The fridge is often seen as the most important appliance in a kitchen and for many people it is the first thing they buy when they move into a new home. It is not hard to see why either, when almost all of your perishable food relies on the fridge working and, considering it is in use 24/7, most fridges hold up remarkably well. It can come as quite a shock, then, when you realise that your refrigerator is broken and most people have no idea what to do. This article will walk you through the steps you need to take to get it back on track.

Make Sure Your Refrigerator Is Actually Broken

It is common for people to misdiagnose a broken appliance due to a variety of reasons (mostly a lack of knowledge) so it is important you determine your fridge really is broken. Turn the power source off, wait 10 seconds and then turn it back on to see if this solves the issue. Make sure the door hasn't had a small opening that has let the food uncool and made it seem like the fridge is broken. If something specific is broken isolate that area and know what to describe to your chosen repairman. 

Book A Repairman Straight Away

Depending on your state or territory, an expert on refrigerator repair (also known as a mechanic) will go under different titles but a quick search for fridge repairs will bring up many results that you can try. Remember that if you have a broken commercial refrigerator you need to advise your chosen repairman beforehand as this often requires a different set of knowledge. Obviously time is of the essence in regards to fixing your fridge so it is important you do this step straight away once you determine your fridge really is malfunctioning.

Empty The Fridge 

You need to remove everything from your fridge while you wait for help to arrive. This is for a variety of reasons but mainly it is to allow the mechanic easy access to all areas of your fridge. If your fridge is unfixable then it will also mean they can take it away quicker. Try store food in a similarly cool environment like an esky or water-cooler with some ice inside. If you have something especially important inside your fridge you could ask your neighbour or a close friend to store it while your fridge is fixed. 

Be Proactive 

When help arrives it pays to listen to their advice and not assume you know better—they are the professional after all. Ask questions if you need something clarified and, once the fridge is fixed, see if you can get a warranty on the parts used to fix the fridge. Make sure to get a receipt for future reference, especially if it is a commercial fridge. If your fridge is permanently broken ask the repairman if they know any good deals on fridges, they might have inside knowledge that can net you a great deal. 

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