Sub zero refrigerators can work great for keeping your food cold and fresh, and many of us have them in our Bon Air homes, but they are not without their share of problems. Check out this brief guide for some of the most common complaints.

  • Inadequate cooling on one side or the other

Unfortunately, this can be caused by a number of potential culprits. The compressor, relays, fan or defrost timer could all be at fault for this type of problem, and that’s just for a start. You will have to call a professional to fix this one, but the good news is that on a sub zero unit, the two sides operate independently. This means that even if the refrigerator loses cooling, the freezer will keep running fine, so there is no need to shut the whole unit down while awaiting repair.

  • Leaking underneath the unit

Again, there’s not great news here. If you notice water collecting underneath your sub zero, it could be caused by any number of malfunctions. It could be a problem with the drainage or ice maker lines, or there could be broken valves at fault. Again, best bet here is to call a pro.

  • Clean condenser light is on

Your sub zero unit is equipped with a light that goes on when the condenser coils need to be cleaned, like the “check engine” light in a car. Usually, this light means — surprise! — that the condenser coils need to be cleaned. A typical manufacturer recommendation is that the coils be cleaned every three to six months by a professional. If it is between cleaning visits, though, you can do it yourself with a brush and vacuum hose.

  • The bar between the fridge and freezer side feels hot

This is usually also caused by dirty condenser coils. Is the light on? If not, it probably will be soon. Give the coils a thorough brush and vacuum job to see if that solves it. If not, call a technician to service the unit.

As you may have noticed from reading, there is a not a lot you can do in the way of DIY repairs on a sub zero unit. They are unfortunately too complex for the average homeowner to service on his own, but with this little guide you can at least recognize some of the most frequently noted complaints about these units.