A refrigerator is exactly what any homeowner would need. In another article, we presented the idea of replacing a refrigerator by replacing and reinstalling a new model into your kitchen. The reasons for the replacement can be a wide array of different circumstances. Just like getting rid of your old refrigerator and buying a new one, repairing the different parts in your fridge that is making your appliance malfunction can have a slew of reasons as to why and how it can be fixed.
| Average Range | $200-$400 |
| Low-End Range | $40-$80 |
| High-End Range | $1000-$1200 |
The concept of some kind of appliance or space to keep food cold has actually been around for ages. Without such a concept, preservation and storage of death-defying survival through nourishment wouldn’t have been available or possible. Before humanity discovered electricity and before plumbing became the marvel it is today, civilization stored ice in a shack to keep a primitive form of refrigeration.
Such is the advancement of the world’s technology, if there is a problem protruding in our daily lives, we must correct it. As a result, the concept grew from the earliest form of the fridge, which was called an ice house, further evolving into artificial refrigeration, and so forth. By today's standards, the refrigerator is yet another technological powerhouse in the line of other devices we use every day. Breaking one is practically inevitable, but repairing one will be as simple as pressing a button on your phone.
Table of Contents
The Evolution of Refrigeration
Early civilizations corrected a lot of their problems in relation to survival by adapting and learning what they could and couldn’t do. It’s rhetorical to state that the Roman Empire didn’t have the power to run a fridge or cooling unit. Can you imagine a life without refrigeration? Well, although earlier civilizations didn’t have refrigerators, they had their own variant of refrigeration.
Greeks, Hebrews and Romans would actually use pockets of snow and stored food in “storage pits”. What about countries with hotter and drier climates? Empires like Egypt actually used jars and would cool them overnight. It wasn’t until the 1740s, where the first iteration of refrigeration would be conceived.
A Scottish scientist by the name of William Cullen discovered that rapid heat can actually result in a cooling effect. He used a pump to create a partial vacuum over a container of diethyl ether. Cullen boiled the chemical, the reaction of the process was how the heat was absorbed from its surroundings. This discovery became one of the fundamentals into how refrigeration has grown today.
Little by little, more and more scientists, inventors and engineers began developing their own refrigeration systems with their own twists and flairs. Soon, the necessity for improved refrigeration expanded throughout the country. Once the 20th century opened its curtains, we were introduced to synthetic refrigerants that weren’t flammable or toxic.
It’s fortunate that Freon, the synthetic refrigerant mentioned above, hadn’t physically affected anyone with repercussions. But it became an unfortunate occurrence when the government discovered that Freon was damaging the planet’s ozone layer. Luckily, there was another less harmful chemical that became the norm for air conditioners and refrigerators.
Although the journey that refrigeration has had to endeavor was long and filled with detours and pit stops, the 21st century is doing its best to make sure that the journey is headed into the right direction. Modern day appliances, like the refrigerator, are now Wi-Fi compatible and beyond even that scope is how our modern science will completely redesign the concept of refrigeration.
Refrigerator Parts Costs
To repair any major appliance, you need to have an understanding of its anatomy, because knowing which parts carry whichever functions, is practically half the battle.
The better you understand the inner workings of your refrigerator model, the better you’ll be able to surmise what is causing the issue.
| Drip Pan | $50-$200 |
| Thermostat | $50-$250 |
| Fridge Seal | $60-$100 |
| Fan | $120-$150 |
| Evaporator Coil | $200-$300 |
| Ice Maker | $350-$500 |
| Fridge Door | $500-$700 |
| Compressor | $500-$1,000 |
| Freezer | $600-$1,150 |
Condenser Coil Repair Costs
It’s not a grandstanding nomenclature and the name is comprehensive of what it’s purpose is for a refrigerator. It’s a part that cools and condenses the refrigerant in the appliance. And when the coil is clogged, in most cases with dirt or dust, it doesn’t release the heat it needs to, to provide efficient condensed cooling.
Most models of refrigerators have the coils located in the back or across the bottom. And depending on where the coil is located and how difficult it is to access, the costs can vary. The estimated cost range into cleaning a condenser coil is about $60 to $100. It’s quite inconvenient and pertains to a degree of irony that most appliances break down from dirt and grime.
With the refrigeration unit you own, when coils are clogged by unwanted muck, the process of condensation begins to freeze. As a result, leaks become more and more apparent and become very noticeable. There are simple methods to clean your coil by yourself, in fact, you may not even need to call a repair technician to assist you.
The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of fridge model you have installed. There is the standard side-by-side fridge which has the coil located in an access panel. You can find it in the back and on the right-hand side of the bottom of your unit. While the coils for freezer-mounted units can either be accessed from the same location or from the exterior rear wall.
Once you’ve located where your coil is, all you would need to do is unplug your fridge, so as to lower the risk of harm, and use a long lint brush to kill off all the dust. But in certain circumstances, the coil will probably need an all-out replacement. If you lack the confidence in executing this procedure, you can contact a repair specialist to come down and get the replacement done for you.
Evaporator Repair Costs
Like the condenser coil, the evaporator plays a key role in your refrigeration system. Some components to note are the expansion device and the compressor. In unison and circulation, these parts within your fridge work to remove heat from the air, water, and any kind of moisture inside your model.
Imagine your refrigerator as a cycle, the refrigerant gas passes through the proponents of your unit and transforms different areas into stage processors. Gas turns to liquid, liquid then evaporates. The evaporation helps absorb the heat from the different compartments in your fridge.
It’s a pivotal process and like any system, an essential component that becomes faulty will inevitably create dysfunctions throughout the equipment. If this part of your unit is having problems, you’ll need to quickly replace the evaporator with the help of a repair specialist. On average, these repairs will cost you a range of $120 to $200. Over time, the process will weaken your coil as well, so be prepared to replace your coil along with your evaporator.
Cost to Replace Refrigerator Compressor
A compressor also plays an important role in repairing your refrigerator. Expect to pay about $500 to $1000 if your refrigerator needs a replacement for that particular part. It is a part that works together with your evaporator by compressing and controlling that air flow your refrigerant gas needs for your unit to work.
Primarily, the low pressure gas in the fridge transfers from the evaporator to convert it into high pressure gas. Once the pressure increases, so too will the temperature.
House Tipster always advises homeowners to refer to the fifty percent rule when it comes to their appliance repairs. If any of your appliances need fixing and it costs you more than half of what you spent to purchase your older unit, then it’s best just to replace the whole thing.
Thermal Expansion Valve Repair Cost
The process that the fridge goes through is called vapor compression. The condenser, the evaporator, the compressor and the thermal expansion valve are the four main components to a refrigerator.
Replacing the expansion valve will, on average, cost about $100 to $500. The reason why the thermal expansion valve is so important is because of how it meters your refrigerant. Imagine if a flood was caused by some source of water near your town, what would be the next course of action? Your town would figure out how to keep the water from overflowing so your local municipality would probably build a dam or some sort of device to manage the water, right?
The control of your refrigeration system comes from the thermal expansion valve which ensures the vapor compression sustains the appropriate amounts of refrigerant.
Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost
This part is actually a recent innovation added into modern day units. Although smaller and older fridges won’t have a fan, the frost-free fridges that are more common throughout the market have two different fans instilled into them.
One of the fans is the part that cools your fridge’s compressor and circulates air flow around your coils. The other fan is located in the portion of your fridge that helps provide extra cooling and extends the defrosting process of your fridge. Either of these fans being damaged or broken will result in the cost range of $120 to $200.
Water Dispenser & Ice Maker Repair Costs
These two parts aren’t always included in older models but if your unit is already equipped with a water dispenser and ice maker, you probably dealt with the installation process. Homeowners find it convenient to be able to use such features as the water dispenser and ice maker extensions.
The average range for repairs on your water dispenser will vary between $175 and $500, while the range for repairs on your ice maker will vary between $350 and $500. Both of these adjuncts of your fridge will require the assistance of a refrigeration specialist. This is due to the pipes and tubes that come along with the repair process.
When facing the dilemma of arranging the repairs for either of these two parts, keep in mind that they’ll require more maintenance than the other parts in your unit. The water dispenser and ice maker tend to become faulty quite often. Even the operation costs to these two parts will cost you about $50 to $100 per year for new filters and the electricity will probably cost you about $25 yearly.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Weighing out the pros and cons of the water dispenser and the ice maker is like figuring out whether you want to add ketchup or mustard to your hot dog. You don’t really need to add them but it definitely makes that much more of a difference when you do include them.
The three unnecessary but most often, desired advantages to keeping an ice maker and water dispenser is the convenience, the taste of the water, and the value. There’s a convenience to having these inclusions, a better flavor of filtered water and when you’re selling your home, these two parts can help elevate the value of your kitchen. Although it doesn’t increase the value by a lot, the two upgrades do affect your value slightly.
As stated above, some of the downsides to owning a fridge with an ice maker and water dispenser is how much maintenance you’ll need to consider. Unless you continuously change the filters on a regular basis, the advantages of your water dispenser and ice maker will be nullified. The whole point to these additions is the convenience of not having to make your own ice and having the luxury of drinking filtered water. Erasing that purpose from the equation means throwing down your hard earned money down the drain.
Control Board Repair Costs
To simplify the anatomy of your refrigerator unit, try to think of your four main components as a bloodstream. It flows all the required chemicals and circulates everything to keep the maintenance of the temperature. The control board is more like the brain, it keeps all the other parts working together.
The average cost of a control board replacement will range from $500 to $1000. Now, if the price of repairing the control board is outrageous, again, you should purchase and replace the model for a newer one. Without the control board, there will be no point in repairing any of the other parts of your fridge. Think of it like this, if your brain stops working, wouldn’t your bodily functions all stop suddenly?
Sealed System Repair Costs
The average range of costs to expect when repairing and replacing your sealed system will be about $800 to $1200. You’re probably thinking, this is an expensive price, right? This is because the whole sealed system is the nervous system of your fridge unit. Much like how blood flow circulates throughout your organs, the four main components work the same for your fridge unit.
It’s hard to explain but if you can picture your sealed system as the whole of your condenser, compressor, and evaporator, it’s much easier to understand. So if any proponent of this system begins to fail, the proverbial dominos will fall and thus, the slippery slope will end with a completely broken fridge.
If your fridge is sustaining failure or damage to this extent, we advise you to refer back to the 50 percent rule. It’d be best to just replace the whole model with another one. But remember, carefully research the options you have upon reach.
Fridge Thermostat Replacement Cost
The thermostat in your fridge is very simple to repair. In fact, a replacement thermostat will practically only run your bill to around $100. Just the simple repair itself actually only takes about a few minutes of your time. Throughout the other possible encounters you’ll face with your repairs, you’ll need some expertise into the matter but with the thermostat, you only need the typical gist of it all.
First and foremost, unplug your fridge. This is something that we’ve repeated many times before on this site, but it’s always a requirement to remind homeowners that anything with a plug maintains the risk of electrocution.
Then, find your old thermostat, it’s easy to find if you still kept your manual all this time. If you tossed your manual in the trash bin, you still won’t have to worry. You can find this information through the internet.
Once you find the thermostat, remove the protective panel by taking out the screws or retaining clips. Gently tug the two wire connectors off your terminals with a pair of pliers and while keeping your screws or clips in position, slide it out of the evaporator tube.
Finally, slide in your new thermostat into the tube and repeat the process in reverse. Voila, you have yourself a whole new thermostat and your fridge is now operational again.
Refrigerator Freon Leak Repair Cost
A Freon leak usually occurs when the evaporator cracks from being overworn. But there are other reasons as to why the leak is occurring. If it isn’t the evaporator coil that’s affected, then it could be a puncture within your Freon containment. Freon isn’t something that needs to be topped off or refilled into your refrigerator unit because it’s typically kept in a pressurized system.
The average range of cost for a repair involving your Freon will be around $200 to $300. A close diagnosis for a leak will help determine which part inside your fridge will need to be replaced or if there is something odd going on in your unit.
Whatever the case may be, you should also watch out if your Freon leak has a weird smell to it. Normally, Freon is a refrigerant that is odorless. So, if you come across a leak that has that peculiar scent, call a specialist. Since Freon is a gas, it’s a greater cause for concern to see any oily substance nearby. You shouldn’t panic if you see this substance, however, because it’s commonly a byproduct of Freon.
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Cost of Small Refrigerator Repair
The average cost of a small refrigerator is not that different to a fully-sized unit. Since the repairs being done will practically be the same kinds of repairs done for a normal refrigerator, both prices will probably seem similar.
A smaller repair to a mini fridge will most likely cost in the range of about $50 to $250. But a more serious repair to it will have the same cost applications as a standardized refrigerator. There are some repair technicians that will charge you at an hourly rate. This rate will range from $45 to $120 per hour.
Mini fridges can give certain individuals an advantage. If you’re a homeowner, a mini fridge would go great in your recreational space, whether it’s the basement or a room of itself. If you’re a college student and you don’t have a place to leave your beverages, the mini fridge makes things simple.
Drip Pan Replacement Costs
The drip pan or the drip tray is an object that has the sole purpose of catching the condensation from flowing through your refrigerator unit's defrost drain in the freezer. The average cost to replace a drip pan ranges from $50 to $200.
Freezer Repair Costs
How essential is the freezer to you as a homeowner? How many items that you buy from the grocery store need to be frozen and remain in that state? Malfunctions in the freezer can come from many different sources. By listing out the most common issues that your freezer will eventually face will give you a better insight into what the costs will end up being.
An average estimated cost to repair a freezer can range from $100 to $250. One such complication to deal with is how your freezer isn’t running. Some of the reasons as to why your freezer is being faulty could be that it has no electrical power. A piece of advice to offer homeowners is to test out the outlet by plugging in another electrical device. If your outlet is the problem, instead of a repair technician, you’ll, in all likelihood, have to call an electrician.
Electrical Issues
Your outlet works, but the problem still remains: your freezer isn’t working. The predicament that involves your freezer is diagnosing which component is causing the problem and there are three parts of your freezer that could be the instigator. Call a professional to investigate and they’ll first take a peek at your unit’s control board, cold control thermostat, defrost timer, and compressor.
Frost Issues
The second complication to note is frost. The process of the freezer is containing the cold temperatures and locking in those freezing temperatures within the storage unit. Warm and moist air could possibly impede this process by the moisture that becomes trapped in your appliance.
A diagnosis will typically find the cause which would probably come from your freezer defrost sensor, heating element, defrost timer, door, or lid gasket. For frost issues, it’ll probably be best for you to contact your local professional on the matter. Another complication that will come from frost is noise, excessive frost will probably begin to affect your evaporator.
Ice Sheet Issues
A commonality amongst the assortment of complications your freezer might be facing will always end up being some frost. But if you open your freezer doors and you’re a perceptive homeowner, you may notice that there is a sheet of ice on the bottom of your freezer. It actually isn’t proactive to call a technician for these kinds of issues.
Since the simple fix to this problem is to gently pour hot water down your defrost tube. It is a certainty that your defrost tube is the underlying cause of this kind of malfunction, but if pouring hot water down the tube doesn’t work, you should call the professional to assist you.
Fridge Door Repair Costs
The repair options available for a fridge door is either fixing the dents or replacing the door altogether. But rarely does the option of fixing the dents come into the conversation. This is because a majority of repair companies do not offer the option and instead the companies rather persuade homeowners for the door replacement.
An estimated cost range to repair a fridge door will most likely be in the area of $100 to $700. As previously stated, most repair companies will try to give you a door replacement and as a result, you’ll end up paying $700 or around that span of costs.
If your fridge door isn’t opening or closing all the way, the solution is actually simpler than it seems to be. The rubber seal or the gasket around your door can sometimes be dirty, warped, detached, or hardened by age. Eventually, the door seal will become useless like all things, but to renew it, you can use a damp sponge or a washcloth to clean it. Use a bit of white vinegar or dish soap to ensure the process is efficiently executed.
Encountering this sort of issue can be solved by the homeowner but the professional cost will probably range from about $50 to $250. The cascading issues that will approach your fridge if the gasket is affected is how the temperature in your freezer and your fridge will differentiate. Either that or your fridge will be leaking out water from inside.
Replacing Refrigerator Costs
The average cost of replacing your refrigerator all depends on the model of fridge you’re looking to buy and install. The range will probably be between $1000 and $2000. Always maintain the consideration of how much it will cost to reinstall the new unit in your kitchen. The labor cost to install a new fridge professionally will range from about $150 to $250.
The average lifespan of a fridge is between 10 and 18 years, especially if you own a newer model and wish to replace it. If your unit was of lower quality, it’s lifespan will typically range from about 8 to 10 years.
Smart fridges can be quite a beneficial investment for your kitchen. Throughout the evolution and history of refrigeration systems, never in our time has there been a refrigerator that reflects the capabilities we represent than the smart fridge of this modern age. Although some smart fridges can cost $2000, there are higher-end models that can cost up to $10000.
The few benefits that come along with a smart fridge is how the smart models are equipped with Wi-Fi functions. There are units that have Alexa or Google Assistant already installed into them. A superficial benefit is how the smart fridges also have recipes, entertainment and organizational features included in them. But the best benefit of the newer models is the ecological factor that the smart fridges have to offer.
One tip to keep in mind when buying a new fridge is to contemplate the different options you have in mind. Nowadays, since there are different sizes, different models, different finishes out there to think about, consider those categories before choosing the refrigerator that will be perfect for you. By listing out those certain needs that stand out to you, you’ll be able to narrow down your preferences.
Hiring a Professional or Professionals Through House Tipster
Are you thinking of replacing your fridge because it’s broken? Bear in mind that you’ll have to deal with a whole new budgetary plan to replace your old unit and the stress that comes along with it. As suggested in another article of ours, homeowners should carefully consider and apply the 50 percent rule.
The rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if the repair costs of your appliance costs you more than half of what your appliance originally cost, that’s when you should replace it. But finding multiple repair specialists to figure out which estimate is best for you can be harder than you’d think.
Before you even consider making a purchase of whichever fridge unit is out on the market right now, take the time to research which option is best for you. By understanding what goes into the replacement and repair processes, you’ll be saving a lot more money in the long run. Safety and costs are the most important factors to remember pertaining to all of your fixes.
The ongoing search for information and trying to find the right kind of professional can be easily achieved through House Tipster. This site is a one-stop shop for both research on home renovations and estimates by local experts. Consider hiring a professional through our site, within the comfort of your home.
Check out House Tipster, and find the perfect pro for your home repair needs. How Much Do Refrigerator Repairs Cost? Find out from professionals in your area.
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