Fridge running but not cooling? Common causes, home fixes and when to call a technician

The motor is humming, the door shuts, and the milk has gone sour anyway. A fridge not cooling while it runs is one of the repairs we're asked for most in summer, and often you can sort it out yourself in five minutes, with no tools. Below are the checks in the order we'd do them, a separate set for when the freezer works but the fridge is warm, and the signs that it's time to call a technician.

Quick answer

If your fridge is running but not cooling, the cause is usually one of four things: a leaking door seal, air vents blocked by food, a dusty condenser coil, or a thermostat that got bumped. All four take five minutes to check. If the freezer is icing up while the fridge stays warm, check the damper and look for ice over the cooling coil. Low refrigerant and compressor faults need a technician.

Check these four first (no tools needed)

1. The powerPlug another appliance into the same socket to make sure it works, and plug the fridge straight into the wall rather than a power strip or a flimsy adapter. On generator power, low voltage can make the compressor try to start and cut out every few minutes. If the breaker trips or the plug feels hot, read our home electrical safety guide (Arabic) first.
2. The thermostatTurn the dial to the middle setting and give it six hours before you judge. The fridge should sit at about 4°C and the freezer at -18°C. Dials get knocked during cleaning, or by small hands.
3. The door seal: the paper testClose the door on a sheet of paper and pull it out. If it slides out easily anywhere along the edge, the seal is leaking. Wash the rubber gasket with warm soapy water, and replace it if it's cracked or has gone hard.
4. The air vents insideLook at the vents on the back wall, between the freezer and the fridge. If food is packed against them, cold air can't get down into the fridge. Leave a hand's width of space in front of them.

The freezer works but the fridge is warm

In most fridges the cooling coil sits in the freezer, and cold air drops into the fridge through an opening with a small flap called the damper. If the freezer is icing up and the fridge is warm, the problem is somewhere between the two.

1. Check the damperWith the freezer running, hold your hand in front of the opening at the top of the fridge's back wall. No airflow? The damper is stuck or iced over. Clear any food in front of it and wait two hours.
2. Look for frost on the freezer wallA thick layer of frost on the freezer's back wall means the defrost system has stopped and ice has covered the cooling coil. Unplug the fridge for 24 hours with the doors open and towels underneath. If it cools again but the frost is back within two weeks, the defrost timer, heater or sensor has failed, and that's a job for a technician.
3. Clear the drain holeAt the bottom of the fridge, behind the drawer, there's a small hole that carries defrost water away. If it's blocked, water pools under the drawer or drips onto the floor. Clean it with a cotton swab and pour half a glass of warm water through it.

Problems you can fix yourself

• A dusty condenser coil: That's the black grille behind or under the fridge. Dust on it cuts cooling and pushes up your electricity use. Unplug the fridge first, then clean the coil with a soft brush or a vacuum. Iraq is dusty, so do it every three months.
• Too close to the wall: Leave 10 cm behind the fridge and 5 cm on each side. Direct sun from a window adds to the load, so move the fridge if you can.
• Hot food: A hot pot raises the temperature inside and keeps the compressor running for an extra hour. Let it cool for a while first, but get it into the fridge within an hour or so in hot weather.
• A door that doesn't quite close: A drawer sticking out or a tall bottle in the door can stop it sealing. Give it a quick check every night before bed.

If it's your split AC that's blowing warm air rather than your fridge, see our guide to a split AC blowing hot air.

Signs it's time to call a fridge technician

• The motor runs but the fridge doesn't cool at all. Usually low refrigerant or a compressor fault, which needs a pressure test.
• The compressor starts and stops every couple of minutes, knocks and rattles, or is too hot to touch.
• Thick frost comes back in the freezer after a full defrost. The defrost timer, heater or sensor has failed.
• Water collects under the fridge every day, even after you've cleared the drain hole: the channel is blocked further in.
• You feel a tingle when you touch the fridge. That's a grounding (earthing) fault. Call an electrician before the fridge technician.

Would you rather leave it to a professional? Book through the Khadamaty app: tap «ثلاجات ومجمدات» (fridges and freezers), describe the problem with a photo and pick a time. A technician comes to your door in Baghdad, Karbala, Najaf or Babel, and the price is confirmed with you before work starts. The app is in Arabic, but booking takes only a few taps.

More about the service: Refrigerator repair in Baghdad.

Sources

• Refrigerator Not Cooling: gasket, coils, damper, defrost and compressor checks · iFixit
• Refrigerator Thermometers: cold facts about food safety (the safe fridge and freezer temperatures) · US FDA
• Refrigerator Troubleshooting: fix common problems · iFixit