The key facts

  • The smell of ice is usually linked to food, dirt in the compartment, water, or the filter, not to a refrigerant leak
  • A leak is likely if cooling has deteriorated at the same time or the compressor runs unusually long
  • Isobutane R-600a is flammable: if a leak is suspected, ventilate the room and remove sources of fire and sparks

An ice smell is not always a sign of a breakdown

It is impossible to detect a refrigerant leak from the smell of ice alone, said Gazeta.Ru, Candidate of Chemical SciencesAndrei Dorokhov, associate professor at the A.N. Reformatsky Department of Inorganic Chemistry of RTU MIREA. Modern refrigerators often use isobutane R-600a, which by itself, as a rule, does not give ice a characteristic 'freon' aroma.

Where the smell comes from and what to do

According to the specialist, the presence of a smell does not yet prove a fault in the refrigeration circuit. Ice absorbs odors from its surroundings well: the cause may be food, dirt on the walls of the freezer compartment, stagnant water, an old filter, or a dirty ice maker container. Therefore, first you should throw out the smelly portion of ice, wash the container, check the food and the condition of the filter, and then see whether the smell disappears from a new portion.

When suspicion of a leak is justified

Suspicion of a leak becomes more justified if cooling has deteriorated at the same time: the freezer has stopped freezing properly, the temperature in the refrigerator has risen, or the compressor is running unusually long — with a leak, the circuit's seal is broken, the amount of refrigerant decreases, and the system removes heat less effectively. In that case, Dorokhov noted, the ice maker should not be used until the appliance has been checked. This especially applies to models with isobutane: the gas is flammable, so if a leak is detected, the room should be ventilated and sources of open flame and sparks eliminated. Ice with a foreign chemical smell should not be tasted 'as a test' — taste cannot confirm that the product is safe. If a new portion of ice acquires the same smell, especially against the background of deteriorating cooling, the ice maker should not be used and a technician should be called.

Context

Earlier in August, the same publication explained how to properly defrost a refrigeratorwithout breaking it — these recommendations complement the appliance care tips.