topic Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"? in Community Chat

Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Wed, 29 May 2019 22:46:48 GMT

I have had two things in my house "fix themselves" which was quite miraculous. When I purchased my house, almost 40 yrs. ago, I was told by many people that when something breaks/goes wrong to fix it right away because it only gets worse. I have found that to be generally true, which is why the two problems in my house that have "fixed themselves" are so amazing!

At the end of last summer, my refrigerator started "going on the fritz" as my father used to say. That is, not working well. First it was the freezer that stopped freezing things, but the refrigerator part was OK. Then I noticed that, while my milk was fine for a couple of days, it would spoil by the third day. OY! I need milk in my morning coffee. So I started looking around for refrigerators because I knew mine was "going" (meanwhile, I bought milk every couple of days and also kept those little creamers you get at McD. or restaurants that don't need refrigeration, and I used those when the milk went bad). At that time, I didn't keep much else in the 'fridge except fresh vegetables that I ate up every couple of days. (This wasn't a huge problem because I eat out a lot). Anyway, when the weather started cooling down in fall, the 'fridge started working better. I didn't have any problem with it all winter and, although it's been in the mid-80s here, it still seems to be keeping things fine. I'm able to use a half gallon of milk all the way to its end (for about a week) and it doesn't spoil. Sadly, the freezer doesn't work so the "self-cure" only applies to the refrigerator part.

I still don't know how it went from not cooling things right to cooling them right, but I'm not going to question it. I'm OK with the freezer not working because it keeps me from buying ice cream, which I eat too much of.

The second thing in my house that "fixed itself" was my front door not closing! During the coldest winter days, my front door, which is wooden with stained glass in it, wouldn't close all the way. This was sooooo not good because I didn't use my security system (I could have bypassed the front door and set it but I didn't) and of course I didn't want my front door not closing! Fortunately, it closed enough for it to look closed (but not enough to actually close to lock it, and also fortunately I have a sturdy screen door/ storm door that locks so of course I locked that. I did olil all the door hinges but that didn't help. I think it just warped somewhat in the frigid weather, because when the weather started getting warmer again in spring, I was able to close it just fine. And it remains fine now. So YAY, the door "fixed itself."

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

blackhole99 — Wed, 29 May 2019 22:56:35 GMT

We have a satellite dish for TV service, the other night the signal went out and no matter what we checked or did the signal would not come back. The technician was due to come check it out the next day and when I turned the TV on that morning the signal was up and we had TV. My husband called the satellite service immediately and cancelled the technician which saved us a 95 dollar service call.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

CelticCrafter — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:00:13 GMT

Is this your main refrigerator, that doesn't have a working freezer?

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

bikerbabe — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:05:49 GMT

My front door swells when we get a lot of rain and doesn’t want to close. When the weather dries out, so does the door and it closes fine. You might have a similar situation.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

SeaMaiden — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:06:49 GMT

@Pearlee No, can not think of anything . Most everything that breaks needs replacing or repair.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:08:37 GMT

@bikerbabe wrote:
My front door swells when we get a lot of rain and doesn’t want to close. When the weather dries out, so does the door and it closes fine. You might have a similar situation.

@bikerbabe I think that's what's behind my door issue too but it had to do with the cold weather. In the near-40-yrs. I've lived in the house it hadn't ever happened before until this past winter. And now it's fine (all by itself)!

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:09:02 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@Pearlee No, can not think of anything . Most everything that breaks needs replacing or repair.

@SeaMaiden Well that is certainly the general rule, which is why these things are so surprising.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

fthunt — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:10:44 GMT

Doors made of wood & metal are greatly affected by humidity - cold temps and hot. Wood and metal ......expand and contract ......during various conditions. Door that "that fixed itself" may cause you problems again in the future. It's not earth shaking but annoying.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Foxxee — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:38:14 GMT

Yes. A microwave. One day it was dead. Not the circuit breaker or the child's lock. In the meantime, used a counter top stored in the basement until I got to the store.

I kept trying to use it instead of the counter top...you know forgetting it was broken only to find over and over it didn't work. Takes a long time to break a habit. I call it "being on automatic pilot." HA!

Then, one morning about 2 weeks later walked into the kitchen, saw "reset clock" on the digital readout. Tried the microwave and it worked. Has been working for over 2 years.

A suggestion for your refrigerator, a lot of dust on the coils can cause it to not cool sufficiently. Good to clean them a few times a year.

Was your weather that fall and winter rainy? Thinking the door may have swelled and didn't dry out thoroughly. Then dried when the weather got warmer.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Thu, 30 May 2019 18:32:16 GMT

@Foxxee Yes, it was rainy most of fall but I think the not-closing started when the temps got their most frigid, in February - around zero degrees (too cold for rain).

Thanks - I will clean off my 'fridge coils - that's a good idea. However, the 'fridge just miraculously started working again when the weather cooled off after last summer's heat and it's been fine since. Still doesn't hurt - and can only help - to clean those coils so thanks for that.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

NickNack — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:27:25 GMT

That happened to my back door one time. I couldn't close it or lock it one night. The next morning I called a handyman who came that day. He sanded it from the top and moved the place where the dead bolt goes just a little bit and fixed it. I couldn't have spent another night in the house without the door locked. I live in a safe neighborhood, but it scared me.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:29:38 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
That happened to my back door one time. I couldn't close it or lock it one night. The next morning I called a handyman who came that day. He sanded it from the top and moved the place where the dead bolt goes just a little bit and fixed it. I couldn't have spent another night in the house without the door locked. I live in a safe neighborhood, but it scared me.

@NickNack Well, your door didn't fix itself like mine did! But yes, I'd have had someone out ASAP if I didn't have that front storm/screen door to lock up.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

kivah — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 04:03:03 GMT

A few years ago, my neighbor told me her refrigerator stopped working and she called a repair guy. It was due to all that dust that accumulated under the fridge. I learned from QVC a long time ago - to clean out the dust under the washer/dryer, refrigerator/stove. They were pitching a long, narrow brush - which I purchased. I also saw them at Lowes.

A few weeks ago, the freezer in my 24-year old Whirlpool stopped working. The refrigerator part was fine. So - I went to Lowes and purchased another 20.5 cu ft. Whirlpool - which I love. The salesman told me they make them cheaper now - so it should last 8 years.

A few months ago, the door to my downstairs bathroom wouldn't close properly - so I called my handyman, who had to lower the metal piece in the door jamb. I live in southern Calif. - and my house is only 18 yrs. old - so they're not weather related.

When something breaks or needs replacing --- I get it done in a New York Minute!!!

Pearley - I enjoyed ur post.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

TY — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:00:13 GMT

We just had our refrigerator/freezer repaired as the draining tube was not draining properly and causing water to puddle at the bottom of the freezer (the fridge is on the top and the freezer is on the bottom). Now the freezer works better and the fridge is not as noisy. We did vacuum the back coils after pulling out the fridge from the wall and also vacuumed underneath the fridge and used a cleaning brush used to pull lint out of dryer vents to get at all of the dust bunnies under the fridge. You would be surprised at how much dirt and pet fur gets accumulated under there and behind the fridge.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Mary Bailey — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:19:03 GMT

Our ice maker is very fickle.

It stops working until DH brings home a bag of ice (the "competition") then it starts working again.

(and it also makes ice sculptures & shoots the cubes to the other side of the freezer, LOL)

maybe it's possessed.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Desertdi — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:32:50 GMT

NO........and the "things" that broke down (plumbing, roof, heat pump) have cost me 4 figures EACH to replace.

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Havarti — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:01:57 GMT

@MaryBailey

I have the same "brand" you do! My freezer stops making ice cubes, and then I buy a bag at the store and it starts making them again. Then I let the cubes get low and it stops again, I buy, it makes them, repeat...repeat....repeat. Sure wish I knew why! So frustrating!

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

1Snickers — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:29:38 GMT

@ Pearly could be that the fridge was iced up at the drain in the freezer and it melted.

Also, sometimes doors stick or swell with temperature changes and also if the house settles.

My coffee maker wasn’t working several years ago and I purchased a new one. The next morning the old one worked so the new one is somewhere in the garage as a spare!

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

cherry — Thu, 30 May 2019 11:44:45 GMT

@Pearlee next time try using s wax candle or a bar of soap on the edge of the door. It swelled up due to moisture and cold

The fridge sounds to me like it has a short in it. I would be careful and keep close watch, you don't want an electrical fire

Re: Have You Ever Had Something That Has "Fixed Itself"?

Pearlee — Thu, 30 May 2019 18:05:07 GMT

@cherry wrote:
@Pearlee next time try using s wax candle or a bar of soap on the edge of the door. It swelled up due to moisture and cold

The fridge sounds to me like it has a short in it. I would be careful and keep close watch, you don't want an electrical fire

@cherry If that was the case, I don't think it would have "fixed itself" and been working fine ever since the cold weather started months ago. As I say, I expected it to "go bad" when the weather got hot again but it hasn't. You are right though; shorts can be dangerous. I just don't think that's the case here.