How Does a Refrigerator Work?

If you are like most consumers you don’t give much thought to the parts of a refrigerator before it stops running, or before it comes time to replace it. To ensure you get the most from this invaluable appliance it can be extremely nice to understand exactly how it keeps food and drinks cool—and Direct Denver Appliance Repair is here to explain.

Read on to learn what you might need to know concerning how refrigerators work, how it cools your food and if it’s time to hire refrigerator repair Denver.

Parts of a Refrigerator

There aren’t many houses that don’t feature a refrigerator inside the kitchen. It’s been a must-own household appliance for many years. A refrigerator is able to store food and drinks at the best temperature, in order to reduce rotting and slow down the growth of harmful bacteria. The concept of refrigeration starts by distributing the heat from the interior of the unit to the outside, using the principles of condensation and evaporation.

The main components of your refrigerator are below. For questions or service call Direct Denver Appliance Repair:


A refrigerator compressor is a combo of a pump and a motor, and it is necessary for circulation of refrigerant dispersed in the system.
The compressor is an integral piece of a refrigerator. You should hire a professional company if the compressor is broken.


A condenser is found on the rear outside wall of the refrigerator and helps to release the warmth built-up from inside the refrigerator out in the air.


A evaporator is housed in the interior of the refrigerator where absorbs warmth trapped within it, thereby reducing the temperature inside the unit.

Right when the evaporator is not working, it is time to enlist a professional. You should not wait until it’s too late.

Expansion Device

Liquified refrigerant is directed through a capillary tube that works as an expansion tool to cool the gas, turning it back into a liquid.


A refrigerator thermostat regulates the current temperature throughout a refrigerator, engaging a new cooling cycle when it is needed.

The thermostat inside of a refrigerator is often prone to issues. Troubleshoot and call a contractor in Denver for repair the moment an issue happens.

How Does Refrigeration Work?

1. Once the temperature within a refrigerator goes higher than the set point sensors signal the compressor to begin, and then the cooling period begins. The unit attracts the cold liquid refrigerant, condenses and pressurizes it, and raises the temperature, so it can turn into a gas form.

2. The compressor directs the hot gas in the direction of the condenser coils on the outside of the unit, at which point it comes into contact with warmer temperature in the home and returns back to a liquified form.

3. The cool refrigerant continues its journey towards the refrigerator evaporator, pushing through the coils within the refrigerator and top freezer compartment.

4. The liquid absorbs the hot air from inside the appliance, returning the temperature down to the optimal final point.

5. The coolant evaporates, and will return back to a gas, and returns to the compressor in order to continue the cycle.

Refrigeration technology is often used in a lot of applications and appliances, including heat pumps, AC units, refrigerators and residential freezers. By contracting heat from a single place and then relocating it to somewhere else the cycle of refrigeration will help cooling your house, creates a perfect storage space for food that is perishable, and helps with manufacturing and storage of a lot of different common products and materials.

Need Refrigerator Repair?

Does your refrigerator need service? You can schedule an appointment with Direct Denver Appliance Repair.

Direct Denver Appliance Repair is able to service all major brands and models of refrigerators – includes commercial models, side-by-side and stand-alone.Our repairman in Denver are trained to fix cooling problems, broken ice makers, condensation problems, puddles of water and leaks, bulbs, touch controls, smart systems and various problems. We know all there is to know about refrigerator repair!