Common Reasons Your Fridge Isn’t Cooling
If you’ve opened your refrigerator and found soft ice cream, thawing meat, or warm milk, you’re probably wondering: Why is my fridge warm? You’re not alone. “Fridge not cooling” and “my fridge isn’t cold” are some of the most common concerns we hear from homeowners, especially in the hot Midlands summers when fridges work overtime to maintain internal temperatures. Let’s look at the top three reasons your fridge or freezer may not be keeping your food cold—and what you can do about it.
1. Defrost System Issues
One of the most common causes of cooling problems in a fridge is a malfunctioning defrost system. Most modern refrigerators have an automatic defrost cycle that prevents frost from building up on the evaporator coils. When this system fails, ice builds up and blocks airflow—resulting in a fridge that isn’t cold and even a freezer that isn’t cold.
Defrost problems may be caused by:
- A failed defrost heating element
- A malfunctioning defrost timer or thermostat
- A clogged drain causing water to pool and refreeze
If you’ve noticed ice melting and then water leaking under your fridge or freezer, a clogged defrost drain could be to blame. In more complex cases, a faulty sensor or control board may fail to trigger the defrost cycle at all.
2. Evaporator Fan Failure
The evaporator fan is what moves cold air from the evaporator coils to your fridge and freezer compartments. In many fridges, that evaporator and fan are located in the freezer compartment, so not only is the fan blowing the air around the freezer, it’s also responsible for getting cold air to the fridge section. If this fan fails, your freezer may still seem cool for a while, but the fridge side will warm up—and eventually the freezer will too. This can lead to food thawing, ice melting, and uneven cooling throughout your appliance.
Signs of a faulty evaporator fan include:
- Strange noises from the back of the freezer
- Freezer working, but fridge warm
- No air movement when the door switch is pressed
This is a mechanical failure that usually requires replacement of the fan motor.
3. Sensor or Control Board Issues
Today’s refrigerators rely on sensors and electronic control boards to regulate temperature, defrost cycles, and fan speeds. If one of these components fails, your fridge may stop cooling properly—even if the compressor and fans are still working.
Common issues include:
- Faulty thermistors (temperature sensors)
- Malfunctioning main control boards
- Inconsistent temperature readings
These issues can be hard to diagnose without the right tools and expertise, so a service visit from a professional is usually needed.
Honorable Mention: Sealed System Failures
In some cases – approximately 1 in 20 – the problem lies within the sealed system—a leak in the refrigerant line or a failed compressor. If your fridge runs constantly but never gets cold, and the back of the freezer feels warm instead of icy, this could be the issue. While serious, this is far less common than the issues listed above.
What to Do Next
If your fridge is not cold, your freezer isn’t working, or you see signs of leaking water or melting ice, don’t wait for the problem to get worse. A fast diagnosis can prevent problems from compounding and getting worse. Plus – refrigerators don’t repair themselves, so waiting and hoping it’ll get better isn’t a winning strategy.
Call Appliance Professional today or schedule your refrigerator repair online to get expert help from our friendly technicians. Whether you’ve got a Whirlpool, Sub-Zero, GE, Liebherr, Samsung, or nearly any other brand, we’re here to help anywhere in the Midlands area.
