My fridge is running but nothing is cold. What is wrong?

A running fridge that will not cool is usually one of a few parts. The compressor may not be getting power from the control board or inverter board, a start capacitor and relay may have failed, one of the two fans may be dead, or the coil may be iced over from a defrost fault. We confirm whether the compressor is even running first, then check the fans and the coil, and meter the start components. It is almost always one part, and we sort which one in the first part of the call.

How much does it cost to fix a refrigerator that is not cooling?

Most no-cool repairs land at $250 plus the part. A start capacitor and relay are the cheaper end. A control board or inverter board runs from $250 plus the board, and fan and defrost repairs fall in a similar range. Sealed-system or refrigerant work is the high end and can run up to $4,000 on a full rebuild. The $75 service call includes the diagnostic, and you get an exact written quote before any work starts.

Is it worth repairing a fridge that will not cool, or should I replace it?

Most of these are routine fixes well under the cost of a new unit. A fan or a board is a repair, not a write-off. What you own matters: Sub-Zero, GE, and Monogram are built to be serviced, parts are available, and the cabinet outlasts several rounds of components, so repair almost always wins. We give you a straight repair-or-replace answer before we touch anything.

Are you local, and how fast can you get out for a fridge that is not cooling?

We are based in San Ramon and run appliance calls across the Tri-Valley and the East Bay every day. A warm fridge is a same-day priority for us when we can manage it. Call (925) 999-4095 and we will get you on the schedule and tell you the diagnostic and timing up front.

REFRIGERATOR · LOS ALTOS HILLS

Refrigerator not cooling in Los Altos Hills? We fix it.

A fridge that runs but will not get cold is one of the most common calls we run, and it almost always traces to one failed part, not a dead unit. The compressor, the boards that drive it, and two small fans all have to do their job for cold air to reach your food. When one quits, the box warms up. We find which one and tell you the number before we touch anything.

$75 diagnostic (waived with repair)
Same-day best effort
CSLB #1136642

Call (925) 999-4095

Why this happens

What we look for first.

Control board not powering the compressor. The main control board is the brain that tells the compressor to run. When the board fails or loses the output that drives the compressor, the compressor never starts and nothing gets cold, even though lights and fans may still work. We meter for voltage at the compressor circuit and confirm the board is the dead link before we condemn it. A board not powering the compressor runs from $250 plus the board.
Inverter board failure. Many newer fridges run a variable-speed compressor driven by an inverter board. The inverter takes the control signal and runs the compressor at the right speed. When it fails, the compressor will not start or will not hold a run, and cooling stops. We test for the drive output and check the compressor windings before replacing the board. This is a from $250 plus the board repair, similar to a main control board.
Failed capacitor and start relay. The start capacitor and start relay are what kick the compressor on each time it calls for cooling. They fail more often than the compressor itself, and they sit at the cheaper end of the repair. The tell is a compressor that tries to start, clicks, and shuts off on its overload, or one that will not start at all. We meter the relay and capacitor and confirm the compressor itself is good before we replace these, since they are the inexpensive parts to rule out first.
Dead evaporator fan. The evaporator fan sits behind the freezer wall and moves cold air off the coil into the rest of the box. When the fan motor dies, the coil still gets cold but the air never reaches your food, so the freezer may stay cool while the fresh-food side drifts warm. We pull the back panel, check the fan for power and free rotation, and replace the motor when it has failed. A fan motor repair lands in the typical range with the part installed.
Dead condenser fan. The condenser fan, usually at the back near the compressor, blows air across the condenser coil to vent heat out of the unit. When it stops, that heat returns inside instead of leaving, the compressor cooks itself trying to reject heat with no airflow, and the whole box struggles to cool. We check the fan for power and a clear path, clear any debris off the coil, and replace the motor if it is dead.
Defrost fault icing over the coil. If the defrost system quits, frost builds on the evaporator until it blocks airflow completely. From the front it looks like a no-cool, but the real diagnosis is a coil iced over so the cold gets stuck in the coil instead of circulating. We confirm with a look behind the freezer panel for a frost block and test the defrost heater and thermostat. Common, and very fixable.

How we diagnose and fix it

The walk-in workflow.

01
Pull the model and serial and confirm whether the compressor is actually running, since a dead compressor circuit points one direction and a running compressor points another.
02
Check both fans: the evaporator fan behind the freezer wall and the condenser fan near the compressor, for power and free rotation.
03
Look behind the freezer back panel for a frost-blocked evaporator coil, which tells us a defrost fault is masking as a no-cool.
04
Meter the start capacitor and start relay, then the compressor windings, to separate a cheap start-component failure from the compressor itself.
05
Test for drive voltage at the compressor circuit to tell a failed control board from a failed inverter board.
06
Once the failed part is confirmed, quote the exact part and labor in writing before we start.

Serving Los Altos Hills

Los Altos Hills: response and coverage.

Los Altos Hills sits on the Peninsula. We work it on planned Peninsula days. Same-week scheduling.

Neighborhoods we cover regularly in Los Altos Hills: Westwind Barn area, Page Mill corridor, Adobe Creek. Beyond those, our service area in Los Altos Hills covers the city limits.

Los Altos Hills kitchens mix Sub-Zero and Wolf in the 90s and 2000s estate remodels with newer Thermador, Bosch, and Fisher & Paykel in tech-driven rebuilds. Outdoor U-Line wine and beverage centers are common in pool-side kitchens.

Pricing and warranty

What it costs. What we stand behind.

$75

Diagnostic visit. Waived when you book the repair with us.
Typical

Most no-cool repairs land at $250 plus the part once we have found the failure. A start capacitor and relay sit at the lower end, since those are the inexpensive parts. A control board not powering the compressor or a failed inverter board both run from $250 plus the board, and fan and defrost repairs fall in a similar band. The high end is sealed-system or refrigerant work, which can run up to $4,000 for a full rebuild. We diagnose first and put the exact part and labor in writing before any work starts.
Warranty

You get a parts and labor warranty in writing before we start. We cover major components like control boards, inverter boards, fan motors, and defrost parts for 1 year. We put the part, the price, and the labor on paper up front so you know exactly what is covered before we turn a screw. These are standard appliance repairs, not sealed-system work, so the standard warranty applies.

FAQ

Refrigerator in Los Altos Hills questions.

My fridge is running but nothing is cold. What is wrong?

A running fridge that will not cool is usually one of a few parts. The compressor may not be getting power from the control board or inverter board, a start capacitor and relay may have failed, one of the two fans may be dead, or the coil may be iced over from a defrost fault. We confirm whether the compressor is even running first, then check the fans and the coil, and meter the start components. It is almost always one part, and we sort which one in the first part of the call.
How much does it cost to fix a refrigerator that is not cooling?

Most no-cool repairs land at $250 plus the part. A start capacitor and relay are the cheaper end. A control board or inverter board runs from $250 plus the board, and fan and defrost repairs fall in a similar range. Sealed-system or refrigerant work is the high end and can run up to $4,000 on a full rebuild. The $75 service call includes the diagnostic, and you get an exact written quote before any work starts.
Is it worth repairing a fridge that will not cool, or should I replace it?

Most of these are routine fixes well under the cost of a new unit. A fan or a board is a repair, not a write-off. What you own matters: Sub-Zero, GE, and Monogram are built to be serviced, parts are available, and the cabinet outlasts several rounds of components, so repair almost always wins. We give you a straight repair-or-replace answer before we touch anything.
Are you local, and how fast can you get out for a fridge that is not cooling?

We are based in San Ramon and run appliance calls across the Tri-Valley and the East Bay every day. A warm fridge is a same-day priority for us when we can manage it. Call (925) 999-4095 and we will get you on the schedule and tell you the diagnostic and timing up front.

Nearby cities

Refrigerator not cooling near Los Altos Hills.

Also in Los Altos Hills

Other repairs we do in Los Altos Hills.

Ready to book the Los Altos Hills call?

Tell us the model and the symptom. We will quote it.

Call (925) 999-4095