Freon Blockages in Frigidaire Refrigerators

Freon

• Freon is essential to the operation of any refrigerator. More accurately, refrigerators use hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), a type of chloroflourocarbon that has hydrogen attached to its molecules. Freon is the brand name that was developed by DuPont, and is now commonly used when referring to all refrigerator or air conditioner refrigerants. This substance is what cools the refrigerator. It is compressed into liquid form by the refrigerator's compressor. Once it is allowed to expand, it undergoes a phase of rapid cooling which is utilized by the refrigerator for cooling purposes. From time to time, the gas can get blocked.

Lines

• Damaged refrigerant lines are one of the possible reasons that your Frigidaire refrigerator may experience a Freon blockage. These lines feed into and out of the compressor and are distributed throughout the refrigerator in a closed circuit. The lines, which are usually copper, can be crimped accidentally when moving the refrigerator, or even during the manufacturing process. A blocked line would prevent the flow of Freon throughout the refrigerator's cooling system.

Compressor

• What may appear to be a Freon blockage may not be a blockage at all. Freon blockages are rare, as are leaks. It is possible that your refrigerator is not cooling properly because of a problem with the compressor. The compressor is the most important part of the refrigerator because it creates the cooling process by compressing the Freon gas into liquid form. The inability of the compressor to do this can result in a blockage since the compressor is a part of the closed refrigerant system. When this occurs, you typically end up having to replace the refrigerator, as the cost of replacing the compressor can be quite high.

Service

• The best way to assess Freon blockage in your Frigidaire is to have it professionally assessed by a service technician. However, it you have had it serviced in the past, this could be the source of a Freon blockage or leak. Service technicians use service valves that must be left on the refrigerant line once they have been used. These service valves can cut into the existing line. It is possible for the line to become damaged or for the valve to leak as a result.