Refrigerator not cooling but the freezer is cold
This is one of the most common calls we get. The compressor is often fine; the airflow from the freezer to the fresh-food compartment is blocked by ice or a part that stopped working.
Serving Des Plaines & nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge
Refrigerator & Ice Maker Repair in Des Plaines, IL
Fridge warm, freezer frosted over or ice maker quit? We diagnose and repair refrigerators in Des Plaines homes, most major brands.
- Repairs across Des Plaines ZIP 60016, 60018
- We find the cause, not just the symptom
- Parts and labor quoted before work starts
Refrigerator and ice maker problems we fix in Des Plaines
A refrigerator that stops cooling puts a full week of groceries on the clock. Our technicians come out to Des Plaines, find out why the cold air stopped, whether it's a fan, the defrost system, a clogged coil or the sealed system, and give you a written quote before any part is ordered.
Dusty condenser coils
Coils under or behind the fridge collect dust and pet hair, which traps heat. Cleaning them is part of every cooling diagnosis we do.
Freezer too cold or fresh food freezing
Lettuce frozen in the crisper often means a damper stuck open, a faulty thermistor or a control board misreading the temperature.
Water dispenser slow or not working
A dispenser that trickles or won't pour at all is often a frozen tube or a failing inlet valve. A new filter is the first, cheapest check.
Water leaking onto the floor
A puddle in front of the refrigerator can be melt water with nowhere to go or a supply line that weeps. We trace it before it reaches the subfloor.
Door gasket torn or not sealing
Gaskets crack and flatten with age. A new one, fitted and seated properly, keeps the cold in and the compressor from overworking.
Fridge runs constantly
When the motor hums all day and the fridge still isn't quite cold enough, something is making it work too hard. We find out what.
Ice maker stopped making ice
No ice, or a few small cubes a day, usually means not enough water is getting in. We find out whether the valve, the line or the ice maker is to blame.
What we check and fix
- Symptom check and settingsFirst the basics: controls, power and the water supply behind the unit.
- Temperature readingsThermometer readings in both compartments show where cooling has dropped off.
- Condenser coil cleaningDust cleared from the coils so the compressor can shed heat.
- Ice maker and water valve checksInlet valve, fill tube, ice maker module and dispenser line tested.
- Written quoteDiagnosis explained and the parts and labor quoted in writing before work starts.
- Repair and partsFailed parts replaced; refrigerant work is done by EPA-certified technicians.
- Run testThe fridge runs while we check temperatures, airflow and the ice maker fill.
Common fixes and parts
Built-in and counter-depth unitsRefrigerators set flush into cabinetry, serviced in place where possible.
Most major brandsWe work on most major refrigerator brands found in local homes.
French-door and side-by-side modelsWide units with more water parts, fans and sensors to check.
Ice makers and dispensersFreezer ice makers, door dispensers and their water valves and lines.
Top-freezer and bottom-freezer fridgesStandard two-door refrigerators with the freezer above or below.
What the work looks like in Des Plaines homes
Problem
Fixed
DetailDes Plaines kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: refrigerator & ice maker repair
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Des Plaines, a typical kitchen for Des Plaines. The kitchen as it was: almond appliances. The main complaint was an aging fridge that had stopped keeping food cold. The result: a freezer defrosted and clean, the defrost fault fixed and the ice maker making cubes again. Work included condenser coil cleaning, ice maker and water valve checks, plus run test.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Mount Prospect
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in Mount Prospect. Before: black appliances. The main complaint was a fridge section that kept warming up. After: a freezer defrosted and clean, the defrost fault fixed and the ice maker making cubes again. Work included symptom check and settings, written quote, plus repair and parts.
Refrigerator & Ice Maker Repair in Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a postwar Cape Cod, Des Plaines
What changed: cabinets in light butter yellow with satin brass pulls, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters, a green zellige-look tile backsplash, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Des Plaines →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Des Plaines
The same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Des Plaines →The repair visit
- Describe the symptomTell us what the fridge is doing and send the model number from the label inside.
- Diagnosis visitA technician tests the cooling, defrost and water parts and finds the cause.
- Written quoteA clear quote before any work starts, and our view on whether the fridge is worth it.
- Repair and testThe part goes in, and we watch the fridge cool and the ice maker fill.
Refrigerator & Ice Maker Repair questions from Des Plaines homeowners
Does Des Plaines water affect my ice maker?
Lake Michigan water still carries some minerals, which can slowly build up in the inlet valve and fill tube. A fridge water filter changed on schedule helps.
Why is my refrigerator not cooling?
The most common causes are dirty condenser coils, a failed evaporator or condenser fan, a defrost problem that iced up the coil, or a door that isn't sealing. Compressor failures happen but are less common.
Which brands do you repair?
We work on most major refrigerator brands. Send us the model number and we'll confirm.
Why did my ice maker stop working?
It's often the water inlet valve, a frozen fill tube, a closed or kinked supply line, a clogged filter, or a freezer that isn't cold enough to make ice.
Is it worth repairing my refrigerator?
We give you the diagnosis and the quote, then an honest opinion. We'd rather you replace a worn-out fridge than pay for a repair that won't last.
Is Des Plaines water hard, and does it matter for refrigerator repair?
Des Plaines's water source: Lake Michigan water purchased from the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission (which is supplied by Evanston). Minerals can slow ice makers and water valves.
Do I need a permit for refrigerator repair in Des Plaines?
It depends on the scope. Des Plaines's rule in short: A building permit is required for any residential kitchen remodel; non-structural work uses the Kitchen/Bath Non-Structural permit ($150 fee, rough and final inspections). We handle the permit when one is needed with Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Des Plaines?
Yes. Our crews work across Des Plaines — ZIP 60016, 60018 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village.
Working in Des Plaines
- A lot of Des Plaines kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Des Plaines homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60016ZIP 60018
Refrigerator & Ice Maker Repair nearby
Other kitchen services in Des Plaines
Dishwasher RepairDraining, cleaning, leaking and door problems found and fixed.
Oven, Stove & Cooktop RepairGas and electric ovens, ranges and cooktops diagnosed and repaired.
Microwave RepairOver-the-range and built-in microwaves diagnosed and repaired safely.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.