Fridge not cooling? 7 things to check before you call
A warm fridge is stressful because food is at stake. The good news is that a lot of cooling problems come from something you can check yourself in a few minutes. Work through this list before you book a repair.
1. Check the temperature setting
Settings get bumped when shelves are loaded or cleaned. The fridge should be at or below 4°C (40°F) and the freezer at about -18°C (0°F). If the dial was moved, reset it and give it 24 hours to settle.
2. Make sure it has power and is running
If the light is on but nothing hums, the compressor may not be starting. If the light is off too, check the outlet with another device and look for a tripped breaker.
3. Look at the door seals
A worn or dirty gasket lets warm air in all day. Close the door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out easily, the seal isn't gripping at that spot. Clean the gasket with warm soapy water; if it's torn or flattened, it needs replacing.
4. Clear the air vents
Cold air usually moves from the freezer into the fridge through vents. A packed freezer or a box pushed against a vent can block it, leaving the freezer cold and the fridge warm.
5. Clean the condenser coils
The coils underneath or behind the fridge release heat. When they're covered in dust or pet hair, the fridge struggles. Unplug it, then clean them with a coil brush or vacuum attachment.
6. Listen for the fans
Most modern fridges use a fan inside the freezer and another near the compressor. If you can't hear the freezer fan when the door switch is pressed, or the fan is noisy, it may be failing.
7. Look for frost on the back freezer panel
A thick layer of frost on the rear wall of the freezer usually points to a defrost problem. Ice blocks the airflow, so the fridge section warms up even though the freezer still feels cold.
If the settings, power, seals, vents and coils are all fine, the problem is likely a fan, defrost component, control board or the sealed system. Those need proper diagnosis.
Keep food safe in the meantime
Keep the doors closed as much as possible. Move the most perishable food to a cooler with ice, and use a thermometer to check temperatures rather than guessing.