8 Reasons Why the Sides of Your Refrigerator Get Hot

Many customers become anxious and panicked when any malfunction or problem occurs with any of their household electrical appliances, especially the refrigerator. This is an important and essential appliance that no home can do without.

Therefore, when any problems arise, the customer begins to search for the reason for the hot sides of the refrigerator, which is a common occurrence that may occur for several reasons that we will mention in detail in this article.

Why are the sides of the refrigerator hot?

The refrigerator is exposed to a large number of things that may cause the sides of the refrigerator to become hot. These things include the following:

1. Not choosing a good place to put the refrigerator

The instruction manual that comes with the refrigerator tells customers to place the refrigerator in a well-ventilated area. Therefore, leave at least 10 cm of space behind the refrigerator and 5 cm on the sides.

In addition to placing it away from sources of high temperature emission such as stoves, ovens, and heaters, neglecting to follow these instructions and not placing the refrigerator in a well-ventilated area is the main reason for the overheating of the sides of the refrigerator.

2. There is a problem with the thermostat.

The thermostat controls the temperature of the refrigerator as well as the condenser (freezer). It is responsible for bringing the refrigerator to the desired temperature and then making the compressor (electric sensor) stop working to maintain the cooling temperature inside the refrigerator.

When the thermostat is damaged, it stops working, which causes the motor to run continuously without stopping. This can lead to burnout and damage, which can also cause the sides of the refrigerator to become hot. Therefore, you must check the integrity of the thermostat from time to time.

3. Not letting food cool before putting it in the refrigerator.

Refrigerator manufacturers advise against placing hot foods inside the refrigerator. Allow them to cool before placing them in the refrigerator.

It's worth noting that the motor's function is to maintain the refrigerator's cooling temperature. When you put something hot in, the internal temperature changes, forcing the motor to work intensively to quickly cool the refrigerator, which is the reason for the hot sides of the refrigerator.

4. Poor organization of food placement in the refrigerator

Proper organization and arrangement of food and vegetables inside the refrigerator contributes to the normal operation of the motor. However, if the organization is not organized, the motor needs to work harder to cool, which leads to an increase in the motor temperature, which in turn causes the sides of the refrigerator to become hot.

5. The refrigerator door is frequently opened.

Frequently opening the refrigerator door can cause many problems. It can also cause the sides of the refrigerator to become hot, as the refrigerator is not given enough time to cool down and maintain the desired temperature.

However, it also causes a decrease in the refrigerator's cooling efficiency and higher electricity consumption, so the motor can operate at a higher speed and with greater pressure to maintain the required cooling temperature inside the refrigerator due to the frequent opening of the door, which leads to hot air leaking into the refrigerator.

6. Dust accumulation on the refrigerator coils and the motor from the back

Dust buildup on the refrigerator coils at the back of the refrigerator causes the motor to overheat, forcing it to try to draw more electricity to operate efficiently to maintain the refrigerator's internal cooling temperature.

Therefore, some customers may find that the refrigerator gets hot on the sides. Therefore, it is important to clean the refrigerator from dust accumulated on the motor at the back from time to time to avoid causing the sides to become hot.

7. There is a problem with temperature leakage from the refrigerator door.

Every type and every design of refrigerator has a rubber gasket that covers the inside of the refrigerator door on all sides. This gasket's function is to keep the refrigerator door tightly closed, preventing the leakage of the necessary cold air to preserve food from spoiling.

Therefore, when there is a problem with this rubber, heat leaks out of the refrigerator, causing the motor to overwork in an attempt to keep the refrigerator cool, which causes the sides of the refrigerator to become hot. Therefore, you must ensure that the door rubber is intact and clean it regularly.

8. There is a problem with the freezer fan.

The freezer - or as some call it the condenser - contains cooling fanIf there is a problem with this fan or it is dirty enough to prevent it from working normally, this will cause overheating in the sides of the refrigerator.

Tips to avoid hot refrigerator sides

If you want to keep your refrigerator running for as long as possible, you should follow a number of instructions and guidelines that will help you avoid factors that cause the sides of the refrigerator to become hot, such as:

• Keep your refrigerator clean by regularly vacuuming any dust that has accumulated on the back of the refrigerator motor and cleaning the rubber seal on the refrigerator door.
• Check the thermostat from time to time to ensure it is adjusted and working efficiently.
• Choose the right place to put the refrigerator away from the stove, oven, or microwave.
• Leave safe spaces on the sides and back of the refrigerator to allow cold air to circulate to cool the refrigerator.
• Do not disconnect the refrigerator from the power unless there is a problem or a difference in the power supply.
• Avoid opening the refrigerator door too often or leaving it open for long periods.
• It is necessary to avoid placing any hot foods in the refrigerator and leaving them until they cool.
• Organize food, vegetables, and fruits inside the refrigerator and get rid of any random appearance in the refrigerator arrangement.
• Choose a well-known and reputable brand in the market so that you can enjoy the required after-sales service.

The sides of the refrigerator are cold.

We've discussed why the sides of the refrigerator get hot, which is sometimes normal due to the motor running, but what if the sides are cold? There are several reasons why the sides of the refrigerator might be cold:

• A motor failure causes the motor to stop working.
• There may be a leak in the Freon inside the refrigerator pipes, which is the gas responsible for cooling.
• In winter, refrigerator users feel the sides of the refrigerator are cold due to the low air temperature.

Why is the freezer hot?

External freezer units are installed on the inside sides of the refrigerator. When the refrigerator is turned on, the pipes operate and the Freon gas responsible for cooling flows through the freezer units, resulting in heat in the freezer.

The same goes for the hot sides of the refrigerator. This is normal and should not be a cause for concern for customers. In the summer, all electrical appliances experience high temperatures.

However, it should be noted that if the refrigerator temperature is higher than normal, you must contact technical support to perform the required inspection and maintenance.

Normal refrigerator motor temperature

There is a normal temperature for a refrigerator motor that should not exceed 107 degrees Celsius, which is equivalent to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, it is always recommended to place the refrigerator in a well-ventilated place away from moisture, and to choose a special location away from the stove or oven.