Your freezer is still making ice, but the milk in the refrigerator is warm. It is one of the most common calls we get in Corona, and the good news is that the cause is often simple. Before you throw out the groceries or start shopping for a new fridge, here are six things you can safely check yourself. If none of them fix it, we explain what a technician will look at and what it costs.
Safety first: unplug the refrigerator before you touch anything behind panels or underneath it. Never use a knife, ice pick or heat gun to break up ice inside the freezer. You can puncture a refrigerant line, and that turns a small repair into a big one.
1. Check the temperature settings
It sounds too easy, but settings get bumped when shelves are cleaned or kids reach for a snack. The refrigerator should be set to about 37°F and the freezer to 0°F. Many newer Samsung, LG and GE models also have a vacation or demo mode that stops cooling while the lights and display still work. If you see “OF OF” or a demo icon on the display, check your owner’s manual for how to turn demo mode off.
2. Make sure the air vents are not blocked
In most refrigerators with a top or bottom freezer, cold air is made in the freezer and blown into the fresh food section through a vent. A gallon of milk, a pizza box or a bag of frozen vegetables pushed against that vent can stop the flow completely. Move items away from the vents in both sections and leave a few inches of space.
3. Listen for the evaporator fan
Open the freezer door and press the door switch (or the light button) with your finger. You should hear a fan running behind the back panel. If it is silent, or it makes a loud chirping or grinding noise, the evaporator fan motor may be failing. Without that fan, the freezer can stay cold while the refrigerator warms up. This is a common repair and usually not an expensive one.
4. Look for frost on the back wall of the freezer
A thick layer of frost or ice on the back panel of the freezer is a strong sign of a defrost problem. Every refrigerator melts its own frost a few times a day. When a defrost heater, sensor or control fails, ice builds up on the cooling coil until no air can pass through. A full manual defrost (unplug the fridge for 24 to 48 hours with the doors open and towels down) can bring cooling back for a few days. If the problem returns, a defrost part needs to be replaced.
Need your appliance fixed?
Talk to a local technician or pick a time online. Service calls from $65, waived if you go ahead with the repair.
5. Clean the condenser coils
The condenser coils release heat from the refrigerator. When they are covered in dust and pet hair, the fridge works harder and cools less. On most models the coils are behind the bottom front grille or on the back. Unplug the refrigerator and use a coil brush or a vacuum attachment. In warm Inland Empire summers, cleaning the coils once or twice a year makes a real difference.
6. Check the door seals
Close the door on a dollar bill. If it slides out with no resistance, the gasket is not sealing in that spot. Torn or loose seals let warm air in all day. Also make sure the refrigerator is level so the doors swing closed on their own.
When it is time to call a technician
Call a professional if:
- the refrigerator is still above 40°F after a full day,
- you hear clicking every few minutes from the back of the fridge,
- the compressor feels very hot or the fridge runs nonstop,
- ice keeps coming back on the freezer wall after a manual defrost, or
- you smell something burning. Unplug it right away.
Food safety matters too. If the refrigerator has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours, the USDA recommends throwing away perishable foods such as meat, dairy and leftovers.
What a repair visit costs
At AV Appliance Repair, the service call for a refrigerator is $65, and $85 for built-in refrigerators such as Sub-Zero. If you approve the repair, the service call fee is waived and you pay only for parts and labor, which are covered by our warranty. The technician finds the cause and gives you the price before any work begins. If a repair is not worth it, we will tell you honestly.
Local refrigerator repair in Corona and nearby
We repair GE, Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Frigidaire, Sub-Zero and all major brands in Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Riverside, Chino Hills and the surrounding area. Same-day and next-day visits are usually available, Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.