Joseph for Model Number Whirlpool ET1CHEXVB00 There is a slightly off-putting odor coming from the freezer. Not quite chemically, but not organic (like stale ice, food, etc.). What would a refrigerant leak smell like? I would assume move pungently chemically. The refrigerator is not plugged in at present, the freezer compartment is warm and has been cleaned but the smell persists. I took off the back panel and saw no obvious damaged tubing. This is odd though: In the top right corner there are two 3/8" dia. copper pipes covered with a plastic flap. There is a brown foam that seems to have been melting out of it. It looks like brownie batter dripping out. Perhaps that has something to do with it. If it is a leak, is it worth having a technician look at it it and repair it, or just replace the refrigerator? I assume that this would be something outside my skill set (that being somewhere between pretty handy and not quite dangerous). Thanks for your help.
Answer Joseph, with a freon leak normally you would be able to see oil from the freon or an ultra violet green fluid if it has a uv filter dryer. For the smell, you could use baking soda to absorb the smell and turn the unit on to get air flow going. If the unit cools properly within 24 hours, then most likely it is just a residual odor from being turned off for an extended period of time. If it does not cool after 24 hours, then it may be a freon leak. If this unit has had a sealed system repair in the vicinity of the foam, then the heat can cause it to look like that. Read More... Answered by AppliancePartsPros.com | Tuesday, March 5, 2019