Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

lora wrote:
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!
Hmm,
Refrigerant leak? Air circulating fan inide the box not working?
Is the fridge section cold as usual? No gas detector in the house?

Fridge appears cold as normal, but freezer is warmer than before, i.e
temp is higher than freezing.

I don't think it's gas as we had the fire dept come out yesterday with
their meters for gas and Carbon monoxide and they couldn't find gas
nor CO.

Pls advise on how to troubleshoot further.

Thank you!

On Oct 20, 11:01*am, Tony Hwang wrote:
lora wrote:
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

Hmm,
Refrigerant leak? Air circulating fan inide the box not working?
Is the fridge section cold as usual? No gas detector in the house?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

lora wrote:
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Refrigerant has a kind of oily/sweet smell to it, somewhat mild, but
definitely chemical. If you are leaking enough coolant to smell, you'll
know pretty soon.

Jonx

lora wrote:
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

I once made the mistake of leaving the fridge shut off and closed for
several weeks. It got incredibly mildewy in both sections - the odor
was so strong it was like a potent chemical smell, sharp and acrid.
Even after it was cleaned up and in use for a while, it still smelled.
Could your defrost line/tray be moldy?

On Oct 20, 9:43*am, lora wrote:
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

Based on how a fridge works, you could have lost some refrigerant. The
freezer section usually supplies a portion of its coolth (new word,
eh?) to the other section. The fan between the sections is perhaps
running constantly to keep the service side cool enough, and the
system no longer has the capacity to keep the freezer temperature in
limits.
Better call a Whirlpool expert for diagnosis/repair as needed. Some
parts of the appliance may be under warranty so check that out.

Joe

Thanks for the responses. We've turned the freezer section temp lower
than before and will check to see if the temps will actually lower.

Now, would a refrigerant leak cause the smell to permeate the whole
1st floor of the house or would it be perceptible just near the
appliance?

Today, the smell is not as pungent as yesterday but there is still a
smell that now seems like ham/peas soup cooking or something.

Also, refrigerant is same as freon? I did some google checks and some
folks say that freon leak does not cause a smell.

Thank you!


On Oct 20, 2:02*pm, Joe wrote:
On Oct 20, 9:43*am, lora wrote:

Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

Based on how a fridge works, you could have lost some refrigerant. The
freezer section usually supplies a portion of its coolth (new word,
eh?) to the other section. The fan between the sections is perhaps
running constantly to keep the service side cool enough, and the
system no longer has the capacity to keep the freezer temperature in
limits.
Better call a Whirlpool expert for diagnosis/repair as needed. Some
parts of the appliance may be under warranty so check that out.

Joe

Most refrigerants are odorless. They usually leak along with
some lubricating oil, which has odor. I'd suggest to call a
refrigerator or appliance repair company near you, and ask
them to come check it out. You might have had a major freon
leak. It's happened before.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"lora" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in
the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming
from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our
side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e
not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator
would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

Turning the thermostat on a broken fridge, is like stomping
the gas pedal of a car that's out of gas.

Refrigerant is a generic name. Freon is a brand name, and
should be capitalized. Like Isotron, Genetron, Forane, which
are other brands of refrigerant.

Most refrigerants are odorless, or nearly odorless.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"lora" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the responses. We've turned the freezer section
temp lower
than before and will check to see if the temps will actually
lower.

Now, would a refrigerant leak cause the smell to permeate
the whole
1st floor of the house or would it be perceptible just near
the
appliance?

Today, the smell is not as pungent as yesterday but there is
still a
smell that now seems like ham/peas soup cooking or
something.

Also, refrigerant is same as freon? I did some google checks
and some
folks say that freon leak does not cause a smell.

Thank you!

On Oct 20, 2:34*pm, lora wrote:
Thanks for the responses. We've turned the freezer section temp lower
than before and will check to see if the temps will actually lower.

Now, would a refrigerant leak cause the smell to permeate the whole
1st floor of the house or would it be perceptible just near the
appliance?

Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on what they use as a refrigerant. I believe
it is some sort of alcohol.

Today, the smell is not as pungent as yesterday but there is still a
smell that now seems like ham/peas soup cooking or something.

Also, refrigerant is same as freon? I did some google checks and some
folks say that freon leak does not cause a smell.

They don't use freon in refrigerators. Haven't in decades. EPA banned
it.

Freon doesn't smell, but the refrigerant they use now, does.

Just call a refrigerator repair person.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
Turning the thermostat on a broken fridge, is like stomping
the gas pedal of a car that's out of gas.

Refrigerant is a generic name. Freon is a brand name, and
should be capitalized. Like Isotron, Genetron, Forane, which
are other brands of refrigerant.

Most refrigerants are odorless, or nearly odorless.


If I sniff it and it burns the hair out of my nose,
I tend to believe there was a compressor burn out.

TDD

"lora" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Yesterday morning we noticed a very strong chemical smell in the 1st
floor of the house. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Then I noticed yesterday that the freezer section of our side-by-side
whirlpool refrigerator is not as cold as it used to be, i.e not
freezing temps.

I'm not entirely sure if a problem with the refrigerator would emit a
chemical odor throughout the home.

Can anyone advise please and how to diagnose this further?

Thank you!

If it was the refrigerant that leaked out , you would have lost it all in a
day or less. Probably lost it all in a few minuits. After that you wold
not have any cooling.

Hmm. I hear a bit of ignorance, here. But, that's OK.
Ignorance can be found in most grocery stores and hardware
stores. Even, occasionally, on Usenet.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
...

They don't use freon in refrigerators. Haven't in decades.
EPA banned
it.

Freon doesn't smell, but the refrigerant they use now, does.

Just call a refrigerator repair person.

Hey, nothing like decomposing freon to stink. I mean, I had
a freon die behind the water heater one time, the cat musta
put it there. Wow, that took weeks for it to finish
decomposing. You just can't believe how awful it was, that
freon that dried up and all the mollecules started to go
bad. But, at lest it wasn't out in the field behind my
place, reproducing. One freon can destroy up to 100,000
ozones, we had to learn that for the EPA test. Ozones are on
the endangered species list. If you are digging for a cellar
or something, and you find ozones, you got to call the EPA
and have the area green tagged.

Yow, that was fun to write. I havn't been so full of
blitering idiocy since my last post to news. Which some how
ended up on Usenet by accident.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"The Daring Dufas" wrote in
message ...

If I sniff it and it burns the hair out of my nose,
I tend to believe there was a compressor burn out.

TDD

I've seen cases of slow leak (months or years). But, a
typical household fridge holds about 6.5 ounces of
refrigerant. So, if it's enough to smell, it's a FAST leak.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...



If it was the refrigerant that leaked out , you would have
lost it all in a
day or less. Probably lost it all in a few minuits. After
that you wold
not have any cooling.