Q: I have a problem with refrigerators. This is the second refrigerator in a month that the store has delivered. Now I am waiting for a new control.

Problem: It won’t cool below 38 degrees, and the freezer doesn’t get down to zero. Is this now the standard? If so, a lot of people are going to be eating a lot of spoiled food.

A: Standards are typically set by the government, hence the Department of Energy and the dishwasher rules I wrote about a few weeks back.

The Food and Drug Administration’s website, however, has this about temperature:

“Keep your appliances at the proper temperatures. Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40 degrees F (4 degrees C). The freezer temperature should be 0 degree F (minus 18 degrees C). Check temperatures periodically. Appliance thermometers are the best way of knowing these temperatures and are generally inexpensive.”

If the standard had been changed, the FDA’s caveats would be pointless.

Lemons do exist outside the produce section of the supermarket. Anything that is produced by human beings is subject to error, and that goes especially for major appliances.

Perhaps you should look for something other than the brand you seem to be struggling with.

— Contact Alan J. Heavens at aheavensphillynews.com