Why isn’t my refrigerator cooling?

Today, the vast majority of Americans rely on a refrigerator to store and preserve foods and beverages. We often take for granted just how important this appliance is until it starts to fail in operation. If you are noticing a decline in operating efficiency and find yourself asking, “Why is my fridge not cooling?” read on to uncover some likely culprits.

Condenser coils are blocked

Condenser coils are one of two sets of coils on just about every make and model of refrigerator on the market today. The condenser coils are situated either behind or below the fridge unit.  The purpose of the condenser coils is to aid in the recycling of the liquid refrigerant, and they are considered critical components in a refrigerator’s operating efficiency.

Refrigerators use a vapor compression cycle to keep contents cool. To start, relatively warm liquid refrigerant is pumped through an expansion device that then pushes the liquid through coils inside the fridge. The expansion device lowers the pressure of the liquid refrigerant, causing it to cool significantly and evaporate into a gas as it absorbs heat from the contents of the fridge. This gas gets compressed as it leaves the fridge, causing its temperature to rise.

It is not until this hot gas travels through the condenser coils outside of the unit that it can cool enough to transform back into a liquid, re-enter the expansion device, and repeat the refrigeration process.

Therefore, if the condenser coils outside the unit are covered in dust or debris, they may not allow the refrigerant gas to adequately cool back into a liquid and continue cooling your food as expected. Make a plan to regularly check the condenser coils and clean as needed.

Evaporator coils are covered in frost

As their name suggests, the evaporator coils perform the opposite function of the condenser coils. The evaporator coils are located inside the fridge unit and allow the refrigerant to safely change from liquid to gas as it travels throughout the unit, absorbing heat and thus cooling the contents.

Because of how cold the evaporator coils can get, a heating element is placed below the coils.  Every so often, this heating element turns on, melting whatever ice and frost have accumulated on the coils.

There are therefore a few things that can cause evaporator coils to frost. It’s possible that the heating element itself is not working. It is also possible that a timer that controls the heating element is failing. Finally, a thermostat on some models controls when the heating element kicks on, and this component can also fail.

Refer to your fridge’s owners manual for information on how to inspect and test these components. For those with the time and technical know-how, this can be considered a DIY task, but if you feel unsure about how to proceed then it is advised that you contact a professional to inspect your unit.

Broken evaporator fan

It may come as a surprise that all cooling in a fridge/freezer begins in the freezer, where the evaporator coils are situated.  A fan blows cold air from the coils throughout the unit, allowing temperature differentiation between fridge and freezer.  If this fan malfunctions, it can cause the temperature in the coils to continue to drop, causing freezing, cracking, and subsequent operational failure.

The aforementioned issues are some of the most common causes of a refrigerator not cooling its contents appropriately. However, it is always advisable to check the obvious things first. For example, is the unit plugged in? Is the unit adequately stocked? A fridge that is more empty than full has to work harder to cool its contents. Are there electrical issues with other appliances on the same circuit?

By knowing what to look for, and when to call a professional, homeowners can keep their refrigerator working properly and prolong its lifespan.

At Diamond Appliance, we proudly serve the St. Louis, Kansas City, Independence, and St. Charles communities with expert refrigerator repair services. If your refrigerator isn’t cooling and is no longer under warranty, give us a call to help you troubleshoot. We provide service on most major brands, including Maytag refrigerator repair, Estate refrigerator repair, KitchenAid refrigerator repair, and more.