KitchenAid 2200139A Using Your Refrigerator, Understanding Sounds You May Hear, Checking airflow

Understanding Sounds

You May Hear

Your new refrigerator may make sounds that your old one didn’t make. Because the sounds are new to you, you might be concerned about them. Most of the new sounds are normal. Hard surfaces, like the floor, walls, and cabinets, can make the sounds seem louder than they actually are. The following describes the kinds of sounds and what may be making them.

■If your product is equipped with an ice maker, you will hear a buzzing sound when the water valve opens to fill the ice maker for each cycle.

■The defrost timer will click when the automatic defrost cycle begins and ends. Also, the thermostat refrigera- tor control, will click when cycling on and off.

■Rattling noises may come from the flow of refrigerant, the water line, or items stored on top of the refrigerator.

■Your refrigerator is designed to run more efficiently to keep your food items at the desired temperature. The high efficiency compressor may cause your new refrigerator to run longer than your old one, and you may hear a pulsating or high-pitched sound.

■Water dripping on the defrost heater during a defrost cycle may cause a sizzling sound.

■You may hear the evaporator fan motor circulating the air through the refrigerator and freezer compartments.

■As each cycle ends, you may hear a gurgling sound due to the refrigerant flowing in your refrigerator.

■Contraction and expansion of the inside walls may cause a popping noise.

■You may hear air being forced over the condenser by the condenser fan.

■You may hear water running into the drain pan during the defrost cycle.

USING YOUR

REFRIGERATOR

Ensuring Proper

Air Circulation

In order to ensure proper temperatures, you need to permit air to flow between the two sections. Cold air enters the bottom of the freezer section and moves up. It then enters the refrigerator section through the top vent. Air then returns to the freezer as shown.

Do not block any of these vents with food such as soda, cereal, bread, etc. If the vents are blocked, airflow will be prevented and the temperature controls will not function properly.

IMPORTANT: Because air circulates between both sections, any odors formed in one section will transfer to the other. You must thoroughly clean both sections to eliminate odors. To prevent odor transfer from food, wrap or cover foods tightly.

Checking airflow

To measure the amount of cold air being directed from the freezer compartment into the refrigerator section, hold your hand in front of the top vent. You can adjust the Air Balance Control to feel the different amounts of airflow.

For further information on temperatures inside your refrigerator, refer to the “Troubleshooting” section.

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