How to fix a refrigerator if it is not cooling: Self-taught tips: The world is becoming a global village and nothing is new or difficult to tackle.
The internet these days has made a lot of things easier to do.
Interestingly, we can do one or two things with the help of online tutorial to fix things at home without spending money calling technicians.
We can become our own technicians. Some people find it difficult to fix something as little as changing a car’s oil or pumping a flat fire, even nailing a frame on the wall.
People need to self-teach themselves to do fix things so as not to spend huge amount of money calling a repairer to fix.
Refrigerator is one of the kitchen equipment used in homes.
This is for storing and preserving food, soup, vegetable and fruits.
When the perishables is not well preserved due to bad cooling, then they may go bad and become a waste.
A lot of things can make a refrigerator to stop cooling. This includes the leaving of the fridge’s door open, electronic issue or circuit fault.
Tips on how to fix a non-cooling refrigerator
- Ensure the fridge is unplugged before starting. This will guide you against electrical shock.
- Temperature setting: Next is the temperature setting of the fridge. Check if it is still in the cooling setting and not the warming setting.
This may be the cause of the fridge not cooling; it may set to warmer.
Thankfully if it’s set to warmer, you can easily fix it by turning the dial to cold. However, be careful not over turn it to cold as it will be freezing your refrigerator.
- You need to block the circulation vents: Thereafter, block the vent that circulates the cold air.
This is done after the temperature setting was dialed to cold and yet the refrigerator is not cooling.
Note that the freshly cold air is gotten from the freezer section behind the refrigerator and enters the refrigerator compartment or section through a vent.
This confirms that the freezer stays the coldest. However, the refrigerator will not be cooling if food items are blocking the refrigerator’s vent.
Therefore, ensure the vents are clear from blockage and there is enough room for air to go into the refrigerator.

How to fix a refrigerator if it is not cooling: Self-taught tips
- There is no enough food in the compartments
Check if there is no enough food in the compartments. This may be one of the reasons why refrigerator may not be cooling.
Therefore, if your fridge is empty at most times, then the refrigerator may not be cooling because cold food and fluids retain cold and share cold with other items.
To solve this issue, fill your jars of water and put in the fridge. This will allow the cold a place to recollect and maintain.
- Dirty Gasket: Another possible area to check is the gasket seal. Old refrigerators have old rubber gaskets that can dry out easily or even tear over given time.
Therefore, if there is something wrong with the gasket seal, then you will experience a cold air leak.
To solve this cold air leak, start by rubbing Vaseline in the lining of the gasket. If it is damaged, you will notice and then try to replace it.
- Unclean compressor coils: The coils of the compressor if they are dusty can lead to non-cooling of a refrigerator.
Note that compressor coils contain coolant air which is transferred to the coolant to chill it. If dust is seen on it, it can’t provide cold.
Therefore, you have to gently clean the coils with a clean towel and close the panel again.
- The component problem: Finally, this will suggest that there is a malfunctioning problem if all other options have been explored.
This will require a professional to fix. There’s also the chances that the temperature sensor is broken or that the defrost timer is broken or the vent fan or the compressor (maybe a coolant leak) is faulty or a loose wire has been breached.
Either ways, consult with a professional who has the knowledge of appliance repairs and electrical connection if you try the six steps in how to fix a refrigerator if it is not cooling above and known work out.