Is your ice cream coming out of the fridge softer than expected, and your drinks not cold enough? Then you’re likely wondering how to make your refrigerator colder.
A refrigerator that’s not cold enough could lead to food spoiling, particularly meat or dairy products. This is why keeping your refrigerator at the right temperature is so important.
If you’re noticing problems with the temperature of your refrigerator, here are a few easy things you can do to troubleshoot the problem and make your refrigerator colder.
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How to Make a Refrigerator Colder
If your refrigerator is not cold enough, your choices don’t have to be getting a brand-new refrigerator or resigning yourself to food that isn’t chilled enough. You also don’t need to call a repair technician. Most ways to make a refrigerator colder are minor adjustments you can easily do yourself.
Changing the temperature dial or the thermostat is the easiest adjustment to make a refrigerator colder. Sometimes the temperature on the dial changes accidentally or needs to be lower than it was initially to account for the outside temperature.
If adjusting the temperature doesn’t make the refrigerator colder, that is a sign that something is affecting how the refrigerator works. Luckily, troubleshooting the fridge’s internal temperature controls usually requires just a few simple adjustments.
Adjust the Temperature Setting
The easiest way to make a refrigerator colder is to adjust the temperature setting. Most refrigerators have an easy temperature dial with settings representing the level of “coldness” your appliance can achieve. Putting the dial to a higher or colder setting should make your fridge colder.
Don’t immediately set the fridge to the coldest setting. Adjust the dial by one setting or number at a time, giving the appliance time to adjust, typically at least one day. It takes the fridge time to calibrate to a new temperature.
Ensure That the Vents Aren’t Blocked
After changing the temperature setting and waiting at least one day for the fridge to calibrate, check the refrigerator to see if it is running colder. If it still doesn’t run colder, something else could affect the fridge’s ability to function. One of the most common culprits is a blocked vent.
Refrigerators rely on a continuous flow of cool air into the appliance and warm air out of the appliance through the vents to cool your food. Therefore, the fridge won’t cool if air can’t flow freely through the vents. If you notice ice buildup on your vents, defrost the fridge and recheck it after a few hours to see if the ice is gone.
Clean the Condenser Coils
Your fridge works thanks to the constant cycling of refrigerant through the condenser coils, which cool the refrigerant before sending it back into your appliance. If your fridge isn’t cold enough, that could be a sign that the condenser coils aren’t cooling the fridge enough.
Condenser coils are susceptible to dirt and debris. If there is dust on the coils, they must work harder to cool the refrigerant. Turn off your fridge, remove the back panel, and clean the coils with a stiff brush or small vacuum.
Check the Door Seals
Sometimes, the culprit behind a too-warm refrigerator is as simple as an excess of warm air inside the appliance. There’s a reason you’re supposed to decide what you want before opening the fridge door—too much hot air entering the appliance affects its ability to keep food cool.
If you’re diligent about keeping the fridge door closed and notice that the appliance is not cool enough, your fridge door seals could be the problem. Check the gaskets around your fridge and freezer doors for any visible cracks or gaps, and replace them if necessary.
Conclusion
A refrigerator that isn’t cold enough can cause food stored inside to spoil quicker. However, the suggestions provided in this article should help keep your refrigerator colder.
If the fridge doesn’t cool down a day after adjusting the temperature dial, check for common problems such as gaps in the door seal, blocked vents, or dust on condenser coils.
