Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are a lot of reasons why a refrigerator won’t cool. If you would like to save yourself a little time and inconvenience, give One Call Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Cary, NC. We are happy to visit and diagnose the issue as well as correct it for you.

When a refrigerator is not cold, it’s time to see what the issue could be. Most times it’s something as common as a routine coil cleaning behind the appliance. But, with new models of refrigerators, they’re manufactured with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we look too deep, we monitor the most typical and simple causes for this issue. Here are a few of of the things that we’ve found lead to a refrigerator not cooling:

Is it plugged into an outlet? This will seem like it is a odd question, but we’ve been called out to appointments that this was the problem. Somehow, it was not plugged in. it’s possible a a pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a project. Whatever the reason might be, make sure it’s plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside. This is a very common problem for families with small children in their house. After all, kids are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without understanding they are doing something wrong, they mess with them. So, be sure that the thermostat setting is not the reason for the warm refrigerator.

Which Refrigerator Parts to Troubleshoot?

Be sure the vents in the freezer aren’t blocked with food or containers. This is common since bags of frozen veggies get stuck in the back of the freezer. There can be food in the way back of a freezer that has long been forgotten about.

Check that the condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of debris. To be sure, unplug the refrigerator and pull it out from the wall. The cooling fan for most models is just at the bottom of the appliance or somewhere in the back of the freezer portion. Many times, people don’t think to clean this area of the refrigerator. But, it is very important to clean it. And, it clogs up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially in houses that have pets. So, grab a rag and clean the dust out of the coils and fan.

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Refrigerator Isn’t

There are a few more reasons for a refrigerator not cooling after these more common ones to check if the freezer is cool but your refrigerator is not. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This happens because there is a malfunction in the defrost system. Or if the automatic defrost experiences a problem. The evaporator fan motor can be another cause.

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

And, the thermistor could be defective, which is a tiny sensor in the unit that tells the temperature. Having one of our technicians look at it is the best solution but these are some of the most common problems.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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