Refrigerator Repair: How to Clean Condenser Coils

One of the best maintenance practices for your refrigerator is to keep clean condenser coils. The primary function of a refrigerator is to maintain a temperature below the ambient one. More so, the importance of a refrigerator in any household cannot be over-emphasized. That easily explains the frustration you feel when your refrigerator isn’t cooling. 

You see, the refrigerating process is heavily reliant on the condensing coils. So, when they don’t function, the fridge will not work properly. Therefore, when you clean your refrigerator coils, you will increase the lifespan of your fridge.

Furthermore, you won’t have to spend too much on refrigerator repair. Underperforming condensers can cause frequent damage and the eventual breakdown of the appliance. Luckily, cleaning the condenser coils isn’t such a complicated task — if you follow this guide. In this article, we will discuss the importance of clean condenser coils. And more importantly, we will describe the cleaning process.

What are Condenser Coils and Their Functions?

Before we dive in, let’s give condensers coils a good description.  A condenser is a device or unit used to condense a gaseous substance into a liquid state through cooling. In doing so, the process transfers latent heat from the substance to the surrounding environment. Essentially, the condenser coil is the heat exchanger in the refrigerator. 

The critical function of condenser coils is to cool the refrigerant vapour in its tube. It is this process that sustains the cold temperature inside the refrigerator. The sheer importance of this function is why you should clean condenser coils. When these coils are blocked, your fridge will require more energy to continue the cooling process.

Why You Should Clean Condenser Coils

Unquestionably, you have to clean condenser coils regularly. Here’s why:

  • For optimum working condition of your refrigerator
  • Preventing costly refrigerator repair services
  • You are saving time and money.
  • An increase in the lifetime of the fridge.
  • You save yourself the stress of frequent refrigerator repair and maintenance. 

Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Condenser Coils

Cleaning condenser coils can be technical because you’ll need specific equipment. Thus, if you don’t have these tools, you should employ refrigerator repair services in Toronto. Some of the required tools will include;

  • Hand gloves: To protect your hands and pick out large deposits of debris.
  • Soft brush: They are used to sweep and clean the condenser coils.
  • Screwdriver(optional): To unclamp the cover of the condenser coils.
  • Clean water: In the event the dirt sticks, you may need it for brushing and scrubbing.
  • Vacuum: To remove debris from condenser coils. 

Without these tools, you may be doing more harm than good to the refrigerator. However, If you must do it, make sure you’re doing it right. 

Here is the comprehensive guide to cleaning condenser coils:

Turn off your appliance

Getting electrocuted while cleaning condenser coils doesn’t sound like a great prospect. Hence, the first step is to turn off your appliance. That will prevent possible accidents and ensure your safety while doing refrigerator maintenance.

Create adequate working space

More often than not, we keep refrigerators at the corners of the home. This location doesn’t give room for cleaning, so you’ll need space. The location of the coils demands a need for more space to work properly. 

Shift around items in the area. Do this until you can work at the back or under the refrigerator smoothly. 

Locate the condenser coils

For most refrigerators, the condenser coils are either at the back or under the fridge. Your next job is to find the location of the condenser coils. The coils of older refrigerators are behind while the newer refrigerators have theirs under the bottom panel.  If your condenser coils have covers, unscrew them carefully.

Scrub the dirt 

Here is where the real fun is. For refrigerators with the condenser coils behind, you only need to move it forward to clean them. If the coils are below, you’ll need to unscrew the bottom panel to access the coils. 

When you have access, here is how  to clean condenser coils:

  • Use your hands(wearing hand gloves) to get rid of large rubbles. 
  • After that, use the vacuum to get rid of all debris.
  • Using a soft brush, clean all leftover dirt. If some of this dirt is sticky, you can use clean water to scrub.
  • Apply the vacuum once again to clear off any remaining dirt.
  • If the condenser has a cover, clean the cover thoroughly.
  • Fix the cover of the condenser coils back. Ensure you appropriately position the cover.
  • Return the appliance to the initial position 
  • Power up the fridge and check for effectiveness. 

After following these steps closely, your refrigerator should be operating optimally.  As part of refrigerator repair and maintenance, an extra tip is to clean the condenser fan if you can locate it.

How to Maintain Clean Condenser Coils

Getting clean condenser coils is one thing, maintaining it is quite different. The truth is, no matter how much you scrub, condenser coils will still get dirty. The factors behind this are the location of the refrigerator and the frequency of cleaning. 

Therefore, you should keep your refrigerator in an area without dirt. To effectively sustain your condenser coils, we advise you to clean it every three months. 

Maintain Your Condenser Coils

The essence of learning how to clean your condenser is to prevent damage. As easy as it seems, it can be a bit technical. In some cases, you may need to go under the refrigerator. On the other hand, you may need help moving the refrigerator forward.

With constant refrigerator repair and maintenance, you can keep the condenser coils as well as other important parts of the fridge clean. You don’t have to worry about finding the time to clean your condenser coils. Let LEA Repair Inc do all of the hard work for you.

Our refrigerator repair experts in Toronto and the GTA can help you maintain your refrigerator, and on a schedule that works for you too. Contact us today!