Refrigerator not cooling
What to check yourself
- Temperature setting. The fresh food section should be set to 37°F and the freezer to 0°F. Controls get bumped.
- Condenser coils. They sit behind the bottom grille or on the back. If they are covered in dust or pet hair, unplug the refrigerator and brush or vacuum them.
- Airflow around the cabinet. A freestanding refrigerator needs space at the back and top. Boxes on top or a unit pushed tight into an alcove trap heat.
- Sound. Put your ear near the back bottom. A hum with a fan running is normal. A click every few minutes followed by silence means the compressor is trying to start and failing.
Common causes
| What you notice | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Coils clean, fan at the back not spinning, compressor hot | Condenser fan motor |
| Click, short hum, then quiet | Start relay or compressor |
| Compressor runs all the time, both sections slowly warm up | Sealed system: refrigerant leak or restriction |
| No sound, no light or a dead display | Power or control board |
| Freezer still cold, only the refrigerator is warm | Defrost or airflow problem. See freezer cold, refrigerator warm |
Why this is common in Sherman Oaks
Summer days in the Valley are often 10–12°F hotter than on the coast. A refrigerator removes heat through its condenser coils, so in a hot kitchen it runs longer and the coils collect dust faster. A layer of dust that causes no trouble in winter can stop a refrigerator from holding temperature in August. Cleaning the coils once or twice a year prevents many of these calls.
What to do with the food
Keep the doors closed. A full freezer stays frozen for about 48 hours and a half-full one for about 24 hours. Food in the fresh section is safe for about 4 hours above 40°F. Move meat, dairy and leftovers to a cooler with ice if the repair will take longer.
How we repair it
We test the fans, the start components and the compressor, and check the evaporator for the frost pattern that shows whether the sealed system is working. Then we tell you the cause and the price before doing the repair.