How do I know if my fridge is dying?

Identifying whether your residential refrigerator is nearing the end of its operational life involves observing persistent performance and mechanical failures. Clear warning signs of a dying fridge include a compressor that runs continuously without ever cycling off, exterior walls or compressor housings that become scorching hot, food spoiling prematurely despite cold thermostat settings, repetitive clicking noises indicating a failing start relay, or tripping your kitchen circuit breaker repeatedly. You can troubleshoot temperature stability using an independent thermometer. You can verify that your refrigerator is dying when confirmed electrical power, clean condenser coils, and hard power resets fail to restore proper cooling, indicating that major component failure or sealed system leaks require full appliance replacement.