Your refrigerator is one of the most essential elements of your home. It stands at the heart of your kitchen, and when it stops working, the entire household can go into a panic. Rather than wait until your fridge dies a slow and painful death, how do you know it’s time to replace your refrigerator?
When to Replace Your Refrigerator
- It’s making weird noises. If your refrigerator is making a loud thud or clanking sound when the compressor comes on or goes off, or you hear a loud humming, it is probably on its last leg. If the compressor is not working correctly, you may notice temperatures inside the fridge are higher than they should be. If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t fix it, replace the appliance.
- You spot condensation. If you are finding puddles or beads of water inside your refrigerator it could either mean that the door seals have gone bad and are leaking air, or that your refrigerator is no longer working effectively.
- Food is too warm or too cold. If your food is going bad quickly, the refrigerator can be too warm. If the food is freezing inside the refrigerator, the interior is too cold. If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t help, start looking at new models.
- It’s overheating. If you feel excessive heat coming from underneath or behind your refrigerator, it may be overheating, which can be a potential fire danger. Check the coils, and ensure that they are clean. If this doesn’t fix the problem, replace the fridge.
- Energy bills are higher. If you have an older model refrigerator, you don’t have the most energy-efficient appliance and can be burning excess energy, thus raising your utility bills. Look for an Energy Star sticker on your refrigerator, a refrigerator with the sticker uses half the energy as one without it. If your refrigerator doesn’t have an Energy Star sticker, or it’s more than 15 years old, it’s probably time to replace the fridge.
- It stopped running. If the refrigerator motor stops running, the appliance is most likely gone. Give it a pat for a good, long run, and head out to the appliance store to buy a new one.
Related: 9 Obvious Signs You Need a New Refrigerator
What to Do With an Old Refrigerator
There are a couple of options for getting rid of an old refrigerator:
- Donate it. If the refrigerator is in good running order and you just want to replace it, consider donating it to a local charity group. For example, you’re remodeling and are installing a state-of-the-art kitchen, or you just want to replace the avocado green for a stainless steel version. There are lots of families starting new households who would be thrilled to get your cast-off.
- Dispose of it. If the refrigerator is no longer in good working order, and you want to get rid of it, you can’t just take it to the dump and drop it off. Since a refrigerator contains environmentally-harmful chemicals like freon, it must be disposed of properly.
- Call 123JUNK. When you need to get rid of your old refrigerator, you only have to make one phone call—to 123JUNK. We can pick up your working or non-working refrigerator and either deliver it to one of our charity partners, or deliver it to the proper recycling center for you. If donated, we’ll provide you with a receipt you can use as a charity tax deduction.
123JUNK Hauls Refrigerators
When it’s time to haul away the old refrigerator—or perform any appliance removal — in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C., 123JUNK can help. Just give us a call to schedule your pickup time. Contact us today.
