It never rains but it pours

[Mike Nolan]

Our SubZero freezer appears to have a problem (probably the defrost timer--again), and now so does the SubZero refrigerator, so I'm thinking it may be time to replace the pair, they're both 24+ years old and it seems like one or the other needs work about once a year.

The current SubZero built-in models are taller (85 vs 72) inches because they moved the cooling unit to the top, which would mean losing the storage space above them, and getting someone to do the remodeling work might not be either quick or cheap.

It looks like Frigidaire makes a 72 inch tall refrigerator and matching freezer that would fit the space, they're actually a few inches narrower but maybe an inch or two deeper. Maybe not quite as 'built in' of an appearance, but a third the price!

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[RiversideLen]

The defrost timer is a relatively inexpensive piece too, it's mostly plastic, but the charge for the service call is what empties your wallet. I have a top freezer Frigidaire, nothing fancy, but I've replaced the defrost timer a couple of times and it looks like it needs it again. I keep a defrost timer on hand and thanks to Youtube, I know how to replace it. Fortunately, on mine it is fairly easy to access, which is not the case on some of the fancier fridges.

[Mike Nolan]

I know where the defrost timer is on our freezer, as well, but we've had other issues with it and with the refrigerator, averaging about one a year lately. After 25 years, I think it is time to replace it.

Frigidaire makes a refrigerator/freezer pair designed to go in the same space that the SubZero 501 pair took (the newer ones from SubZero are 14 inches taller, because the compressor is at the top), their website even promotes this as 'replace without remodeling

[BakerAunt]

I know that Mike needs a particular size, so my recommendation would not help him, but we have two Amana refrigerator/freezer models with the freezer on the bottom. I bought one in 2001 when I bought my house, and so far--knocking on wood--have only needed the freezer control replaced about five years ago. The other I bought after our kitchen remodel, so it is two years old. I know that Amana is owned by one of the big companies now, but so far, we are happy with the brand.

We are having our own torrent of when it rains it pours. We emptied our apt., piling stuff in the house, the garage, and the shed, because our contractor was going to start in July. He had to put us off after a tree fell on the house of a friend of his mothers and did a lot of damage, and it turned out to be more than was initially thought. He and his crew were going to start work last Thursday, but the storm that came in Wednesday really hit the area in which he lives. They lost their apple tree, someone else called him about a roof, someone else about a flooded basement--he was not having a good end of the week. We are hoping that his son can start on the project next week while he is out of town on a planned trip.

I won't even go into the fuss with getting the permit--the price of which has now doubled.

And then there is the leaking toilet upstairs, for which we already had a plumber out a couple of weeks ago. It may require a drastic solution.

Ah, the joys of home ownership!

[Mike Nolan]

Unless we want to get involved in cabinetry issues, we've got somewhat limited options given the 72 x 72 x 26 space. The last time the appliance repair people were working on the freezer, the repairman told me that SubZero has a few 501 refrigerator/freezer sets in storage in a warehouse, never out of the crate. I may ask them about that on Monday, just to see if I really have that option. Not sure if a 15 year old appliance that has never been turned on is the best choice, though.

We did discuss the idea of putting a 42" French door side-by-side in the space and putting some kind of storage in the other 30", that option isn't totally off the table yet.

[BakerAunt]

What I hated about the side-by-side that came with this house (not a built-in) was that I could not put a baking tray or even a pie plate into it because it was too narrow. That was a problem in my butter days when I was baking scones and butter pie crusts. It would not be an issue for me these days.

[Mike Nolan]

The counter-depth refrigerators tend to be pretty shallow, but we have a two-drawer refrigerator under the prep counter, and it is large enough to hold a full-sized pizza box, which won't fit in the big fridge. It also holds my 3/4 sheet pans, which are about 17 x 22.

The big SubZero fridge is mostly emptied, and with the temperature set almost at the highest setting it is holding at around 42 degrees, so I haven't been in a panic to move everything to the basement, though I've taken some stuff downstairs. Milk and other perishables that we didn't toss are in the under-counter fridge, which is usually for veggies and fruits.

The freezer is holding at about 13 degrees, so I've been moving some items downstairs for the last few days, too. I should know in the next day or two what we'll be doing, at this point I'm leaning towards replacing the SubZeros with the Frigidaires, depending on availability, of course. If I had to I could pick up a small upright fridge to tide us over, moving it downstairs or into the garage at some point.

[Mike Nolan]

The SubZero refrigerator is no longer cooling at all and has been emptied. (It was holding in the lower to mid 40's for a while.) The freezer seems to be holding at about 14 degrees, I'm working on emptying it as well.

Still trying to get a time scheduled for removing the SubZeros, and then it could be weeks or months before we can get the Frigidaire replacements, assuming they fit the space for height and depth, which the specs say they should.

They should be about 6 inches narrower, so we'll need to fill in a gap on the sides somehow.

[Mike Nolan]

The circulating pump on our 12 year old Bosch dishwasher has failed, replacement is $650, not that far from the cost of a higher end dishwasher. :sigh:

Oh, and the garbage disposal needs replacement, too.

[BakerAunt]

It's an appliance apocalypse!

We finally got our upstairs toilet issue resolved. The third time the plumber was here, he determined that the leak came from a cracked tank. (It was two years old!) Today he installed a new one, so that problem is resolved.

Now, if we can just get the contractor crew back to work on the garage apt. renovation....

[Joan Simpson]

I agree with BakerAunt appliance apocalypse for sure.I have an electric wall oven that we put in our home when we built in 1986 Kenmore.I noticed after baking cheesecake the bottom element looked like burnt food on it, unusual looking.When it cooled off I tried to wipe it off,it's not food but the actual element looks like it's burning up.Now the element on bottom will not heat but broiler is fine.I'm trying to find a part to replace it and it looks simple enough to do.So no baking for me for awhile.And I needed corn bread tonight but I'll manage to cook it on top of stove.

Praying we can all find what we need.

[RiversideLen]

Joan, try online. Ereplacementparts, partselect are two places I've done business with. You put the model number of your appliance in their search thingy and a diagram of the appliance with all the parts will come up. Hopefully, they'll have what you need.

[Joan Simpson]

Thanks Len!

[chocomouse]

Here, too. My husband is putting in a new garbage disposal as I type. I discovered the cabinet under the sink flooded! I do have to admit that it has worked fine since 1985 when we built the house; I guess 36 years is a long time to expect any appliance to work.

[cwcdesign]

At the end of July, Will had to replace the disposal in my “new” home. It leaked all over the cabinet and it hadn’t been very long, but the cabinet is a mess. Can’t wait to see if Cabinets To Go (landlord put them in last year) will replace it - it totally fell apart!

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