Fridge running warm? Check these before you call

A warm fridge is a food safety problem before it's a repair problem. FoodSafety.gov says the refrigerator should stay at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F or below.

The dial on your fridge doesn't tell you the real temperature, so start by measuring it. The USDA suggests putting an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the middle of the fridge and reading it after 5 to 8 hours. You want 38 to 40°F. In the freezer, put it between packages and aim for 0 to 2°F.

Once you know the real number, work through these checks in order. Unplug the fridge or switch off its breaker before you clean anything near the coils or the back of the unit.

1. Check the settings and the mode

This sounds too simple, but it catches a lot of people. Controls get bumped during cleaning, and Whirlpool notes that some models need cooling turned back on after a power outage or surge.

Samsung refrigerators have a display or demo mode that turns cooling off while the lights still work. If the display shows OF OF or scrolling bars, look up how to exit that mode in your manual.

If you change the temperature, give it time. Whirlpool says to make one adjustment and wait at least 24 hours before checking again. Samsung says it can take up to 28 hours with the doors closed to reach the new setting.

2. Clear the vents inside

Cold air comes into the fresh food section through vents and returns through another vent near the bottom. Whirlpool warns against blocking any of them with food packages. Samsung recommends keeping food 2 inches away from the interior vents.

A big grocery run or a tray pushed against the back wall is enough to cause a warm shelf. Move things around, then check the thermometer again the next day.

3. Test the door gasket

The rubber seal around each door keeps cold air in. Samsung describes a quick paper test. Close the door on a dollar bill and pull it out. If you feel slight resistance, the seal is working. If it slides out easily, clean the gasket and try again in a few spots around the door.

Frost or condensation near the seal is another hint that warm air is getting in. Samsung also notes that a fridge that isn't level side to side can fail the paper test, so check that before you buy a new gasket. Wipe the seals monthly with warm water and a little dish soap.

4. Clean the condenser coils

The condenser coils release the heat your fridge pulls out of the food. When they're covered in dust and pet hair, the fridge has to work harder to stay cold.

On many Whirlpool models the coils sit behind the grille at the bottom front. With the power off, remove the grille and clean the coils with a coil brush or a vacuum with a brush attachment. Take care not to bend the fins or bump the water line. Whirlpool says homes with pets, heavy cooking or construction dust should check every 3 to 6 months. Some models don't need routine coil cleaning, and your manual will say so.

5. Give it room and a normal room temperature

Samsung recommends 2 inches of clearance at the back, top and sides. Whirlpool says the room should stay between 55°F and 110°F. A fridge in an unheated garage in January or a hot one in August may struggle for reasons that have nothing to do with a broken part.

Keep door openings short too. Whirlpool notes that frequent or long openings warm the fridge and let in moisture.

Signs of a fan or defrost problem

If the checks above look fine and the fridge is still warm, the cause is usually inside the walls of the unit. These are the signs we look for.

• The freezer is cold but the fresh food section is warm. In many fridges the fresh food side gets its cold air from the freezer, so a bad evaporator fan or a stuck air damper can show up this way first.
• Frost or ice on the back panel of the freezer. Ice built up on the evaporator coils blocks airflow and causes uneven temperatures.
• Temperatures that drift up over days, improve after the fridge has been unplugged for a while, and then drift up again. That pattern often points to the automatic defrost system or a plugged defrost drain.

Samsung says ice covering the rear vents has to be cleared. Letting the fridge defrost can bring cooling back for a short time, but if the frost returns, a part needs attention. This is where we'd take over. Testing fans, sensors and defrost parts usually means removing the inside back panel.

When to call us

• The thermometer reads above 40°F after you've worked through the checks above.
• You see frost building up on the freezer's back wall.
• The freezer is fine but the fridge side keeps getting warmer.
• The fridge runs nonstop, or you hear a new clicking, buzzing or grinding sound.

While you wait, keep the doors closed as much as you can and leave the thermometer inside so you know where things stand.

Repair or replace?

Fans, sensors and defrost parts are usually reasonable repairs. A refrigerant leak or a failed compressor is a much bigger job, and on an older fridge it may not be worth it. We'll tell you which one you're dealing with after the $129 diagnostic, give you a firm price, and say so plainly if replacing makes more sense.