Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are many reasons a refrigerator is not cooling. If you want to save yourself some time and burden, give Premiere Chicago Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Chicago, IL. We are happy to visit and diagnose the cooling problem as well as fix it for you.

When a refrigerator is no longer cold, it’s time to figure out what the problem might be. Most times it’s something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. However, with these new models of refrigerators, they are equipped with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we look too deep, we look at the most common and easy causes for this problem. Here are a couple of of the issues that we’ve determined can lead to a refrigerator not cooling:

Is it plugged into an outlet? This will seem like it’s a odd question, but we have been hired for jobs that this was the problem. Somehow, it was not plugged in. it’s possible a child or pet unplugged it, or an electrician while doing a project. Whatever the case might be, be sure it is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a very typical problem for families with small children in the house. After all, kids are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without knowing they’re doing anything bad, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat temperature is not the reason for the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Parts to Troubleshoot?

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

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of debris. To do this, unplug the refrigerator and slide it away from the wall. The cooling fan for a lot of models is just at the bottom of the appliance or in the back part of the freezer portion. Many times, customers don’t think about cleaning this section of the fridge. But, it’s important to keep it clean. And, it clogs up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially in homes that have pets. So, grab a clean rag and get the collected dust out of the coils and cooling fan.

This is not recommended for refrigerators that have a rear coil system. Once everything is clean, plug it into the outlet and see if the fan moves.

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Refrigerator Isn’t

There are several causes for a refrigerator not cooling after these more common ones to start to check if your freezer is cold but your refrigerator isn’t. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This happens because there’s a malfunction in the defrost heating system. Or if the automatic defrost has a problem. 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 pushes the cool air throughout the appliance. The damper control assembly is not working correctly. The temperature control board transports the electricity to the compressor and fan, this probably is not the problem but it is worth mentioning.

And, the thermistor might be defective, which is a tiny sensor within the appliance that tells the temperature. Having one of our repairmen 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