Refrigerator Woes

If I want to know how to clean something, cook something, or grow something, I call my MIL. She is very gracious about giving tips and doesn't seem to mind at all.

I called her last night and we talked about our refrigerator.

It's been running warm for a week or so now, and only Tuesday did we put 2+2 together and realize it's fading fast.

It's a side-by-side. The wall that separates the freezer side from the refrigerator side is hot to the touch -- really hot.

On Monday our milk was sour, even though I had just bought it Saturday.

On Tuesday, LO opened a new pint of Ben & Jerry's: it was a milkshake inside.

That's when it dawned on me.

I had googled the words, hot wall refrigerator, and had read that the cause was likely one of two things: the coils beneath were dirty, impeding air flow, or the yoder loop, a part that lies in the wall, is out.

On SundayI vacuumed underneath the refrigerator really well. We have an extension thingie, about 30" long, made just for under the refrigerator.

It's still running hot.

After spending several hours yesterday shopping for refrigerators, I called my MIL. I hadn't emailed her in a few days and wanted to touch base.

I mentioned that refrigerators cost $2500. She did what I did: freaked out. WHAT, she said, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

That's just what I said, I said.

She asked if I had cleaned beneath the refrigerator. I told her I had.

She said she ties a rag to a yardstick and goes under there. She said sometimes she uses the reverse on her vacuum and blows the dust out from under the fridge.

So today, I rubber-banded a rag to the yardstick and swiped and jabbed under the refrigerator.

I got a little dust, but no clumps or anything that looked nefarious.

Then I got out the vacuum and reversed it. Blew it under the refrigerator.

Nothing.

Now I'm headed out to the shed to get the leaf blower.

This is getting serious.

Will. Post. Later