My Refrigerator Is Not Cooling Properly—Here’s How to Diagnose and Fix It

It prevents waste, cools your beverage, and preserves food freshness. However, your fridge swiftly becomes a big issue if it doesn’t cool as it should. Hot drinks, terrible food, and growing energy bills are still beginning.

At Testergate, we appreciate how frustrating a malfunctioning refrigerator can be. Many cooling problems can be found and resolved with basic troubleshooting steps before you start an expensive technician worry or make a call. This thorough manual will enable you to find the cause of your refrigerator’s bad cooling performance and offer workable fixes you can try right away.

What Might Cause My Refrigerator to Stop Cooling?

There are many reasons for a refrigerator’s cooling ability to stop working well.

Contaminated or filthy condenser coils
Heat is released from the condenser coils. If the condenser coils are blocked with dust, pet hair, or other debris, the heat is unable to be released properly to the point that the compressor runs hard but still fails to cool effectively.

Damaged door gasket
If there is a crack, break, or looseness in the refrigerator door seal (gasket), then it will bring in ambient air instead of maintaining cold air inside the refrigerator. When you are concluding that your refrigerator compressor is always running, you need to consider this. Keeping ambient air out of the refrigerator puts a huge strain on the refrigerator to maintain its temperature.

Thermostat setting
The fridge indoor regulator is what will set the temperature of the refrigerator. If it is not functioning (or is set wrong), your refrigerator compressor may not run enough—or it may run too much. Either case may result in the possibility of not having proper cooling.

Blocked air vents
The air vents are included to bring in cold air from the freezer to the fridge section. If these vents are blocked by food items or frost buildup, airflow will be restricted and the refrigerator will not cool properly.

How to determine your refrigerator’s cooling issues

Step 1: Review the temperature settings
Set your freezer between 0 °F (-18 °C) and your refrigerator between 37 °F and 40 °F (3 °C and 5 °C).

Step 2: Check the door seal
Close the door over a coin or sheet of paper. If you can pull it out easily, the seal may be faulty and needs replacement.

Step 3: Clean the condenser coil
Find the coil—usually behind or beneath the fridge—and clean off dust and dirt with a coil brush or vacuum cleaner.

Step 4: Clear air vents
Remove any food blocking the vents. Also, check for ice buildup and defrost if necessary.

Step 5: Listen for compressors and fans
A lukewarm compressor sound is normal, but an exceptionally loud or quiet compressor could signal problems. Confirm whether the condenser and evaporator fans are running.

How to solve refrigerator cooling issues

Fix #1: Clean condenser coils regularly
Regular cleaning prevents overheating and improves cooling efficiency. Do this every six months.

Fix #2: Replace broken door seal
Maintain an airtight environment by replacing torn or damaged seals.

Fix #3: Adjust or replace the thermostat
If the thermostat is malfunctioning, adjust settings or replace it.

Fix #4: Defrost the freezer
If frost is more than 1/4 inch thick, manually defrost by unplugging the fridge, removing food, and melting the ice.

Fix #5: Ensure proper airflow
Arrange food to avoid clogged vents and keep space for air to circulate.

Fix #6: Repair or replace failing compressors or fans
If you suspect a faulty fan or compressor, contact a qualified repair technician.

Ways to Maintain Your Refrigerator Cooling Power

Check coil cleanliness and seal regularly
Don’t leave the door open too long
Always leave space for circulation of air inside, don’t overcrowd your refrigerator
Check the temperature setting often
Regularly defrost, as this helps keep your freezer from becoming frost-covered

Pros and Cons of Identifying and Repairing Your Refrigerator Yourself

Pros:

Knocking off travel costs
Simple repairs speed up malfunctions quickly
Better understanding how an appliance works

Cons:

Some repairs need a contractor’s knowledge
Risk damaging sensitive equipment
DIY repairs could void warranties

Many of our common everyday problems can be fixed at home, however, when your refrigerator is not cooling properly, your food is at risk of going to waste and you are left stressed and unsure what to do. Following this guide will ensure that you do some proper detective work, and fix the cooling power of your refrigerator. If in doubt, don’t be puppylike and make this an issue, get professional help, you don’t want to cause further damage, especially if it is a serious mechanical problem.