Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

refrigerator not cooling

There are a variety of reasons for why a refrigerator will not cool. If you would like to save yourself a little time and inconvenience, give True Baton Rouge Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Baton Rouge, LA. We are eager to visit and diagnose the issue and fix it for you.

When a refrigerator has lost its cold, it’s time to see what the issue could be. Most times it’s something as basic as a good coil cleaning behind the refrigerator. However, with latest refrigerators, they are manufactured with a variety of sensors too.

Before we investigate further, we monitor the most typical and simple reasons for this problem. Here are a couple of things that we have determined can lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is the refrigerator plugged in? This might seem like a funny question, but we’ve been called out to jobs that this was the reason for the issue. For some reason, the refrigerator was unplugged. Maybe a a pet unplugged it, or an electrician while doing a project. Whatever the case might be, be sure the refrigerator is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside of the unit. This is a common issue for families with children in the house. After all, kids love buttons and dials and so, without understanding they are doing anything bad, they mess with them. So, be sure that the thermostat setting isn’t the reason for the warm fridge.

Which Refrigerator Parts to Inspect?

Be sure each of the vents inside the freezer area aren’t blocked with containers or food. This is common since sometimes frozen veggies get pushed in the back. There might be food in the way back of a freezer that has long been forgotten about.

Check that the condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of all debris. To do this, unplug the fridge and slide it away from the kitchen wall. The cooling fan for most models is just at the bottom or somewhere in the back part of the freezer unit. A lot of times, homeowner don’t think to clean this section of the fridge. But, it is very important to clean it. And, it builds up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially with homes that have cats and dogs. So, find a rag and get the built-up dust out of the coils and cooling fan.

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

The Freezer is Cold but the Fridge Isn’t

There are several reasons for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these obvious ones to take a look at if your freezer is cool but the refrigerator is not. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This occurs when there is a malfunction in the defrost system. Or if the automatic defrost has a problem. The evaporator fan motor is another cause.

Every fridge has a pair of evaporator coils. These coils are what cool and then the fan pushes the cool air throughout the unit. The damper control assembly working correctly. The temperature control board that carries the electricity to the fan and compressor, this is not likely the issue but it is worth mentioning.

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 a few of of the most common issues.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES