Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are a few reasons why a refrigerator is not cooling. If you would like to spare yourself some time and inconvenience, give Carrollton Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Carrollton, TX. Our repairmen are happy to visit and diagnose the cooling problem and repair it for you.

When your refrigerator has lost its cold anymore, it is time to figure out what the issue is. Most times it’s something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. However, with latest refrigerators, they are equipped with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we look too deep, we inspect the most common and easy reasons for this issue. Here are a couple of things that we have found lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is it plugged into an electrical outlet? This may seem like a silly question, but we’ve been called out to appointments that this was the problem. Somehow, the refrigerator was unplugged. it’s possible a a pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a project. Whatever the cause might be, make sure it is plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside of the unit. This is a common issue for anyone with children in their home. After all, kids love buttons and dials and so, without understanding they are doing something wrong, they play with them. So, be sure that the thermostat setting is not the cause of the warm refrigerator.

Refrigerator Components to Troubleshoot?

Check that all of the vents in the freezer aren’t blocked with food or containers. This is very common because sometimes bags of frozen vegetables get pushed in the back. There can be food in the way back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten.

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

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Refrigerator is Not

There are a few more causes for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these obvious ones to start to take a look at if your freezer is cool but the fridge isn’t. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This happens if there’s a failure in the defrost heating system. Or the automatic defrost has a problem. The evaporator fan motor can be another reason.

Every refrigerator has a pair of evaporator coils. These evaporator coils are what cool and then the fan pushes the cold air throughout the unit. The damper control assembly working correctly. The temperature control board which carries the electricity to the fan and compressor, this probably isn’t the issue but it’s worth mentioning.

And, the thermistor might be defective, which is a little sensor inside the appliance that tells the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect it is the best solution but these are a few of 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