Refrigerator appliance and method of operating the same during a vacation mode

A refrigerator appliance comprising:

• a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber;
• at least one sensor positioned within the cabinet, the at least one sensor being configured to monitor a temperature within the cabinet;
• a user interface device configured to allow a user to set a predetermined operating mode, wherein the predetermined operating mode is a vacation mode during which one or more doors of the refrigerator appliance are maintained in a closed position to seal each of the fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber;
• and
• a controller operably coupled with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to perform an operation in the predetermined operating mode, the operation comprising:
• receiving a temperature signal from the at least one sensor after determining the refrigerator appliance is operating according to the predetermined operating mode;
• determining that a value of the temperature signal is above a predetermined temperature threshold;
• determining that the temperature signal is received outside of a defrost phase during the predetermined operating mode;
• and
• emitting an alert in response to determining that the temperature signal is outside of the defrost phase and the value of the temperature signal is above the predetermined temperature threshold, the alert comprising a value of the temperature signal and a date on which the temperature signal was received.