Is your fridge not getting as cold as it should anymore?
Supposing it worked fine before, which means it's not a manufacturing defect, we can narrow down the likely causes to a handful of things. The most obvious cause would be accidentally lowering the temperature control. If this isn't the issue, we would then want to consider what else could be at fault.
The first thing we recommend testing is a break in the door seal (gasket). Even a pinhole can result in cold air escaping which thwarts temperature regulation within the unit. You can clean off the gasket and then rub petroleum jelly over it to tackle minor openings. However, the seal will need replaced sooner rather than later if this is the true cause of your fridge's inability to stay cold enough.
Next, clear off any dirt that is piling on your fridge's compressor. This cleaning process should be done every three months maximum, especially for pet owners. The dirt, hair and debris buildup on the coils can severely hamper the fridge's ability to reach and hold cold temperatures.
Something even more simple might be to blame also. Is your fridge too empty? It's the big bottles of liquid, especially, that help keep your fridge's internal temperature balanced. Meanwhile, any tall items at the back could be interfering with the incoming cold air and limiting the chilling effect that takes place in your fridge.
Still not able to figure out the cause? The issue could be something harder to identify, such as a problematic control board. You'll have to get an expert refrigerator repair technician come in and take a look to make a conclusion. However, without a doubt, an issue with temperature regulation is something that should be addressed immediately.
An important thing to compare when shopping for a new fridge is whether it requires manually defrosting or not. A fridge that requires manual defrosting will be a serious pain to maintain. Frost buildup can cause damage to internal parts which could lead to the entire appliance breaking down. You must keep up with the accumulation and manually defrost it pretty regularly. However, an automatic defrost system saves this huge hassle. With a fridge that offers such, all you need to worry about is cleaning the pan every so often to prevent any bacteria growth or foul odor buildup.