We repair freestanding, French door, side-by-side and built-in refrigerators, including sealed-system work that most shops send out.
Service call $99. Repair price quoted on site.
Twelve faults, in the words customers use when they call. Each one lists the components we check and in what order.
Air is being made cold but never reaches the fresh food compartment. Nine times out of ten this is the evaporator fan motor, a damper stuck closed, or an air duct blocked by frost from a failing defrost cycle.
We check: evaporator fan motor, damper control, defrost system, air ductsNothing is being cooled at all. We test whether the compressor is trying to start: a failed start relay clicks and drops out, while a seized compressor draws current and trips its overload. Sealed-system leaks show up as a compressor that runs constantly without cooling.
We check: compressor, start relay and overload, condenser fan motor, sealed systemMilk slushy, lettuce frozen solid. The cabinet is being over-cooled because a thermistor is reporting the wrong temperature, a damper is stuck open, or the control board is not ending the cooling call.
We check: thermistor, damper control, main control boardMost floor leaks trace back to a defrost drain line blocked with ice or debris, so meltwater overflows the evaporator tray instead of reaching the drain pan. Water lines and filter housings are the other common source.
We check: defrost drain line, water inlet valve, filter housing, drain panA sheet of frost behind the rear panel means the defrost cycle is not completing. We test the heater and thermostat, then check whether a torn door gasket is letting humid room air in and overloading the cycle.
We check: defrost heater, defrost thermostat, adaptive defrost control, door gasketWe start at the water supply and work forward: shut-off valve, inlet valve, fill tube. A fill tube frozen shut usually points at a failed fill tube heater, not at the ice maker itself. Freezer temperature above 10°F stops production regardless of parts.
We check: water inlet valve, ice maker module, fill tube heater, freezer temperatureIf ice still forms but the dispenser is dead, the fault is downstream: a frozen supply line in the door, a failed dispenser actuator, or a clogged filter. We measure flow at the valve before removing panels.
We check: water inlet valve, dispenser actuator, in-door supply line, water filterClicking every few minutes is a start relay failing to bring the compressor up. A buzzing or grinding noise that changes when the door opens is usually the condenser or evaporator fan hitting ice or a worn bearing.
We check: start relay, condenser fan motor, evaporator fan blade, compressor mountsA unit that never cycles off is either losing cold air or failing to sense that it has reached temperature. A dust-blocked condenser is the most common cause and the cheapest to fix; a torn gasket is second.
We check: condenser coil, door gasket, thermistor, defrost systemWe verify the outlet and the internal supply before condemning any board. On inverter models the compressor inverter board fails far more often than the main board, and the symptom is identical.
We check: power supply, main control board, inverter board, wiring harnessWater beading on interior walls means humid air is getting in and not being removed. Door alignment and gasket condition explain most cases; on built-in units a misaligned panel can hold the door a few millimeters open.
We check: door gasket, door alignment and hinges, damper, humidity controlAn alarm usually reports a sensor or door switch, not the fault you can see. We read the stored state on the control board and confirm it against measured temperatures before replacing anything.
We check: control board diagnostics, temperature sensors, door switchSpecific error codes are brand-dependent and are not listed here. They live on the manufacturer pages, sourced from service documentation: Sub-Zero and Thermador.
We measure actual temperatures in both compartments and check airflow across the evaporator, rather than trusting the display panel.
Compressor start behavior, start relay and overload, condenser condition, and any signs of refrigerant loss.
Defrost cycle, heater, thermostat, thermistor readings, and the stored state on the control board.
Fan motors, heaters, thermostats, thermistors, relays, valves and gaskets travel on the truck. Boards and refrigeration assemblies are ordered per model.
We re-measure both compartments after the unit reaches temperature, confirm there are no leaks, and leave a 3-month parts and 30-day labor warranty.
Fourteen components cover the large majority of refrigerator faults we see.
| Part | When it is the cause |
|---|---|
| Compressor | Nothing cools and the sealed system has to be opened; refrigerant handling required |
| Start relay and overload | Clicking every few minutes, both compartments warm, compressor never runs |
| Condenser coil | Unit runs constantly and the cabinet sides are hot; dust-blocked coil |
| Condenser fan motor | Noise from the machine compartment and poor heat rejection |
| Evaporator fan motor | Freezer cold, fresh food compartment warm; no airflow at the vents |
| Evaporator coil | Iced coil, restricted airflow, or a leak found during the sealed-system test |
| Defrost heater | Frost sheet on the freezer rear wall; defrost cycle never melts it |
| Defrost thermostat | Defrost cycle starts but never terminates correctly |
| Adaptive defrost control | Defrost cycle not being called at the right interval |
| Main control board | Modes behave erratically, temperatures ignored, alarms with no matching fault |
| Thermistor / temperature sensor | Food freezing, wrong readings on the display, over- or under-cooling |
| Damper control | Cold distributed wrongly between the two compartments |
| Door gasket | Condensation, constant running, frost build-up, door that does not pull shut |
| Water inlet valve | No water and no ice, or a slow leak at the rear of the cabinet |
| Water filter housing | Leak in the filter area, often after a filter change |
| Ice maker assembly | No ice, hollow cubes, or cubes fused into the mold |
Only manufacturers that actually build refrigeration are listed here.
We also service Marvel, Perlick, Scotsman, Vinotemp, Frigidaire, Kenmore, Haier and Amana refrigeration. Brand pages for these are published as they are written.
The service call is $99, covering the trip and the diagnosis. After that you receive a single flat price covering the part, the labor and the warranty, quoted before anything is opened up. We do not publish repair price ranges: on refrigeration the same symptom can be a $20 thermistor or a sealed-system job, and a range quoted before anyone has seen the unit tells you nothing useful. If the repair is not worth the cost, we say so and you pay the service call only.
When a repair stops making sense: a sealed-system failure on a freestanding unit near the end of its service life, or a discontinued part with no compatible equivalent.
The last column is the one worth checking: it tells you whether the part is likely to be on the van, which decides whether you are looking at one visit or two.
| Symptom | What we usually replace | Carried on the van |
|---|---|---|
| Not cooling, freezer works | Evaporator fan motor | Yes |
| Both compartments warm | Start relay, or the compressor | Relay yes, compressor no |
| Ice on the freezer back wall | Defrost heater, bi-metal or thermostat | Yes |
| Water on the floor | Blocked drain line, or the inlet valve | Yes |
| No ice | Ice maker assembly or water valve | Per model |
| Wrong temperatures | Thermistor, or the control board | Thermistor yes, board no |
For a benchmark on service life, the most-cited primary figure is the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (February 2007), which puts a standard refrigerator at 13 years and a compact refrigerator at 9. Treat that as a reference point rather than a verdict: the study is old, its underlying data came from 2005, and it was measured for first-owner use. Built-in and professional units are built to a different standard — Sub-Zero, for one, states its components are tested for at least 20 years of everyday use.
The working rule is the 50% test: if the repair costs more than half of a comparable new unit and the appliance is close to the end of its expected service life, replacement is the better call. Below that line, repair almost always wins.
For built-in and integrated refrigerators the 50% test does not apply cleanly. Replacement cost includes fitting the new unit to an existing enclosure and matching cabinet panels, and openings in older kitchens were often sized for models no longer made. That pushes the break-even point much higher, which is why repairing a Sub-Zero or Thermador column is usually worth doing even when the quote looks steep next to a freestanding replacement. The same logic applies to wine storage units and built-in ice makers.
Our office is in Walnut Creek and technicians run weekday routes across six counties.
We also cover Mountain View, Redwood City, Hayward, Cupertino, Milpitas, Alameda, Pleasanton, Daly City, San Rafael, Union City, Concord and Livermore.
“It runs all day and never seems to shut off.”
Condenser was packed with dust and pet hair, and the door gasket had lost its set along the hinge side. Condenser cleaned, gasket replaced and door alignment corrected. Run time dropped back to a normal cycle and cabinet temperature held at setpoint on recheck.
“It runs all day and never seems to shut off.”
Columns are separate units, so the working half told us nothing about the failed one. Evaporator fan on the refrigerator column had seized. Fan motor replaced, airflow verified at the vents, and the cabinet pulled back down to setpoint before we left.
“It runs all day and never seems to shut off.”
Classic blocked defrost drain: the drain tube had iced over and meltwater was backing into the cabinet. Drain cleared and flushed, drain heater checked, and a drain clip fitted. Ice build-up behind the rear panel removed so the unit started from a clean state.
Dust on the condenser is the single most common reason a refrigerator runs constantly. On most freestanding units the coil sits at the back or behind a front grille; on built-ins it is behind the upper grille. Vacuum it twice a year.
Close the door on a sheet of paper and pull. If it slides out with no resistance, the gasket is no longer sealing at that point — which shows up later as condensation, frost and higher run time.
Cold air is delivered through specific outlets inside the cabinet. Packing containers against them starves the fresh food compartment while the freezer stays cold, which looks exactly like a failed evaporator fan.
A clogged filter drops water pressure enough to stop ice production and stress the inlet valve. Follow the interval in the owner’s manual for your model rather than waiting for the indicator light.
Leave the gaps the manufacturer specifies at the back and sides, keep the unit away from ovens and direct sun, and check that it sits level so the doors self-close.
The FDA puts the fresh food compartment at or below 40 °F (4 °C) and the freezer at 0 °F (−18 °C). Check with a separate thermometer rather than trusting the display: a drifting sensor reads correctly on the panel and wrongly in the cabinet.
More on running costs and efficiency at energy.gov.
The service call is $99, covering the trip and the diagnosis. Beyond that we do not publish price ranges, because on refrigeration the same symptom can be a $20 thermistor or a sealed-system job. After the diagnosis you get one flat price covering the part and the labor, agreed before anything is opened up. What we can tell you in advance is the shape of it: fan motors, thermistors and defrost parts are the cheap end, while compressor and sealed-system work is the expensive end, because it needs recovery equipment and certification.
Usually yes, if the fault is outside the sealed system. Evaporator fans, defrost heaters, thermistors and control boards are routine repairs on a unit that still has years left. Compressor failure on an older freestanding refrigerator is the one case where replacement often wins. Built-in units are almost always worth repairing.
Most repairs are finished in one visit, usually within one to two hours on site. Sealed-system work and jobs on built-in units take longer because the unit has to be pulled from its enclosure. If a part has to be ordered, we complete the diagnosis, quote the job, and return once the part arrives.
Yes. Built-in and integrated units — including refrigeration columns and undercounter models — are a large share of our work. They need careful removal from the cabinetry, and many use dual-compressor layouts with separate evaporators for the fresh food and freezer sections, which changes how the fault is traced.
Refrigerant work is only worth doing after the leak is found and repaired; simply topping the system up means the same failure returns within months, and we will not sell that as a repair. Handling refrigerant requires EPA Section 608 certification under federal law, and you are entitled to ask any technician to show it before that work starts. We test the sealed system before recommending it at all.
The NAHB Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (2007) gives 13 years for a standard refrigerator and 9 for a compact one, measured for the first owner. It is the most widely cited primary figure, though the data behind it dates from 2005. Built-in units from premium manufacturers typically run longer than freestanding models, and they are designed to be serviced rather than replaced. Condenser cleaning and a working door seal make the largest difference to how long a unit lasts.
Common parts travel with the technician: evaporator and condenser fan motors, defrost heaters and thermostats, thermistors, start relays, water inlet valves and door gaskets for widely used models. Control boards and brand-specific assemblies are ordered per model, and we confirm the lead time with you before the repair is agreed.
Move perishables to a cooler or a second refrigerator before we arrive. The FDA’s guidance is the number to work from: a closed refrigerator holds food safely for about four hours, and perishable food that has sat above 40 °F for four hours or more — meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, leftovers — should be discarded rather than judged by smell. If the unit has been warm since yesterday, plan on throwing those items out. We tell you the measured temperatures during the diagnosis so you are not guessing.