Fridge Freezer Not Cold
Regardless of your family size everyone needs food and the fridge freezer is the ultimate storage solution. When you feel like indulging or satisfying that growling stomach; a working fridge freezer will ensure your food is available when you most need it.
If you’ve come to open the fridge door and your food is defrosting, it will be a serious problem that requires immediate attention. That’s where we come in. We hope this article sheds light on the situation to keep your fridge freezer as cool as possible.
Thermostat
The function of the thermostat is to control the cooling system by turning on or off the compressor when required. If your refrigerator is not working follow these steps to help identify the fault:
- Is there power being sent to your appliance? Simply check if the light bulb works. If you can see the light when the door is opened the power is fine.
- Check the power indicator near the display panel; ensure the thermostat is switched on.
- Listen for sounds coming from the fridge freezer that would show it’s working.
Safety First! Prior to beginning any repair, please disconnect your appliance from the mains.
- Use a multimeter to check your thermostat for faults. (See here for instruction on how to use a multimeter)
Is your fridge thermostat faulty? eSpares is sure to have the right one for you!
We’ve even got a guide showing you how to fit it.
Compressor
Food that's going off in your fridge freezer because the temperature is too high can be an expensive and frustrating dilemma. The most likely cause of this may be a defective compressor. The purpose of a compressor is to force the gas into the system by changing the pressure and then turning it into liquid form.
This liquid is then allowed to evaporate in the pipework and cavity, reducing the temperature and removing the heat.
- To check, locate the compressor, usually found at the back of the appliance.
- Carefully listen for any noises coming from the compressor. If it runs for approximately 10 seconds and clicks, or if it just clicks twice a minute then it may signal the relay has cut out as a result of the compressor failing.
- Carefully touch the compressor to see if it's hot; take caution as a defective compressor can be extremely hot and may cause burning.
Safety First! Please ensure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before starting any repair.
- The compressor cover is usually located on the side.
- Inspect for visual signs of damage to the relay and compressor pins.
If the compressor shows signs of damage it will require replacing.
Please Note: Due to the complexity of replacing a compressor, a refrigeration systems engineer will be required.
Door Seal
Without a working gasket, warm air could be seeping into the fridge freezer, which can cause the appliance to work harder than required. However, it’s a component which we do not pay particular attention to, but it is one which can have a huge impact on the performance of your fridge.
To check the effectiveness of your door gasket use this simple method:
- Place a thin piece of paper between your refrigerator door frame and the gasket.
- Pull the paper out from the door and if the paper comes out easily without resistance, the seal is faulty and would require replacing.
For a replacement seal, take a look through our extensive range of fridge freezer door seals to help get your food stored correctly once again.
Here’s our guide to replacing your faulty fridge freezer door seal.
Evaporator Iced up
If your frost free fridge or freezer is whirring away as if it is working correctly but the temperature is not cold enough the it may have too much ice.
A common cause for the temperature to rise is when the evaporator gets blocked with ice and is not cleared by the defrost circuit so the air from the fan cannot pass through and cool the interior. Follow these steps to help identify the fault:
Safety First! Prior to beginning any repair, please disconnect your appliance from the mains.
- Check that the compressor is running correctly.
- Remove the evaporator cover and check for ice build up.
- If excess ice is found you are likely to have a fault with the defrost circuit and will need to view the 'How To' video below.
There you have it very simple steps to check if this is the problem with your appliance.
For further information on diagnosing a defrost problem see our video below.