No Matter What Make Or Model You Should Never Lay a Refrigerator on Its Side! Here’s Why

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ARS
April 5, 2021
Refrigerator Repair

Ah, the mighty ‘family fridge’. That one appliance that every family member uses regardless of age or sex. When you actually break down the number of times that a refrigerator door gets opened and closed in its lifetime, it’s a wonder that every refrigerator doesn’t come with its own repairman!

One would think that the most common refrigerator repair would be issue with its ability to withstand all of that opening and closing, or slamming as it were. And while refrigerator repairs do often include issues with its door it is by far one of the lesser causes of your refrigerator not cooling properly.

So what is the most common cause of refrigerator repair? What is the one single condition that can cause any refrigerator, regardless of make or model to;

  • Lead to freezer repair 
  • Cause the refrigerator to not cool properly
  • Cause issues with the ice maker
  • Cause the refrigerator to operate noisily
  • Makes the refrigerator continuously run, or not to run
  • Cause the refrigerator to smell
  • Make the refrigerator leak water

The culprit of these common refrigerator repair issues can usually be traced to it being placed on its side for shipping purposes or any other issue that has involved the refrigerator laying on its side!

Your refrigerator is designed to stay upright for its entire life span for a reason. Even if you cannot avoid laying the refrigerator on its side, you are putting this appliance in line for a refrigerator repair!

Refrigerator repairs, whether they are a cooling problem, a noise problem, or even a smell problem, can usually be traced to it being tilted or laid down on its side. When this happens the oil that is intended to stay in the compressor, leaks out into the refrigerant lines and causes many, if not all the above mentioned conditions leading to you refrigerator needing to be repaired.

Refrigerator compressors are very finicky animals. They will, however give many years of carefree operation if left in the upright position for their entire life.

When the very thick refrigerant oil leaks from the compressor into the coolant lines, your refrigerator begins to give you subtle signs that something is amiss. Just like your body trying to fight off an infection, the compressor will begin to fail from lack of oil, and the cooling ability will also fail due to oil, instead of refrigerant in the cooling lines.

The best advice any homeowner can be given to extend the life of a refrigerator and to avoid costly refrigerator repairs, is to simply not lay it down on its side!

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