Why Is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

 A Guide to Causes, Fixes, and When to Say Goodbye

If you are questioning the functionality of your fridge or freezer, a great place to start is knowing the answer to the question: “How cold should a refrigerator be?” According to the FDA, a refrigerator’s temperature should be set to 40°F or lower, while the temperature of a freezer should be at 0°F.

Is your refrigerator not cooling or preserving your food? Our team at Mr. Appliance can help you diagnose your potential problem, walk you through the repair steps, and explain when you should step back and let a professional handle it. frigidaire galaxy refrigerator parts

Checking the Easy Stuff First

Sometimes there is nothing broken about your fridge, despite the fact that it isn’t cool. These “easy fixes” are steps you can take to save yourself from an embarrassing conversation with a repair technician and from any unnecessary services fees.

The refrigerator isn’t plugged in. It might sound silly but an alarming amount of people are quick to jump to conclusions without stopping to check if power is even running to their fridge. Don’t be one of those people. 

The thermostat has been turned down. Again, this might seem like a no-brainer, but trust us. Locate your thermostat and check that it is set to the appropriate temperature. The thermostat for side-by-side freezer/refrigerators is usually located in the back, while over-under units are more likely to have their thermostat under the fridge. frigidaire refrigerator door panel

The door isn’t closing properly. Double check the doors and gaskets. Does the light in the fridge turn on and off when you close the door? If not, the door might not be functioning properly. Gaskets, the flexible elastic strip around the edges of the doors designed to seal the doors closed, can tear and leak warm or humid air into your fridge. If your gasket has torn, you should replace it and see if your fridge stays cooler.

The cold air can’t circulate. If boxes of food are blocking the vents, cold air can be obstructed from circulating through your fridge. Organize your fridge or clear out some of the food that could be blocking airflow and preventing your refrigerator from cooling.

If you run through this checklist and your refrigerator or freezer temperature still isn’t where it should be, you could be facing a more complicated issue. There are signs that indicate your warming fridge is more of an issue than an overcrowded freezer - and our team tells you what to look for!