Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are several reasons why a refrigerator will not cool. If you want to save yourself some time and burden, give Old Town Orange Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Orange, CA. We’re eager to visit and troubleshoot the issue and repair it for you.

When a refrigerator is no longer cold anymore, it’s time to figure out what the problem is. A lot of times it’s something as basic as a routine coil cleaning. However, with these latest refrigerators, they’re manufactured with various sensors too.

Before we look too deep, we inspect the most typical and common causes for this issue. Here are some things that we have determined can lead to a refrigerator that will not cool:

Is the cord plugged in? This might seem like it’s a odd question, but we have been hired for appointments that this was the problem. Somehow, the refrigerator was not plugged in. Maybe a child or pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a service visit. Whatever the cause may be, be sure the refrigerator is plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside. This is a typical problem for customers with children in their home. After all, kids love dials and buttons and so, without understanding they are doing anything wrong, they mess with them. So, check that the thermostat temperature isn’t the cause of the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure the vents inside of the freezer area are not blocked with food or containers. This is very common because sometimes bags of frozen veggies get jammed in the back of the freezer. There could be food in the way back of a freezer that has long been forgotten about.

Be sure the condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of debris. To be sure, unplug the refrigerator and pull it out from the kitchen wall. The cooling fan for many models is right at the bottom of the appliance or in the back part of the freezer unit. A lot of times, homeowner don’t think about cleaning this area of the refrigerator. But, it is important to clean it. And, it fills up with dust and fuzz quickly, especially in homes that have dogs and cats. So, get a clean rag and get the built-up dust out of the refrigerator coils and fan.

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

The Freezer is Cold but the Refrigerator Isn’t

There are several reasons for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these obvious ones to take a look at if the freezer is cold but your refrigerator is not. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This occurs when there is a malfunction in the defrost 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 coils are what cool and the fan pushes the cold air around inside the unit. The damper control assembly working the right way. The temperature control board transports the electricity to the fan and compressor, this isn’t likely the problem but it is worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor could be defective, which is a little 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 issues.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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