Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are a lot of reasons why a refrigerator will not cool. If you want to save yourself some time and burden, give Township Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Toms River, NJ. We’re happy to come out and diagnose the problem and correct it for you.

When a refrigerator is not cold, it’s time to see what the problem is. Often times it’s something as simple as a routine coil cleaning. But, with latest models of refrigerators, they are manufactured with various sensors as well.

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

Is it plugged into an outlet? This will seem like it’s a funny question, but we’ve been hired for appointments that this was the problem. For some reason, the refrigerator was unplugged. Maybe a a pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a service visit. Whatever the cause might be, be sure the refrigerator is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a very typical issue for anyone with small children in their house. After all, kids are fascinated with dials and buttons and so, without understanding they are doing anything bad, they play with them. So, check that the thermostat setting isn’t the cause of the warm refrigerator.

Refrigerator Parts to Inspect?

Check that each of the vents inside the freezer are not blocked with containers or food. This is very common since frozen vegetables get stuck in the back of the freezer. There can be food in the very back of a freezer unit that has long been forgotten.

Be sure the 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 many models is right at the bottom or in the back part of the freezer section. Often times, people do not think about cleaning this section of the refrigerator. But, it’s very important to clean it. And, it clogs up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially in houses that have cats and dogs. So, find a rag and clean the built-up dust out of the coils and cooling fan.

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

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Fridge is Not

There are several reasons for a refrigerator not cooling after these obvious ones to start to check if the freezer is cool but your refrigerator isn’t. The evaporator coils are frosted over. This occurs when there is a malfunction in the defrost heating system. Or when the automatic defrost experiences an issue. The evaporator fan motor can be another cause.

Every fridge has a pair of evaporator coils. These coils are what gets cold and then the fan moves the cool air around inside the unit. The damper control assembly isn’t working correctly. The temperature control board carries the electricity to the fan and compressor, this probably isn’t the problem but it’s worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor might be defective, which is a little sensor in the unit 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