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Rat in Fridge

Fridge Repairs in Port Elizabeth. South Africa


Ice in ventilation fan
Have you ever heard a faint scratching noise coming from the refrigerator - like a rat looking for something
nice but don’t panic it’s only Ice.
It is not common for Ice to build up around the ventilation fan but it does happen and only in “frost-free”
refrigerators. Certain times of the year it’s worse. In Port Elizabeth middle December up to middle
February is the time when most frost free refrigerators over ice due to condensation. We start getting
the plenty of calls at that time but it could be that the problem started before Xmas because of the
following reasons.

1. Ice Cream and Lollies
During holiday season, hot weather and weekends the freezers are loaded with ice cream, lollies
and ice.The refrigerator doors are been opened a lot more than normal and each time you open the
refrigerator door hot -moist-air comes gushing in, condensate on the ice-plates (condenser)

2, Door left open
Leaving the door open is a sure way to get the refrigerator all iced up. Especially when visitors are
around for the holidays everybody is sneaking to the refrigerator for some leftovers and they don’t
what to let anybody hear they are in the refrigerator, so they close the fridge door ever so softly.
Just close enough to prevent the “open door” alarm from going off and open enough for the moist air to
sneak into the refrigerator.
There are a couple of other reasons why refrigerator over condensate (ice) but I am not going to talk
about them in this post because they are going to cost you money to sort out and the reason for this
post is to save you money.
Ok! I won't leave you hanging
The other things that can cause over icing is a faulty temperature probe, broken heater element and
ventilation fan but let’s not go there (expensive repairs).



Quick Fix
Switch the refrigerator off just before everyone goes to bed at night because you don’t want anyone to
open the fridge doors again (to keep cold air inside). In the morning switch the refrigerator back on
again.


With this method you will melt the excessive condensation (ice) on the condenser (ice-plates) but your
food won’t go-off or defrost in the freezer. If the scratching is gone then you know you on the right track.


Most of the time you have to do this ritual (switching on and off) 3 to 4 nights in a row.

Condensor iced up 
Just a word of caution:  
“Remember to switch the Refrigerator back on again the next day.”
If the switching on and off didn’t solve your problem then unfortunately you are going to need me.

Leave a comment below or send me a email should you need more information or would like to add..