Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

refrigerator not cooling

There are several reasons why a refrigerator is not cooling. If you would like to save yourself some time and hassle, give E&L Coral Gables Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair service in Florida. Our repairmen are happy to visit and troubleshoot the issue as well as repair it for you.

When a refrigerator has lost its cold anymore, it’s time to see what the problem is. Most times it is something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. But, with these latest refrigerators, they are equipped with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we investigate further, we look at the most typical and easy causes for this problem. Here are a few of issues that we have found can lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is the refrigerator plugged in? This will seem like a odd question, but we have been called out to appointments that this was the reason for the problem. For some reason, it was not plugged in. Maybe a a pet did it, or an electrician while doing a service visit. Whatever the reason might be, be sure it’s plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside. This is a very common issue for those with children in the home. After all, children are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without knowing they are doing anything wrong, they play with them. So, be sure that the thermostat setting is not the cause of the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Components to Troubleshoot?

Check that the vents inside the freezer area aren’t blocked with food or containers. This is very common because frozen veggies get pushed in the back. There could be food in the back of a freezer that has long been forgotten.

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of all debris. To do this, unplug the fridge and pull it away from the kitchen wall. The fan for many models is right at the bottom of the appliance or somewhere in the back of the freezer portion. Often times, customers don’t think to clean this section of the fridge. But, it is very important to clean it. And, it piles up with dust and fuzz quickly, especially in houses that have cats and dogs. So, get a rag and clean the collected dust out of the coils and cooling fan.

This is not suggested for refrigerators that have the rear coil system. Once all clean, plug it back into the wall and monitor if the cooling fan spins.

The Freezer is Cold but the Fridge Isn’t

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

Every fridge has a pair of evaporator coils. These coils are what gets cold and the fan circulates the cool air around inside the appliance. The damper control assembly isn’t working the right way. The temperature control board transports the electricity to the fan and compressor, this isn’t likely the issue but it is worth mentioning.

And, the thermistor could be defective, which is a little sensor within the appliance that tells the temperature. Having one of our technicians inspect it is the best solution but these are some of the most typical problems.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES