Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are several reasons for why a refrigerator is not cooling. If you would like to spare yourself some time and burden, give Quality Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Quincy, MA. We are happy to visit and diagnose the problem and fix it for you.

When a refrigerator is not cold, it’s time to determine what the problem might be. A lot of times it’s something as common as a routine coil cleaning. But, with latest refrigerators, they are equipped with various sensors as well.

Before we investigate further, we monitor the most typical and easy causes for this issue. Here are some of the issues that we have found can lead to a refrigerator not cooling:

Is the refrigerator plugged in? This might seem like a odd question, but we have been called out to appointments that this was the reason for the issue. For some reason, it was unplugged. Maybe a child or pet did it, or an electrician during a service visit. Whatever the case might be, make sure it’s plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside of the unit. This is a very common issue for those with small children in the home. After all, kids are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without understanding they’re doing something wrong, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat setting is not the reason for the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure all of the vents in the freezer area are not blocked with containers or food. This is very common since bags of frozen vegetables get stuck in the back of the freezer. There can be food in the very back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten.

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of debris. To be sure, unplug the refrigerator and slide it away from the wall. The fan for several models is just at the bottom or in the back of the freezer section. Often times, customers do not think to clean this area of the refrigerator. But, it’s very important to keep it clean. And, it clogs up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially with homes that have dogs and cats. So, find a clean rag and clean the dust out of the coils and fan.

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

The Freezer is Cold but the Fridge Isn’t

There are many reasons for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these more common ones to start to check if the freezer is cold but your refrigerator is not. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This occurs when there is a failure in the defrost system. Or the automatic defrost experiences a problem. The evaporator fan motor is another cause.

Every fridge has a set of evaporator coils. These evaporator coils are what gets cold and then the fan circulates the cold air throughout the appliance. The damper control assembly isn’t working the right way. The temperature control board that provides the electricity to the fan and compressor, this is not likely the problem but it is worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor might be malfunctioning, which is a tiny sensor in the appliance that displays the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect 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