Freezer Not Cooling? Common Causes and How to Fix It

When your freezer, a household appliance designed to keep food frozen at or below 0°F (-18°C). Also known as deep freezer, it's meant to preserve food for months—but when it stops cooling, your groceries are at risk. A freezer that won’t chill doesn’t always mean it’s broken beyond repair. Often, it’s something simple: a dirty condenser coil, a faulty door seal, or a thermostat that’s gone off track. These aren’t rare issues—they happen all the time, especially in older units or homes with dusty garages or hot kitchens.

The freezer compressor, the heart of the cooling system that circulates refrigerant to remove heat is one of the most common culprits when the freezer stays warm. If you hear a clicking sound but no hum, or if the unit runs nonstop without getting cold, the compressor might be struggling—or already dead. Then there’s the thermostat, the control that tells the freezer when to turn on and off. If it’s misreading the temperature, your freezer might think it’s cold enough when it’s not. And don’t overlook the door gasket, the rubber seal around the freezer door that keeps cold air in. A cracked or loose seal lets cold air escape, forcing the system to work harder until it gives up.

Many people assume a freezer that won’t cool needs replacing. But that’s not always true. In fact, a lot of these problems can be fixed for less than the cost of a new unit. Cleaning the coils, replacing a worn gasket, or resetting the thermostat can bring your freezer back to life. Even a clogged defrost drain can cause frost buildup that blocks airflow and stops cooling. These aren’t complicated fixes, but they do need the right approach. You don’t need to be a technician—just patient and careful.

What you’ll find below are real fixes from actual repair jobs in Weymouth and beyond. No guesswork. No fluff. Just the most common reasons freezers stop cooling, how to spot them, and what steps actually work. Some are quick checks you can do in five minutes. Others need tools or parts—but even then, you’ll know exactly what to look for before calling someone in. Whether your freezer is five years old or fifteen, these insights will help you decide: fix it, or replace it?