Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

refrigerator coolant

There are several reasons a refrigerator will not cool. If you would like to spare yourself some time and inconvenience, give Nifty Naperville Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Naperville, IL. We’re happy to visit and diagnose the cooling issue and fix it for you.

When a refrigerator isn’t cold anymore, it is time to determine what the issue might be. A lot of times it is something as basic as a routine coil cleaning. But, with modern refrigerators, they’re manufactured with a variety of sensors too.

Before we look too deep, we inspect the most typical and easy reasons for this problem. Here are a couple of things that we’ve determined can lead to a refrigerator that will not cool:

Is it plugged into an outlet? This might seem like it’s a odd question, but we have been hired for appointments that this was the reason for the issue. Somehow, the refrigerator was not plugged in. Maybe a kid did it, or an electrician while doing a service visit. Whatever the reason may be, be sure the refrigerator is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a very typical problem for customers with small children in the home. After all, children like dials and buttons and so, without knowing they are doing anything wrong, they mess with them. So, check that the thermostat setting isn’t the reason for the warm refrigerator.

Refrigerator Parts to Inspect?

Check that the vents inside the freezer are not blocked with containers or food. This is very common since sometimes bags of frozen vegetables get stuck in the back of the freezer. There might be food in the back of a freezer that has long been forgotten.

Check that the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of all debris. To be sure, unplug the refrigerator and slide it away from the kitchen wall. The cooling fan for several models is right at the bottom of the appliance or in the back part of the freezer section. A lot of times, people do not think to clean this section of the fridge. But, it is very important to clean it. And, it fills up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially in homes that have dogs and cats. So, get a clean rag and clean the built-up dust out of the coils and fan.

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Fridge Isn’t

There are a few more causes for a refrigerator not cooling after these more common ones to check if the freezer is cool but your fridge is not. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This occurs because there’s a malfunction in the defrost heating system. Or if the automatic defrost experiences a problem. The evaporator fan motor is another reason.

Every refrigerator has a set of evaporator coils. These coils are what cool and the fan moves the cool air around inside the appliance. The damper control assembly isn’t 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 malfunctioning, which is a little 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 issues.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES