A refrigerator is a common household appliance found in most homes and it can be an essential piece of equipment in many commercial premises, such as grocery stores and restaurants. Most refrigerators are well designed and reliable and will keep the contents they hold cooled to a chilled temperature. However, this is not to say they work perfectly all the time and some people may find they have a problem with their refrigerator not cooling. This has the potential to affect all refrigerator makes and models and when this happens there are a few things to look out for.
Consequences of Refrigerator Not Cooling
A refrigerator not cooling can have a few consequences for the owner and while some are not of great concern, others can be more serious. Those that like chilled water and other drinks may find that when their refrigerator is not cooling properly this is not available to them and that drinks taken from the refrigerator are not chilled enough. While this may be of minor concern, a more serious problem can be experienced with raw and temperature sensitive food. These can go off quickly when not properly chilled and this can lead to a waste of food. This can be an annoyance for homeowners that find they are throwing out food before they get the chance to eat it. In the case of commercial refrigerators, which can be large in size and store a great deal of food, it can be a costly business to have to throw out food that is not chilled properly and goes off.
Common Reasons for Refrigerator not Cooling
There are a few common problems that can result in a refrigerator not cooling and anyone that finds they have this problem should check a few things to try and resolve it.
Electrical Power: Obviously a refrigerator needs power to work and checking that this is functioning properly is a first step in identifying the problem with a refrigerator not cooling. This can most easily be done by opening the door and seeing if the light comes on. If it does not it could simply be a burnt out light, although it might indicate problems with power to the appliance that when sorted should result in the appliance cooling to the correct working temperature.
Thermostat Settings: Most refrigerators have a thermostat dial or digital display that is used to set the temperature and in many cases the problem with a refrigerator not cooling may simply be that the control setting has inadvertently been knocked to a higher temperature. This can occur in households with kids who may play with the control or it can be accidentally knocked when taking food or drink out of the refrigerator. For those that think this may be the problem, checking the owner’s manual should show the proper settings, and ensuring these are set correctly should solve the problem. If it does not then there may be a problem with the thermostat, which may require professional help to fix.
Over Filling a Refrigerator: For a refrigerator to maintain a constant temperature there should be reasonable air flow around the appliance. Over filling can cause problems and while surface items may cool adequately, those buried deeper below other items may not. Simply reducing the amount of food and drink in a refrigerator can help solve this problem.
Door Seals: The seals on a refrigerator door are designed to ensure it closes tightly and contains the colder air. However, the seals can wear out over time or get accidentally torn or damaged. If a tight seal is not made when the door is closed, cold air can leak out of the refrigerator and warmer air enter and this will cause the temperature inside to rise.
Defrost Mode: Problems with the self-defrosting mode of a refrigerator can cause a build up of frost on the evaporator coils. This can cause problems with the evaporator fan in the freezer which will result in the temperature rising in the refrigerator. To solve the problem the ice needs to be melted from the evaporator coils and any problems with the self-defrosting mode resolved to ensure a build-up of ice does not recur.
Condenser Coils: The condenser coils generally sit on the back or the underside of a refrigerator. If these become overly dirty they can stop working properly, which will result in the refrigerator not cooling properly. Cleaning these should solve the problem. The condenser fan generally sits close to the coils and problems with this can also result in a rise in temperature in the fridge. It can therefore pay to check that this is working properly to ensure it is not the cause of a refrigerator not cooling.
Freezer Vents: In many models the vents between freezer and the remainder of the refrigerator need to remain unobstructed to ensure air can flow from the freezer into the fridge compartment. A build up of ice in the vents can block the flow of air, which can result in the refrigerator not cooling. Clearing the refrigerator of ice should help solve this problem.
Dealing with Common Refrigerator Models
There are a number of manufacturers that produce refrigerators, with some of the well-know brand names including Samsung, GE and Frigidaire. These company’s refrigerators can develop some of the problems identified above. Homeowners that purchase one of their models and subsequently have problems with the refrigerator not cooling have a few options to deal with this.
Frigidaire Refrigerator Not Cooling: Frigidaire has been in operation since the early 1900s and have a developed a variety of refrigerator models. Those that have a frigidaire refrigerator not cooling can look to a few resources to help. The Frigidaire website has user manuals and video instructions that can be accessed by inserting the refrigerator model number into a search feature. These have instructions on how to set the temperature in the appliance and also troubleshooting details for dealing with common problems. To reduce the chances of problems occurring with a Frigidaire refrigerator the company recommends that the appliance be plugged into its own dedicated socket.
GE Profile Refrigerator Not Cooling: The GE Profile brand has a range of more than 80 different refrigerators. The GE Appliances website has an excellent troubleshooting feature that can be used by homeowners that have a ge profile refrigerator not cooling. Simply typing in the words refrigerator not cooling will bring up a variety of reasons why this can occur and the best ways to deal with these. The information provided includes simple video explanations that can be used to help rectify problems. The website also has a search feature that can be used to access the owner’s manual by simply entering the model number. This can also be a useful resource for troubleshooting the appliance and rectifying problems with the refrigerator not cooling.
Samsung Refrigerator Not Cooling: Using the Samsung website is the best option for those that own a samsung refrigerator not cooling. The excellent support section of this can be used to find the particular model of refrigerator and for each model there is a troubleshooting guide. This includes a section that specifically deals with common problems with Samsung models that will result in the refrigerator not cooling. As well as identifying the problems there are details of how to deal with these.
A refrigerator is a useful appliance to have available and when working properly will keep food and drinks chilled to ensure they remain in good condition and ready for use. However, problems can occur with a refrigerator not cooling and this needs to be dealt with quickly to ensure the contents of a refrigerator do not spoil. Some of the common reasons why a refrigerator can have temperature problems are identified above and most manufacturers have resources that can help deal with these. In many cases this can be done by the homeowner themselves, although if problems persist the best course of action can be to call in a professional to help.