Appliances are quite a difficult thing to deal with sometimes, especially when they’re not functioning properly. Sometimes we may not even realize what the issue is and simply continue to use a broken piece of equipment. This is especially the case with fridges, which are probably one of the most obnoxious things to have to dispose of and replace as well.
For one thing, it isn’t always obvious when we have a refrigerator malfunction. There are a lot of ways that they can break, and when it’s very hot outside (as it tends to be here in Sydney), it can be hard to tell that our appliances aren’t necessarily working properly. Even when we do identify it, though, there comes the matter of trying to dispose of it.
Today, we’ll be getting into how it works when we have to throw one out, as well as the signs that our appliances aren’t working as expected or intended. Since it can be a pain all around, hopefully you’ll find this information useful – even a little bit. Make sure to stick around if you’ve ever had difficulties with this in the past!
How Can We Tell Our Refrigerator Needs Replaced?
One of the biggest problems here is that if we do have an appliance that isn’t working properly, how can we tell when it just needs replaced versus when we can fix it? It isn’t always the easiest thing to do, unfortunately. This is especially muddied now that there are all sorts of blogs and sites trying to tell us that we should just turn everything into a DIY (do-it-yourself) project.
What are the signs, then, that your fridge might be dying? There are a few of them, naturally, so we’ll do our best to cover as many of them as we can.
One: You Can See Condensation
Most of us have seen condensation at some point or another – it’s the little droplets of water that gather on cool surfaces. When humid air touches those surfaces, the water drops form. Often, we call that “sweating,” and if you’ve noticed that your fridge or any other appliance is doing that more than normal, it may be indicative of a problem.
Specifically, it could be demonstrative of an issue with the seal or the gasket inside. If you didn’t know, sealing is a pretty big deal in this type of appliance. It’s what keeps the cool air inside and helps ensure that things aren’t going bad.
Two: Food is Spoiling Quickly
Building off of our previous point, there’s probably something wrong if you notice that your food is spoiling a lot more quickly than it would normally be. Mold isn’t supposed to form on cheese products after only three days, and while over-filling the fridge can somewhat contribute to such a thing, that’s likely not the core of the issue.
So, realistically speaking, we’d say that this is the number one sign to start investigating what is going on with your refrigerator. If you notice it, do be sure to think about the other things that we’ve listed so far to hopefully determine what you can do to solve it – or at least, get to the core of the problem.
Three: The Noise Levels are Strange
On a day-to-day basis, there’s a good chance that most of us don’t really think about the noise that our fridges are making. With that said, it doesn’t hurt to pay attention every once in a while. If it’s too quiet or making a lot of noise, it might be a signal that something is wrong.
As far as it being really noisy, this tends to happen if your fridge has to work harder than usual to keep its internal temperature at what you’ve set it to be. Now, you’ve probably guessed already that a lot of these issues go hand in hand, or at least are indicative of something else on this list as well. It’s still worth listing them out.
The other half of this specific equation is if it goes completely silent. Both of these problems are a signal that the motor isn’t working properly, so either way, it may be time to get a new fridge. Obviously, you can get a professional opinion first.
Four: You’re Noticing a Lot of Frost
While the image above might look like some pleasantly chilled drinks and fruit, if you’re noticing a lot of extra frost on your food when you’re pulling it out of the fridge or freezer, that’s not a great sign. Often, it’s condensation that’s freezing. So, again, make sure to check the seal inside and make sure that it’s not broken somehow.
It could mean that there’s an issue with the internal temperature, but it’s hard to judge that without consulting with an expert on the topic. You can find some tips about that here, www.ridly.com.au, if you would like to get some pointers on how to approach this.
Five: Your Refrigerator is Old
Finally, we’ll address the elephant in the room – the age of our appliances really matters. Depending on the model that you have, most fridges last for about ten years at “maximum” efficiency and capacity. Beyond that, any repairs will be met with diminishing returns.
In these circumstances, you’ll likely find that it’s much more worth it to just get a new one. Obviously, though, that will involve getting rid of your current one. While that can be a bit of an issue, we’ll explain how that can be done next.
What is a Fridge Removal Service? How Does it Work?
Now that we’ve gone over some of the signs that your fridge is broken or needs replaced, you probably want to know how you can get the old one removed. After all, if you didn’t know, the city of Sydney (and the surrounding suburbs) does have some ordinances in place surrounding disposing of appliances.
Namely, you can’t just dump a fridge on the lawn and expect it to be taken away or handled by the normal trash removal services. They’re quite heavy, for one thing, but another aspect of this is the fact that the coolant can be quite troublesome if it ends up in the landfill. Safely and responsibly getting rid of appliances is definitely not an easy task.
This is probably why services to throw them out or recycle them have become so popular not just here in Sydney but across the world. Fortunately, we do have a lot of options available to us in this area in terms of picking a company that will perform the task. Because we have so many to choose from, it can almost feel overwhelming.
How, then, should we approach the issue? The first thing to consider is what type of fridge you’re tossing. What type of coolant is there, and is it the type that can potentially be toxic? Ensure that whatever service you’re going with will be able to properly dispose of the materials.
Typically, you can discuss this during the consultation stage of setting up an appointment time to have your fridge picked up. Thankfully, more often than not they won’t even need you to be there when they come, unless you decide that you want to be. Make sure to tell them as many details about the unit as possible, and this can also help them give you a quote on the pricing.
Once you’ve done that, then the main thing you’ll be doing is waiting. It’s really that simple, although the process might seem a bit more intimidating if you’re looking on a trash service provider’s website. Any time that you’re feeling uncertain about it, don’t be afraid to contact customer service and have a chat.
Additionally, if it’s something that you’re concerned about, don’t forget to ask about what will happen with the appliance once they pick it up. Often, at least nowadays, they’ll be more than happy to explain the process. Notably, they’ll likely mention what can be potentially recycled versus what has to be disposed of.
Luckily, though, a lot of the materials can be recycled now and repurposed. Whether it’ll be to refurbish other appliances in your community or simply to be melted down with other plastics in recycling, you can rest easy knowing that it didn’t all go to a dump to be a pollutant.