Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are a variety of reasons a refrigerator isn’t cooling. If you would like to save yourself some time and hassle, give Owens Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair. We are happy to visit and troubleshoot the problem and repair it for you.

When your refrigerator has lost its cold, it’s time to determine what the problem could be. Often times it’s something as simple as a good coil cleaning. But, with these new fridges, they are equipped with various sensors too.

Before we investigate further, we monitor the most typical and common reasons for this issue. Here are some issues that we have determined can lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is the refrigerator plugged into an electrical outlet? This will seem like a funny question, but we have been hired for jobs that this was the issue. Somehow, the refrigerator was not plugged in. Maybe a kid unplugged it, or an electrician while doing a project. Whatever the cause may be, make sure it is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a very typical problem for anyone with children in their house. After all, children like dials and buttons and so, without understanding they’re doing anything wrong, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat temperature is not the reason for the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Components to Troubleshoot?

Check that all of the vents in the freezer area are not blocked with food or containers. This is very common because sometimes frozen vegetables get jammed in the back. There could be food in the very back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten about.

Check that the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of debris. To be sure, unplug the refrigerator and slide it out from the wall. The cooling fan for many models is just at the bottom of the appliance or in the back part of the freezer unit. Many times, homeowner do not think about cleaning this area of the refrigerator. But, it’s very important to clean it. And, it fills up with dust and fuzz quickly, especially in houses that have cats and dogs. So, find a clean rag and get the built-up dust out of the coils and fan.

This is not a suggestion for refrigerators that have the back coil system. Once everything is clean, plug it into the wall and notice if the cooling fan spins.

The Freezer is Cold but the Refrigerator is Not

There are several causes for a refrigerator not cooling after these more common ones to start to take a look at if your freezer is cold but the fridge isn’t. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This occurs because there is a failure in the defrost heating system. Or if the automatic defrost has an issue. The evaporator fan motor is another cause.

Every fridge has a set of evaporator coils. These evaporator coils are what cool and the fan circulates the cool air throughout the unit. The damper control assembly working correctly. The temperature control board which provides the electricity to the compressor and fan, this probably isn’t the issue but it’s worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor could be malfunctioning, which is a tiny sensor in the appliance that tells the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect it is the best option but these are a few of of the most typical problems.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• Ice Maker Isn’t Working
• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Refrigerator is Noisy
• Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working