Homeowners' pick for appliance repair across Texas
A Refrigerator That Won't Cool
A fridge that runs but won't cool is one of the most common calls we get in Lubbock and across Texas, and we repair all major brands. Maybe the milk tastes off, or the freezer still makes ice while the fridge side feels like a cool closet. Sometimes nothing is cold at all and the whole box hums away like usual. Here's what's usually behind it.
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By the Appliance Tech service team · reviewed by our working technicians
What "not cooling" actually tells us
There's a big difference between warm and slightly warm. If the freezer holds ice but the fridge is in the 50s, air isn't moving between the two compartments, which points to a fan, a defrost problem, or a blocked vent. If both sides are warm and the unit is silent, we're looking at power, the compressor, or the sealed system. Note what you're seeing before you call. Is it humming? Any clicking every few minutes, and is the ice cream soft or solid? Those details cut our diagnostic time and tell us what parts to bring on the truck.
The cheap stuff first: airflow and dirt
West Texas dust is real. Condenser coils under or behind the fridge pack with dust and pet hair, and then the unit can't dump heat. In a 100-degree summer with the garage fridge, that alone kills cooling. Same story inside, where a packed fridge with food shoved against the back wall blocks the vents that feed cold air in. Door gaskets matter too. If the seal is torn or gummed up, humid air pours in and the unit runs nonstop without ever catching up. These are the causes we hope for, because they're the least involved to correct.
Defrost and fan failures
Behind the freezer's back wall sits an evaporator coil. It frosts up in normal use, and a defrost system melts that frost on a schedule. When a defrost heater, thermostat, or control board quits, ice builds into a solid block and air can't pass through it. The freezer may stay cold from sheer ice mass while the fridge slowly warms. A failed evaporator fan does the same thing from a different angle: cold air gets made but never moves. You may notice the fridge got worse over a week or two rather than all at once. That gradual slide is a classic sign.
Sealed system and controls
The compressor, refrigerant, and start components are the deep end. A compressor that hums and clicks off is trying to start and failing. A refrigerant leak leaves the unit running forever with barely cool air. Control boards and thermistors can also lie to the fridge about how cold it is, so it never calls for cooling. None of this is homeowner territory. There are capacitors that hold a charge, and sealed lines that require recovery equipment and licensing. Leave the panels closed and let a technician handle it. Meanwhile, move perishables to a cooler so you're not making a food loss problem on top of a repair.
Safe checks, then what we do
Safe for you: confirm the plug is seated and the outlet has power, check that a temperature dial wasn't bumped, pull the unit out and vacuum the coils you can reach, clear food away from rear vents, and wipe the door gasket with warm soapy water. Look for a sheet of ice on the freezer's back wall. That's it. On our end, we take actual temperature readings at the coil and in each compartment, test the defrost circuit and fan motors electrically, check amp draw on the compressor, and read any stored fault codes. We repair all major brands as an independent shop. Call us and tell us what you saw.
A Refrigerator That Won't Cool — common questions
Why is my freezer cold but my fridge is warm?
Cold air is made in the freezer and blown into the fridge. A blocked vent, an iced-up coil, or a dead evaporator fan stops that transfer. The freezer stays fine while the fridge climbs.
Should I unplug it for a day?
Unplugging for 8 to 24 hours melts an ice blockage and can restore cooling for a while. It confirms a defrost problem, but it won't fix the part that failed. Expect it to ice up again.
How long should a fridge take to cool after a repair?
Give it 12 to 24 hours to fully stabilize, longer if it's packed or the room is hot. Keep door openings short during that window, then check temperatures the next morning.
How it works
- Step 1
Tell us the symptom
Call us or fill out the form and describe what you hear, smell, or see. A noise, a leak, an error code, a burning odor. Give us the brand and rough age if you know them.
- Step 2
We come look
A technician shows up with common parts on the truck. We test the machine instead of guessing. Then we explain what failed in plain words, and what the repair takes, before anything gets opened up.
- Step 3
You decide, we repair
Nothing gets replaced without your go-ahead. Most repairs finish the same visit. If a part has to be ordered, we tell you straight and set a return time that works for your day.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quote before work starts
Why homeowners call us
- Hard water is our specialtyWest Texas scale wrecks dishwashers, ice makers, and water valves, and we see it daily. Spray arms clog. Heating elements crust over and inlet screens choke up white. We clean and replace the parts scale eats first.
- Built for Texas summersHeat pushes refrigerators and freezers hard. Condenser coils pack with dust, compressors run nonstop, and garage freezers quit in triple digits. We check cooling systems for heat load, not just for the obvious broken part.
- Plain talk, no runaroundWe tell you what died and why. If a machine is not worth fixing, we say so. You get the reasoning instead of a sales pitch, and you make the call yourself.
- Most brands, most machinesWashers, dryers, ranges, ovens, dishwashers, fridges, freezers. We work as an independent shop on all major brands, top load and front load, gas and electric. One call covers the laundry room and the kitchen.
- All major brands, gas & electricEvery major appliance brand, gas and electric, handled by an independent shop.
- Straight answersWhen a repair doesn't make sense, we tell you, sometimes before we even roll a truck.
About this guide
Safe checks done and it still misbehaves? That's a real fault
Mention which checks you ran when you book; it speeds up the visit.
- A real person answers
- Open 7 days
- Written quotes
- All major brands
- Gas & electric
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