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Appliance Tip of the Week...
My Refrigerator's Not Cooling
Condenser Coils are Dirty
The condenser coils are usually located under the refrigerator. They dissipate heat as refrigerant passes through them. If the condenser coils are dirty, they won’t dissipate the heat effectively. As debris builds up on the coils, the refrigerator becomes less efficient, causing the refrigerator to work harder to cool down. If the coils are significantly dirty, the refrigerator will not be able to maintain the proper temperature. Check the condenser coils to determine if they are dirty—if the condenser coils are dirty, clean them.
Freezer or refrigerator temperature is set too high
Verify the freezer temperature is set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -15 Celsius). Verify the refrigerator temperature is set between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 Celsius). After reseting the temperature wait 24 hours for the temperature to adjust appropriately.
Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor
The condenser fan motor draws air though the condenser coils and over the compressor. If the condenser fan motor is not working properly, the refrigerator won’t cool properly. To determine if the fan motor is defective, first check the fan blade for obstructions. Next, try turning the fan motor blade by hand. If the blade does not spin freely, replace the condenser fan motor. If no obstructions are present and the fan blade spins freely, use a multimeter to test the fan motor for continuity. If the condenser fan motor does not have continuity, replace it.
Refrigerator Evaporator Fan Motor
The evaporator fan motor draws air over the evaporator (cooling) coils and circulates it throughout the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Some refrigerators have more than one evaporator fan motor. On refrigerators with only one evaporator, the evaporator is located in the freezer compartment. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. If this occurs, the freezer may still get cold, while the refrigerator will not get cold. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan blade does not turn freely, replace the fan motor. Additionally, if the motor is unusually noisy, replace it. Finally, if the motor does not run at all, use a multimeter to test the motor windings for continuity. If the windings do not have continuity, replace the evaporator fan motor.
Refrigerator Door Gasket
A refrigerator door gasket should form an airtight seal around the appliance's frame to keep the cold air in and the warm air out. If the door gasket is twisted or torn, gaps can form that will allow warm air in, resulting in the refrigerator not cooling properly. Inspect the door gasket for any damage and replace with a new one if necessary.
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Refrigerator Damper Control Assembly
On many refrigerator models, a damper control assembly is used to control the air flow from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment to maintain the appropriate air temperature. If a refrigerator is not cooling properly, it's possible the damper door is stuck closed. Inspect the damper control assembly for any malfunction and replace it with a new one if necessary.
Sealed System Problem
If all the refrigeration components seem to be working, but the refrigerator is not cooling properly there may be a restriction or leak in the refrigeration system. To determine this, you will need to remove the evaporator cover and observe the frost pattern on the coil. Note: The compressor, condenser and evaporator fans should all be running, and the condenser coil should be clean and have good air flow. There should be light frost on most of the coil. If the coil has frost or ice buildup in only one section, there is likely a restriction or leak in the system. This repair is expensive (maybe cost prohibitive) and should be diagnosed and repaired by a qualified technician.
My Refrigerator's Not Cooling
Condenser Coils are Dirty
The condenser coils are usually located under the refrigerator. They dissipate heat as refrigerant passes through them. If the condenser coils are dirty, they won’t dissipate the heat effectively. As debris builds up on the coils, the refrigerator becomes less efficient, causing the refrigerator to work harder to cool down. If the coils are significantly dirty, the refrigerator will not be able to maintain the proper temperature. Check the condenser coils to determine if they are dirty—if the condenser coils are dirty, clean them.
Freezer or refrigerator temperature is set too high
Verify the freezer temperature is set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -15 Celsius). Verify the refrigerator temperature is set between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 Celsius). After reseting the temperature wait 24 hours for the temperature to adjust appropriately.
Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor
The condenser fan motor draws air though the condenser coils and over the compressor. If the condenser fan motor is not working properly, the refrigerator won’t cool properly. To determine if the fan motor is defective, first check the fan blade for obstructions. Next, try turning the fan motor blade by hand. If the blade does not spin freely, replace the condenser fan motor. If no obstructions are present and the fan blade spins freely, use a multimeter to test the fan motor for continuity. If the condenser fan motor does not have continuity, replace it.
Refrigerator Evaporator Fan Motor
The evaporator fan motor draws air over the evaporator (cooling) coils and circulates it throughout the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Some refrigerators have more than one evaporator fan motor. On refrigerators with only one evaporator, the evaporator is located in the freezer compartment. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. If this occurs, the freezer may still get cold, while the refrigerator will not get cold. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan blade does not turn freely, replace the fan motor. Additionally, if the motor is unusually noisy, replace it. Finally, if the motor does not run at all, use a multimeter to test the motor windings for continuity. If the windings do not have continuity, replace the evaporator fan motor.
Refrigerator Door Gasket
A refrigerator door gasket should form an airtight seal around the appliance's frame to keep the cold air in and the warm air out. If the door gasket is twisted or torn, gaps can form that will allow warm air in, resulting in the refrigerator not cooling properly. Inspect the door gasket for any damage and replace with a new one if necessary.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________________
Refrigerator Damper Control Assembly
On many refrigerator models, a damper control assembly is used to control the air flow from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment to maintain the appropriate air temperature. If a refrigerator is not cooling properly, it's possible the damper door is stuck closed. Inspect the damper control assembly for any malfunction and replace it with a new one if necessary.
Sealed System Problem
If all the refrigeration components seem to be working, but the refrigerator is not cooling properly there may be a restriction or leak in the refrigeration system. To determine this, you will need to remove the evaporator cover and observe the frost pattern on the coil. Note: The compressor, condenser and evaporator fans should all be running, and the condenser coil should be clean and have good air flow. There should be light frost on most of the coil. If the coil has frost or ice buildup in only one section, there is likely a restriction or leak in the system. This repair is expensive (maybe cost prohibitive) and should be diagnosed and repaired by a qualified technician.
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