil) cycle. It sounds like that hole is plugged and now the water/ice has now frozen in the vent that lets air circulate down into your refrigerator compartment. What I usually do in this case is to unplug the refrigerator, empty out the freezer compartment. Usually I also end up either pulling off the back panel or the bottom panel (in the freezer compartment) Looking for that defrost drain hole and thawing it out with a heat gun (be careful of melting plastic) or actually I use a hair dryer. I can sometimes do this also by pouring small amounts of HOT tap water onto it and then sopping/absorbing it away with a sponge or dishcloth. I repeat this until I get the water to go down the drain tube. I hope this help everyone.

 

[mozart]

This might sound stupid, but why not call a refrigerator repairman?

 

[David Cottrell]

Hi Callisto - when it rains it pours, been wondering about you and at least this post tells us you have a job! the one you were looking for I hope.

When in doubt throw out. Meats and related especially. Milk and such as that out. Fresh veges such as carrots, cabbage should be ok but might be kinda limp. Butter should be ok as well as the heavy sugar things such as jams. Pickles and other condiments with lots of vinegar ok. But, when in doubt throw out! It's good to know you can get a new ice box (that's what we called then in Hickory soon.
All the best to you in the Queen City!
Don't be a stranger here - we've been thinking about you.

 

[bowlingshirt]

You can use the ice to chill your beer again...isn't that all that really matters ????

 

[Callisto in NC]

I think only the really big Wally Worlds have dry ice. The "little" Wally World in the town I live in doesn't carry it, but the "big" Super-Center that's on my way to work does get it.

Ours is a Super Wal-Mart but I think there are regulations on the stuff here so they don't bother with it.

This might sound stupid, but why not call a refrigerator repairman?

I have the $14 to rent a fridge. I don't have the $200 to call a repair man, or even the $65 for him to step out of his truck to come to my house.

 

[pacanis]

I have the $14 to rent a fridge. I don't have the $200 to call a repair man, or even the $65 for him to step out of his truck to come to my house.

I paid $193.00 to have that stupid fan replaced, so your estimate is pretty close. I didn't have the time to head into the city to the appliance shop and pick up a new fan myself, and that ticked me a little to pay that much. Sixty some bucks for a "house call"...... That just doesn't seem right to me. I asked him if I could have saved that money if I took the refrigerator in to him. He said they don't have a repair shop. So why then am I being charged for something that is a part of your work, to go to the customer's house?
Maybe just me, but that just doesn't seem right, nor did his explanation...

 

[Callisto in NC]

I paid $193.00 to have that stupid fan replaced, so your estimate is pretty close. I didn't have the time to head into the city to the appliance shop and pick up a new fan myself, and that ticked me a little to pay that much. Sixty some bucks for a "house call"...... That just doesn't seem right to me. I asked him if I could have saved that money if I took the refrigerator in to him. He said they don't have a repair shop. So why then am I being charged for something that is a part of your work, to go to the customer's house?
Maybe just me, but that just doesn't seem right, nor did his explanation...

$65 for them to come to the house and "diagnose" the problem. If they find one, that $65 is applied to the repair. If it can't be fixed, you still pay the $65. It's such a rip off. I looked around and you can outright buy a new energy efficient fridge for less than $300 so I'll rent for a couple weeks (if the fix ideas don't work ~ thanks for those by the way) while I'm getting my financial footing and then go buy a new one. Mine has been moved a few times and that doesn't ever help a fridge. They don't like being moved a lot.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Hey, I certainly hear you, Callisto. We've been trying the "self-help" route because we don't really have the bucks to buy a new fridge, and getting it repaired here is a journey that may be full of mysteries and surprises. First, finding someone to call. Then, seeing if they will show up (probably not the first time or even the second time). Then, the language issue. And Mexican men are very macho - if I tell the repairman what I think is wrong, then he will feel slighted. But my Spanish is much better than DH's. OH man - I love living in Mexico, but there are a few challenges.

 

[blissful]

I really like the attitude people here have, to try to fix things, and to learn about their appliances if they can. I enjoyed the posts about troubleshooting.
Callisto-I'm sorry to hear about your fridge.
~Bliss