Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are many reasons why a refrigerator will not cool. If you want to spare yourself some time and hassle, give Ideal Edison Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Edison, NJ. We’re eager to come out and diagnose the problem and correct it for you.

When your refrigerator isn’t cold anymore, it is time to determine what the problem might be. Most times it’s something as common as a routine coil cleaning. But, with latest fridges, they are equipped with various sensors as well.

Before we investigate further, we look at the most typical and simple causes for this issue. Here are a couple of issues that we’ve found can lead to a refrigerator not cooling:

Is the cord plugged into an outlet? This may seem like it’s a odd question, but we have been called out to jobs that this was the problem. For some reason, the refrigerator was not plugged in. Maybe a child or pet did it, or an electrician doing a project. Whatever the case may be, make sure it is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a very common problem for those with children in the home. After all, kids like dials and buttons and so, without understanding they are doing something wrong, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat setting isn’t the cause of the warm fridge.

Refrigerator Parts to Troubleshoot?

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

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of all debris. To be sure, unplug the fridge and slide it away from the kitchen wall. The fan for most models is just at the bottom or somewhere in the back of the freezer portion. Many times, people don’t think to clean this area of the refrigerator. But, it is important to clean it. And, it fills up with dust and fuzz quickly, especially in houses that have dogs and cats. So, grab a rag and get the 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 into the outlet and monitor if the cooling fan moves.

The Freezer Unit 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 the freezer is cool but the fridge isn’t. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This happens when there’s a failure in the defrost heating system. Or if the automatic defrost experiences an issue. The evaporator fan motor can be another reason.

Every fridge has a pair of evaporator coils. These evaporator coils are what cool and then the fan moves the cold air around inside the appliance. The damper control assembly isn’t working properly. The temperature control board that transports the electricity to the fan and compressor, this isn’t likely the issue but it is worth troubleshooting.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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