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There could be many reasons why your refrigerator is not working at all that range from dirt simple to very complex. Because of the number of parts involved in a refrigerator, troubleshooting issues as to why the refrigerator is not working at all can sometimes be cumbersome for the do-it-yourselfer.
We do not want you to be frustrated by a refrigerator that is not currently working. We know these appliances inside and out and we can show you some of the problems that may arise.
To help get you started we have put together this handy refrigerator troubleshooting guide with some common problems that may cause your refrigerator not to operate properly.
Refrigerator not working
When troubleshooting issues with a refrigerator that is not working, it is best to start with the simplest issues and then work up from there.
Simple issues you can check to troubleshoot refrigerators that do not to work
First things first, is the door being left open or not sealing properly? Obviously, an open door or poorly sealing door is a prime reason why your refrigerator is not working.
Is the refrigerator plugged in? While this may sound simple, there are instances when the refrigerator is unplugged, like during cleaning behind the fridge, and then simply not plugged in again.
One other item which can cause your refrigerator to stop working is a thermostat that is not set to the proper temperature. If the thermostat has been turned way up or has been turned completely off, the refrigerator obviously will not operate.
Some other common issue that may be the problem
Many homeowners don’t know that a refrigerator contains vents that need to be kept clear. These vents allow air to flow throughout the refrigerator thus creating a cooling effect.
Another very common problem is dust and debris on the coils that are located under or behind the fridge. These coils are the centerpiece of the cooling mechanism of the refrigerator and when their function is inhibited, this can be a reason you fridge stopped working.
One other culprit could be a compressor fan that does not spin due to dust and debris inhibiting the fan from spinning. If you notice that your compressor fan is not spinning freely, this can definitely be a reason why your refrigerator is not operating properly.
The same holds true for the evaporator fan which draws cold air into the refrigerator. Much in the same way the compressor fan works, if the evaporator fan cannot spin freely, the refrigerator simply will not work.
Parts breakdowns that can stop your refrigerator from working
In addition to the coils, there are several other parts to a refrigerator that need to be working properly in order for the cooling to take place. These things include a couple of fans, the compressor motor, and several electronic parts.
If any of these items are found to not be in proper working order, your refrigerator simply will not work. Once we have moved into issues with things like this, it’s probably time to get in touch with a professional to remedy the situation fridge repair.
How to fix a refrigerator
You already know some of the reasons why your refrigerator may not be working at all, you probably want to know some of the ways to get it working again. We always recommend that you begin with the simple things and then work up to the more complex.
Start with simple stuff
Things like an open door and an unplugged refrigerator are simple fixes to the problem of a fridge not working. So it stands to reason that when you are wondering how to repair a refrigerator, you should start by giving your refrigerator a thorough once-over to see if any of the items we listed above may be the problem.
Quite often cleaning the outside and inside of your refrigerator, thus removing dust and debris and making sure there’s nothing blocking vents, can easily solve the problem of a refrigerator that does not operate.
Get your fans spinning
A relatively simple fix for any homeowner can be to get the fans that are part of your refrigerator system working properly. The two fans are the condenser fan and the evaporator fan.
If either of these fans are not spinning properly the solution is often to replace the fan motor. These motors can be found online quite easily and can also be found at appliance stores.
Although the average do-it-yourselfer can replace these motors, it can be a time-consuming and tedious job that is often best left to pros.
Taking on the bigger problems
If none of the above steps have fixed the problem, you may have issues with the more complicated mechanical or electronic parts of your refrigerator. Once again, these issues can be tackled by a do-it-yourselfer, but because of their somewhat complicated makeup, these are definitely issues that are best left to professional technicians to work on.
If you already have a refrigerator that is not working, you certainly do not want to make the problem worse by damaging parts that are already in good working order while you are trying to fix the refrigerator yourself.
