Your Spotsylvania home’s refrigerator’s job is to cool food, so when it fails to do so, your immediate worry is that it is broken. While this might be the case, it isn’t always so it’s good to know what may be causing your problem. Here are some common reasons a refrigerator may not be staying cold and what you can do about them:
- Fan Motor – If the fan motor for the evaporator coil isn’t working any longer, air isn’t properly circulated throughout the unit and some food won’t be kept as cold as other food. Listen to hear if the refrigerator sounds like itself. If it’s very quiet or simply not running, this may be your problem.
- Defrost Timer – If the defrost timer get stuck on, the refrigerator may simply stop working. This is a relatively simple problem but it effectively keeps your refrigerator from doing its job. Related problems include a defective defrost heater or the thermostat not reading the temperature properly. These issues can have a similarly negative impact on your freezer.
- Door Switches – If the door switch is broken, it may not seal properly or the door may simply not keep out the heat and humidity any longer. The compressor and condenser can only do so much to overcome this.
- Clogged Condenser Coil – The coil on the back of your refrigerator can get clogged and slow up or stop the entire system from working.
- Bad Compressor – The compressor is necessary for any cooling aspect of your refrigerator/freezer to work. If the compressor suddenly breaks, you likely need someone to inspect and repair the entire unit. Other compressor problems include a relay defect or an overload problem.
There are many reasons why your refrigerator may suddenly stop cooling your food properly. If you suspect any from the list above or if you are unsure about how your system is working under certain conditions, now is the time to call a professional for a full inspection of the device.
