A fridge that fails while you're on shift can do a lot of damage before you're home: a door that didn't close properly overnight, a freezer that has slowly thawed, a fridge that stopped after a power cut in the afternoon. Some fridges have alarms that warn you, if someone is there to hear them. Others fail in silence.
If you come home to a warm fridge, keep the doors closed, check the plug and the breaker, and move the most perishable food to a cooler box. Then book, and say in your message when you'll be back home. The technician tests the fridge where it stands and tells you what's wrong and what the repair will cost before any work starts.
For safe checks first, see our guide to a fridge not cooling.
Suburbs we cover in Kempton Park
Kitchens in Rhodesfield and Bonaeropark near the airport, and family homes from Birchleigh to Van Riebeeck Park. We cover:
- Birchleigh
- Norkem Park
- Rhodesfield
- Edleen
- Glen Marais
- Bonaeropark
- Van Riebeeck Park
- Aston Manor
Fridge faults we fix in Kempton Park
Door alarm beeping
The fridge thinks a door is open. Something may be stopping it closing, like a drawer or a bottle, or the door switch or seal has failed.
Door left ajar overnight
Warm, damp air pours in, frost builds up and the fridge runs non-stop. Close it, defrost if there's heavy ice, and check the seal and the hinges.
Loud buzzing
A buzzing start relay, a fan with a worn bearing, or a compressor straining to start. If the buzz ends in a click and silence, switch off and book.
Rattling
Pipes at the back touching each other or the wall, a loose drip tray on the compressor, or a fridge that isn't level. Usually easy to fix.
Grinding or scraping from the freezer
The freezer fan is catching on ice or has a worn motor. Ice on the fan usually means a defrost fault.
Warm after a power cut
The surge when the power returns can damage the relay or the control board. Check the plug and the breaker, then book a technician.
Fridge warm, freezer fine
Cold air from the freezer isn't reaching the fridge: a stopped fan, a stuck damper or an iced-up channel.
Water under the salad drawers
Melt water from the cooling plate drains through a small hole at the back of the fridge section. When it blocks, water collects under the drawers and can spill out of the door onto the floor.
When you're out at work
A few habits protect your fridge while you're away. Check that both doors close fully before you leave, and don't wedge them shut over an overfilled shelf. If your fridge has a door alarm, leave it switched on.
During load shedding or a power cut, switch the fridge off at the wall if you can, and on again a few minutes after the power returns. If you're often out when the power goes, a surge-protected plug is worth having.
What fridge noises mean
A steady hum, gurgling, the odd click from the thermostat and a crackle as the cooling plate warms and cools are all normal. These aren't:
- Loud buzzing: often the start relay or the compressor struggling.
- Clicking with no hum after it: the compressor failing to start.
- Grinding or scraping inside: a fan catching on ice, or a worn fan motor.
- Rattling at the back: loose pipes, a loose drip tray or a fridge that isn't level.
After a door is left open
A fridge door left ajar overnight lets warm, damp air pour in. The fridge runs flat out, frost builds on the cooling plate or the back wall, and food near the door warms up. Close it, check that nothing is blocking it, and give the fridge a few hours to recover.
If frost has built up thickly, a manual defrost helps: switch off, empty it into cooler boxes, and leave the doors open with towels down until the ice has melted. If the fridge won't get cold again afterwards, the seal, the door switch or a defrost part needs a technician.
After you book
If nobody will be home during the day, give us a time after your shift, or the name of someone who can open up. Typically at your door within 60 minutes for same-day bookings. Track your technician live: when they leave, you get a live tracking link on your phone.
The technician tests the fridge, explains what's wrong and what the repair will cost, and does nothing until you agree.
No call-out fee when we repair it.If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies. The technician finds the fault and explains the repair before any work starts, so you decide whether to go ahead.
Book a repairFridge repairs in Kempton Park: your questions
Why does my fridge door alarm keep beeping?
The fridge thinks a door is open. Check that nothing is stopping the door from closing. If it still beeps, the door switch or the seal needs a technician.
My fridge is making a loud noise. Is it about to break?
Not necessarily. Rattles are often loose pipes or a fridge that isn't level. Loud buzzing, grinding or clicking without starting are worth booking a check for.
I came home to a warm fridge. What should I do first?
Keep the doors closed, check the plug and the breaker, and move the most perishable food to a cooler box. If it's still warm after an hour or two, book a technician.
Can a fridge that has been left open overnight be damaged?
Usually not permanently, but it will have run non-stop and may have iced up. Close it, let it recover for a few hours, and defrost it if there's heavy ice. If it doesn't get cold again, book a technician.
Can my fridge alarm be switched off?
On most fridges you can silence it with a button on the display, but the alarm is there for a reason. If it keeps sounding with the doors closed, the door switch or the seal needs checking.
What does a fridge repair cost in Kempton Park?
A door switch, a seal or a fan is a modest repair. A board damaged by a power surge costs more, and a compressor most of all. The technician gives you the price before any work starts.