Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

refrigerator not cold

There are several reasons why a refrigerator will not cool. If you want to save yourself a little time and inconvenience, give Fort Smith Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Fort Smith, AR. Our repairmen are eager to come out and troubleshoot the cooling problem as well as correct it for you.

When a refrigerator isn’t cold, it’s time to figure out what the issue could be. A lot of times it is something as basic as a routine coil cleaning. But, with these new models of refrigerators, they’re manufactured with a variety of sensors as well.

Before we investigate further, we look at the most typical and simple causes for this issue. Here are some of the issues that we’ve determined lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is the cord plugged in? This might seem like a odd question, but we’ve been hired for jobs that this was the reason for the problem. Somehow, the refrigerator was unplugged. Maybe a child or pet unplugged it, or an electrician doing a project. Whatever the case may be, make sure it is plugged in.

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

Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure all of the vents inside the freezer area are not blocked with boxes or food. This is common because frozen veggies get pushed in the back of the freezer. There could be food in the back of a freezer unit that has been forgotten about.

Check that the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clean and clear of all debris. To do this, unplug the refrigerator and slide it away from the wall. The cooling fan for most models is right at the bottom of the appliance or somewhere in the back part of the freezer portion. Often times, people don’t think about cleaning this area of the appliance. But, it’s important to keep it clean. And, it piles up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially in houses that have dogs and cats. So, find a rag and clean the dust out of the refrigerator coils and fan.

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Fridge Isn’t

There are several reasons for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these more common ones to start to check if the freezer is cool but the fridge isn’t. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This happens because there’s a failure in the defrost system. Or when the automatic defrost has a problem. The evaporator fan motor can be another reason.

Every fridge has a set of evaporator coils. These coils are what cool and then the fan moves the cold air around inside the appliance. The damper control assembly is not working the right way. The temperature control board which carries the electricity to the compressor and fan, this probably is not the issue but it’s worth mentioning.

And, the thermistor could be defective, which is a small sensor within the appliance that displays the temperature. Having one of our repairmen inspect it is the best option but these are some of the most common problems.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES