What is actually happening
A fridge freezer that is merely weak, rather than warm, is usually working against something instead of broken: dusty condenser coils, no air gap behind, a tired door seal, or a warm room. Where all of that is right and it still cannot get down to temperature, the system has usually lost some of its gas — and that is not a job for anyone without the equipment.
The usual causes
- Condenser coils blocked with dust, or the appliance pushed hard against the wall
- Worn door seals letting warm air in continuously
- A partial refrigerant leak
- Ice on the evaporator restricting airflow
- Overfilling, or hot food put straight in
What you can safely check yourself
Work through these in order. Anything past this point — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the appliance plugged in.
- Use a fridge thermometer rather than judging by feel: the fridge should sit around 4°C and the freezer around -18°C
- Vacuum the coils at the back and leave an air gap
- Check both door seals grip a sheet of paper all the way round
Still not cold enough?
If the checks above have not sorted it, it needs looking at properly. £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Local engineers covering Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — same and next-day appointments, and the person who comes out is one of ours, not a subcontractor.
Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need
Common questions
Why is my fridge freezer not cold enough?
Both compartments are cool but not properly cold, and food is not keeping as long as it should. A fridge freezer that is merely weak, rather than warm, is usually working against something instead of broken: dusty condenser coils, no air gap behind, a tired door seal, or a warm room. Where all of that is right and it still cannot get down to temperature, the system has usually lost some of its gas — and that is not a job for anyone without the equipment.
Can I fix a fridge freezer not cold enough myself?
Use a fridge thermometer rather than judging by feel: the fridge should sit around 4°C and the freezer around -18°C. Vacuum the coils at the back and leave an air gap. Check both door seals grip a sheet of paper all the way round. Those checks fix it more often than not. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.
How much does it cost to repair a fridge freezer not cold enough?
£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Other fridge freezer faults
- fridge not cooling
- fridge freezer icing up
- fridge making a loud noise
- fridge leaking water inside
- fridge running constantly
- fridge freezer not working after defrosting
- American fridge freezer water dispenser not working