Compressor Reset: How to Fix Your Fridge or AC When It Stops Cooling

When your fridge stops cooling or your air conditioner blows warm air, the compressor, the heart of your cooling system that circulates refrigerant to remove heat. Also known as cooling pump, it’s the component that kicks in when you hear that low hum. If it’s silent, your appliance isn’t broken—it might just need a compressor reset. Most people assume a failed compressor means a full replacement, but often it’s a simple reset or a tripped safety switch causing the problem.

Compressors don’t just die out of nowhere. They overheat from dust buildup, voltage spikes, or blocked airflow. A thermal overload protector, a safety device built into every compressor to prevent burnout shuts it down when things get too hot. Once it cools, you can often reset it by unplugging the unit for 15 minutes. This isn’t magic—it’s physics. The same thing happens with air conditioner compressors, the outdoor unit’s main cooling engine. If your AC won’t turn on after a heatwave, give it time to cool down and try resetting it. You’ll save hundreds compared to a service call.

Not every compressor issue is fixable with a reset. If you hear clicking but no hum, or if it trips the breaker every time you plug it in, the motor or capacitor may be fried. But before you buy a new fridge or AC unit, try the reset. It works in over 40% of cases, according to repair technicians who service hundreds of units each year in places like Weymouth. The key is patience: wait the full 15 minutes. Don’t just unplug it for five seconds and plug it back in. That won’t reset the overload. Also, clean the coils behind or under the unit—dust is the #1 killer of compressors.

You’ll find real fixes in the posts below: how to locate the reset button on a fridge compressor, what to check before calling a technician, why some brands need more resets than others, and how to tell if your compressor is truly dead. These aren’t theory pages—they’re step-by-step guides from people who’ve been there. Whether you’re dealing with a Whirlpool fridge that won’t chill or a window AC that won’t kick on, the solutions are simpler than you think. No jargon. No upsells. Just what actually works.