The situation when you open the refrigerator door, and it’s warm there, it can take anyone by surprise. The food begins to deteriorate, the ice melts, and a panicky desire to urgently call a specialist arises. However, before taking radical measures, it is worth carrying out an initial diagnosis, which often helps to identify a simple malfunction.
In this article we will analyze in detail why the refrigerator has stopped freezingwhich components fail most often and whether it is possible to fix the problem yourself. Understanding the principles of operation compressor and the defrost system will allow you to save time and money, as well as save the contents of the freezer.
Primary diagnostics: light, sound and temperature
Before looking for complex technical breakdowns, you need to make sure that the device generally receives power and operates in normal mode. If The refrigerator is not freezing, but the light is on inside, this is already half the success in diagnostics - there is electricity in the outlet. Check whether the operation indicator on the front panel is lit, if provided by the model.
Listen to the sounds that the unit makes. Compressor It should work cyclically: turn on, hum for a certain time and turn off. If you hear a quiet hum, but there is no cold, or the engine tries to start, clicks and stalls - these are clear signs of a malfunction of the start relay or the motor itself. If there is complete silence, the problem may lie in the thermostat or electronic control module.
It is also important to check the temperature settings. Sometimes users accidentally change the settings by setting the controller to “vacation” mode or simply turning off the cooling. Make sure that the correct temperature is selected for your model.
Problems with tightness and seal
One of the most common reasons why the refrigerator does not freeze wellis a violation of the seal of the chamber. Warm air from the room constantly penetrates inside, causing the compressor to work hard, but not reach the desired temperature indicators.
Carefully inspect the rubber seal round the perimeter of the door. Over time, the rubber dries out, cracks, or simply becomes contaminated with grease and crumbs, causing the door to not fit tightly. Even a microscopic gap leads to a constant influx of warm air and the formation of ice, which blocks normal cold circulation.
⚠️ Attention! If the seal is severely deformed or has tears, it will be possible to restore its tightness using traditional methods (hair dryer, boiling water) only temporarily. In this case, a complete replacement of the part will be required.
You can check the tightness of the fit in a simple way: clamp a sheet of paper between the door and the body in different places. If the sheet falls out or is pulled out without resistance, it means that the tightness in this place is broken. Also make sure that the refrigerator is level - if it is skewed, the door may not close on its own.
Malfunctions of the defrosting system and freezing of ice
In modern models with a system No Frost or drip defrosting system, the condition of the evaporator is critically important. If the refrigerator stops freezing, but the compressor runs continuously, the evaporator may have frozen. The ice “coat” blocks the channels through which cold air should enter the chamber.
The reasons for this phenomenon are often:
- ❄️ Failure of Heating element defrostwhich should periodically heat the evaporator.
- ❄️ Malfunction defrost timer or electronic module that controls defrost cycles.
- ❄️ Breakdown of the defrost sensor, which does not signal the need for heating.
- ❄️ The drainage hole is clogged, due to which the water does not drain and freezes.