A refrigerator is one of the essential appliances in a home as it provides cold storage for fresh foods and beverages. Therefore, it needs to be consistently cold, especially during the summer months.
However, there are several issues that could make your fridge get warm. A warm refrigerator can be quite an annoyance because it causes food to spoil and ruin ice-cold beverages. It could also cost you a lot of money, especially when replacing all the spoiled food added to the cost of repairing the fridge.
There’s also the fact you will be unable to get cold beverages during hot summer days. Thankfully, there are several solutions to this problem. This article covers some of the reasons your fridge is getting warm and the best DIY fixes you can implement.
WHY IS YOUR REFRIGERATOR GETTING WARM?
There are many reasons why your refrigerator could be getting warm. Below, we’ve compiled the most common causes.
The Refrigerator Is Too Full
One of the reasons the fridge could be getting warm is that it is too full. A refrigerator maintains the proper temperature if cold air constantly circulates through it.
Therefore, if the food compartments are filled with too many items, it could cut off the circulating air. As a result, there would be poor circulation, and the refrigerator would find it hard to maintain the ideal food storage temperature, resulting in a warm fridge.
Faulty Evaporator
One of the reasons your fridge could be getting warm is the evaporator. If the evaporator is leaking or damaged, it could cause the refrigerator to stop cooling the right way.
The evaporator is located in the freezer compartment, usually hidden behind a panel, and its role is to extract heat from the air when the compressor is running. When something’s wrong, it can’t cool the fridge properly, allowing the refrigerator to warm.
Other Sealed System Issue
If it’s not the evaporator, it could be a different component of the sealed system. The sealed system consists of a compressor, condenser (or “coil”), evaporator, filter dryer, and refrigerant-filled tubing. This is the heart of the refrigerator and the components that extract heat from inside the refrigerator. This system can experience a refrigerant leak, pinched tubes, overheated compressor, or dust-covered condenser lines, any of which will cause your cooling system to malfunction.
Faulty Control Board
This is another top cause of a warm fridge. When your refrigerator is no longer cold, it could indicate a faulty electrical control board. Most fridges use a control board to adjust and monitor the unit’s temperature. Therefore, when it starts to malfunction, it would be unable to adjust the temperature to keep your fridge cool enough to preserve your food and beverages.
WHY IS MY FREEZER COLD, BUT MY FRIDGE IS WARM?
Sometimes, it gets confusing when your freezer remains cold, but the fridge is getting warm. There are reasons why this happens, and below are some of the common ones.
Faulty Fans or Blocked Vent
Refrigerators that feature a freezer stay cool because the chilled air from the evaporator (in the freezer compartment) is circulated by fans. The fans blow the chilled air through vents in between the compartments.
If you have a warm fridge, but the freezer remains cold, it could be because the fans are not blowing the cooled air from the freezer section to the fridge section. of blocked vents preventing cold air from reaching the fridge.
Malfunctioning Defrost System
This is still closely related to the evaporator. When the defrost system is malfunctioning, it allows a thick layer of ice to build up on the evaporator. The ice layer prevents proper cooling and can even stop the fan from circulating the cool air away from the evaporator. This could cause the fridge to become warm without affecting the freezer.
WHAT ARE SOME DIY SOLUTIONS FOR A WARM FRIDGE?
There are many DIY fixes you can try out to make your fridge cold again. Sometimes it is as straightforward as turning the thermostat up or switching on the power supply. However, if any of this isn’t the solution, try out the DIY fixes shared below.
Unload the Refrigerator
If the problem is an overstuffed fridge, then all you need to do is take some items out of the refrigerator, making extra sure to remove items that may be blocking vents. This would allow your fridge to breathe. Also, check around the vent in your freezer and take out any item blocking the cold airflow. Once you do this, check the temperature after some hours to determine if it fixes the problem.
Check the Seal
Another DIY fix you can try if your refrigerator is warm is checking the seal. First, examine the door gasket to ensure that it is appropriately sealed. If your refrigerator’s door is slightly open or the seal isn’t airtight, it can let in warm air. So ensure there’s proper insulation in your fridge to keep it cold.
Clean the Condenser and Fan
If your condenser is not in the best condition, sometimes all you need to do is clean it up. The following are the steps to take:
First, turn off the refrigerator’s power supply to keep yourself from harm’s way. Then pull the fridge away from the wall and clean dust and debris covering the condenser (narrow tubes usually located along the back panel). If there is a fan accessible, clean its blades as well before plugging the refrigerator back in.
WHEN IN DOUBT, CALL A PROFESSIONAL!
Some refrigerator problems lie with the control board, sealed system, or defrost function, making it nearly impossible for homeowners to fix. This is because their complex designs make them hard to figure out on your own. Control boards also power most of the essential features of your refrigerator, so you don’t want to compound the problem.
If you have tried the DIY fixes above and your fridge is still not cooling correctly, don’t hesitate to call a professional technician. We offer fast and reliable home appliance repair services in Columbia, Lexington, and surrounding areas. So call us today or book online to get your refrigerator back in working order.
