Buy time first
- Don't open the doors. A closed fridge holds temp ~4 hours; a closed freezer ~24 hours.
- Move perishables to a cooler with ice if it's been more than 2 hours.
Five checks
- Power and temperature dial — is the dial still set correctly? Did someone bump it?
- Condenser coils — under or behind the fridge. Dust-clogged coils kill cooling. Vacuum them.
- Door seal — close the door on a dollar bill. If it slides out easily, the gasket is shot.
- Vents inside — frozen food blocking the freezer vent? Frost on the back wall? Defrost cycle issue.
- Compressor — put your hand on the back. Warm = running. Cold and silent = compressor dead (call a repair tech or replace).
Worth repairing?
- Fridge < 8 years old → repair ($150–$400 service call)
- Fridge > 12 years old → replace
- A new mid-range fridge is $1,200–$2,000 at The Brick or Costco