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Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Refrigerator Repair:

Ammonia smell, anything I can do?

Hi, I'm on a small island in Alaska on a Saturday night struggling with a broken refrigerator! There's obviously a leak somewhere in the system because of the distinct ammonia smell. What are the odds of me (or anyone else) fixing this? I have very little "fix it" experience but I'm willing to give it a shot as it can take several days to a week to get someone to fix it here. Let me know, any assistance would be appreciated!

If it's actually ammonia you smell this isn't your typical household refrigerator. Systems used for remote service and in RV units use what we call absorption refrigeration that works by chemistry instead of pressures. Unfortunately, once you have a leak in one of these they are not easily repaired. This is something you may have to ship off the island to be overhauled. Sorry to give you bad news.