Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are several reasons a refrigerator is not cooling. If you would like to spare yourself a little time and inconvenience, give Orem Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Orem, UT. We are happy to come out and diagnose the cooling problem and fix it for you.

When a refrigerator isn’t cold anymore, it is time to see what the problem could be. A lot of times it’s something as basic as a good coil cleaning behind the refrigerator. But, with these new refrigerators, they’re equipped with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we look too deep, we look at the most typical and common causes for this issue. Here are a few of issues that we’ve determined lead to a refrigerator that will not cool:

Is it plugged into an electrical outlet? This might seem like a funny question, but we have been hired for jobs that this was the issue. Somehow, it was not plugged in. it’s possible a child or pet unplugged it, or an electrician while doing a service visit. Whatever the reason might be, make sure it is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside of the appliance. This is a very common issue for anyone with small children in the home. After all, children are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without knowing they are doing something bad, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat setting is not the reason for the warm refrigerator.

Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure the vents inside of the freezer aren’t blocked with food or boxes. This is very common since sometimes frozen veggies get jammed in the back of the freezer. There might be food in the very back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten.

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

This is not a suggestion for refrigerators that have a back coil system. Once everything is clean, plug it back into the outlet and notice if the fan spins.

The Freezer is Cold but the Refrigerator Isn’t

There are a few more causes for a refrigerator not cooling after these obvious ones to take a look at if your freezer is cool but your refrigerator is not. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This occurs when there is a failure in the defrost system. Or the automatic defrost has an issue. The evaporator fan motor can be another reason.

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

And, the thermistor could be malfunctioning, which is a little sensor in the appliance that displays the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect it is the best option but these are some of the most typical issues.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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