Bad smell in the refrigerator occurs for various reasons. If the quality of the products is normal, and the extraneous aroma remains, it is necessary to pay attention to the technical condition of the unit.
This smell not only causes inconvenience, but can also affect the taste of the refrigerated products. Many people believe that the cause of this phenomenon is a refrigerant leak. Does freon smell like? How to determine its leakage?
The smell of freon from the refrigerator
Freon is a gaseous substance that quickly absorbs heat, while emitting a large amount of cold.
The main substances in the refrigerant are methane and ethane. In the refrigerator chamber through a special pipeline, it circulates in a liquid state.
During evaporation, after cooling the chamber, freon turns into gas. Gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor, where it turns back into a liquid state.
Freon is an inert odorless gas. It boils at sub-zero temperatures and does not burn when in contact with air. The refrigerant used in modern refrigerators is non-toxic. But some of its species when heated to 250 ° secrete a toxic substance - phosgene. Such freon was previously used in Soviet models of refrigerators. Since 2010, its use in household appliances is prohibited.
It is impossible to sense Freon leak only by smell in new units. Freon R600a and R134a does not smell. In Soviet models, R12 freon was used, which has a sweetish smell, similar to medical chloroform. Unpleasant aroma in the refrigerator can cause:
- spoiled dishes and products;
- plastic in the new unit;
- spoiled or dirty deodorizer;
- bacteria and dirt during untimely cleaning;
- clogged drainage system.
Important! You can find out the type of freon from the information indicated on the tag, which is glued to the motor. The name of the refrigerant on which the compressor is running is written in the tag.
To get rid of unpleasant odors, you need to defrost the unit and thoroughly wash it with warm water and soap or with the addition of dishwashing detergent in the water, replace the deodorizer. You can use folk remedies to eliminate unpleasant odors in the refrigerator. The smell of burning indicates a faulty wiring or engine failure. In this case, you need to call a specialist from the service center to repair the malfunction.
Can I detect freon leakage by smell?
In the twentieth century, over 40 types of freon were produced. When studying the state of the atmosphere and the upper layers of the stratosphere, it was found that some types of refrigerant destroy the ozone layer and negatively affect the atmosphere of the planet.
R12 gas, which was previously used to refuel refrigerators, is banned in most countries. Modern cooling gas is colorless and odorless.
The leak of freon by smell and external signs cannot be detected, therefore, the malfunction is determined by subjective signs. The problem is indicated by a decrease in the cooling capacity of the refrigerator.
In addition to increasing the temperature in the chamber, a large amount of condensate appears due to a decrease in pressure in the compressor. The refrigerator operates as usual without any extraneous noise. A sharp increase in temperature leads to thawing of food and fogging of the inner walls.
Despite the fact that the refrigerant in modern models of refrigerators belongs to the 4th class of toxicity and is absolutely safe, the leak must be repaired immediately after detection. Long-term operation of the compressor with reduced pressure leads to rapid wear of the engine and breakdown. Further operation of the unit with malfunctions of the cooling system is not possible. Repair it must be entrusted to a specialist, while the refrigerator itself does not need to be taken to a service center. Repairing the leak and replacing the freon is done by the master at home.
Attention! It should be remembered that the leak of freon causes toxic poisoning when heated to 250 °, therefore, refrigeration equipment should not be installed near heaters, ovens and heating devices. Temperature changes can cause a violation of gas circulation in the line, which contributes to the failure of the compressor.
During the inspection, the master with the help of a leak detector will reveal the marriage in the pipe. Upon detection of cracks and holes in the pipeline, the device alerts with a sound signal. Depending on the size of the breakdown, a decision is made to replace the line or to solder the problem spot. Repair is carried out after vacuum removal of refrigerant from the tubes.
At the end of work with the help of a compressor, the system is filled with new freon and checked for leakage. The correct functioning of the freezer indicates the quality of the leak.
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