Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are many reasons a refrigerator will not cool. If you would like to spare yourself a little time and inconvenience, give Elizabeth Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Elizabeth, NJ. We are happy to come out and troubleshoot the cooling problem as well as fix it for you.

When a refrigerator is no longer cold, it is time to figure out what the problem is. Often times it is something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. However, with new fridges, they are manufactured with various sensors as well.

Before we look too deep, we look at the most typical and simple causes for this problem. Here are a few of of the issues that we have determined lead to a refrigerator not cooling:

Is it plugged into an outlet? This will seem like a silly question, but we have been called out to jobs that this was the problem. For some reason, it was unplugged. it’s possible a kid did it, or an electrician during a service visit. Whatever the case might be, make sure it’s plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside of the unit. This is a common problem for customers with small children in their house. After all, children love buttons and dials and so, without knowing they are doing anything bad, they mess with them. So, check that the thermostat temperature isn’t the cause of the warm refrigerator.

Which Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure the vents in the freezer aren’t blocked with containers or food. This is very common since sometimes frozen vegetables get pushed in the back. There could be food in the back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten about.

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of debris. To be sure, unplug the fridge and slide it out from the wall. The cooling fan for several models is just at the bottom or in the back of the freezer unit. Many times, people don’t think to clean this area of the refrigerator. But, it is important to keep it clean. And, it builds up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially with homes that have dogs and cats. So, grab a clean rag and clean the collected 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 Fridge Isn’t

There are several causes for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these obvious ones to start to check if your freezer is cold but your fridge is not. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This happens when there’s a failure in the defrost heating system. Or when the automatic defrost has an issue. The evaporator fan motor is another reason.

Every refrigerator has a set of evaporator coils. These coils are what gets cold and then the fan moves the cool air around inside the unit. The damper control assembly is not working properly. The temperature control board which carries the electricity to the compressor and fan, this is not likely the problem but it is worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor could be defective, which is a small sensor within the unit that tells the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect it is the best option 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