Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are many reasons a refrigerator is not cooling. If you would like to spare yourself some time and inconvenience, give Boulder Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Boulder, CO. We’re eager to come out and diagnose the cooling problem and fix it for you.

When a refrigerator has lost its cold, it’s time to see what the issue might be. Most times it’s something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. However, with modern fridges, they’re equipped with a variety of sensors too.

Before we investigate further, we monitor the most typical and simple reasons for this issue. Here are a few of issues that we have found lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is it plugged into an electrical outlet? This might seem like it’s a silly question, but we’ve been hired for jobs that this was the issue. Somehow, it was unplugged. it’s possible a a pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a service visit. Whatever the cause may be, make sure the refrigerator is plugged in.

Check the thermostat inside of the refrigerator. This is a very common issue for families with children in the home. After all, children are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without knowing they are doing anything wrong, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat setting is not the cause of the warm refrigerator.

Refrigerator Parts to Troubleshoot?

Be sure 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 very back of a freezer that has long been forgotten about.

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of all debris. To be sure, unplug the fridge and pull it away from the wall. The cooling fan for several models is just at the bottom or in the back part of the freezer section. Many times, homeowner do not think about cleaning this area of the refrigerator. But, it is very important to keep it clean. And, it clogs up with dust and fuzz quickly, especially in homes that have pets. So, get a clean rag and get the dust out of the refrigerator coils and cooling fan.

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Fridge is Not

There are many causes for a refrigerator not cooling after these more common ones to start to check if the freezer is cold but the fridge isn’t. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This occurs because there’s a failure in the defrost system. Or when the automatic defrost has a problem. The evaporator fan motor can be another cause.

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

And, the thermistor could be malfunctioning, which is a little sensor within the appliance that displays the temperature. Having one of our technicians inspect it is the best course of action but these are a few of of the most common issues.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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