In a Roodepoort family home, the fridge door opens dozens of times a day, the shelves are always full, and there's often a second fridge or a chest freezer in the garage for the overflow. Both work hard, and both have weak spots that come with the job: door seals that flatten and tear, thermostats that drift, fans that wear, and, in the garage, a fridge fighting summer heat or winter cold.
When one stops cooling, starts leaking or ices up, the technician comes to you, tests it where it stands, and tells you what's wrong and what the repair will cost before any work starts.
Before you book, our guide to a fridge not cooling has safe checks that sometimes sort it out on the spot.
Suburbs we cover in Roodepoort
Family fridges in the kitchen and second fridges in the garage, from Florida and Discovery to Weltevredenpark and Strubensvalley. We cover:
- Florida
- Weltevredenpark
- Constantia Kloof
- Helderkruin
- Strubensvalley
- Wilro Park
- Horison
- Discovery
Fridge faults we fix in Roodepoort
Door seal flattened or torn
A family fridge door opens and closes all day. Over time the seal flattens, tears at the corners or comes loose, and the fridge leaks cold air. A new seal restores it.
Garage fridge thawing in winter
Many fridge-freezers have one thermostat in the fridge section. In a cold garage, the fridge never asks for cooling, so the freezer slowly warms up and thaws. It's a known quirk, not always a fault.
Garage fridge struggling in summer
Under a hot roof, with dust on the coils and boxes stacked around it, a fridge runs non-stop and still can't keep cold. Ventilation and clean coils make a big difference.
Fridge warm, freezer cold
Cold air from the freezer isn't reaching the fridge: a stopped fan, a stuck damper, an iced-up evaporator, or food packed against the vent.
Freezing the vegetables
A thermostat stuck at its coldest, a damper stuck open, or a sensor that has failed. Lettuce and milk at the back of the fridge freeze first.
Water inside or on the floor
Usually a blocked defrost drain at the back of the fridge section, or a drip tray at the bottom that has cracked.
Dead after a storm
Highveld storms bring power dips and surges. A fridge that won't start after one may have a damaged relay or control board. Check the plug point and the breaker first.
The second fridge in the garage
A garage is a tough place for a fridge. In summer, heat under the roof makes it run all day. In winter, a cold garage can fool a fridge-freezer's thermostat into switching off, and the freezer thaws. Check your manual for the room temperatures your model is designed for. Some fridges have a winter or garage setting that keeps the freezer running.
Give a garage fridge room to breathe, keep it out of direct sun, and vacuum the coils every few months. Stand it on a level surface so the door closes and seals properly.
Door seals on a family fridge
To test a seal, close the door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out easily, the seal isn't gripping there. Try a few spots all the way round. Clean the seal with warm soapy water, because spills make it stick and tear.
Don't hang heavy bags or bottles on the door shelves beyond what they're made for. The extra weight drops the door on its hinges and breaks the seal at the top.
Repair or replace?
Seals, thermostats, fans, relays and defrost parts are everyday repairs and well worth doing. A failed compressor or a gas leak is the expensive end. On an older fridge, compare that repair price with a new fridge. The repair or replace check helps.
After you book
Tell us whether the fridge is in the kitchen or the garage when you book. Typically at your door within 60 minutes for same-day bookings. Track your technician live: when they leave, you get a live tracking link on your phone.
The technician tests the fridge, explains the fault and gives you the price before any work starts.
No call-out fee when we repair it.If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies. The technician finds the fault and explains the repair before any work starts, so you decide whether to go ahead.
Book a repairFridge repairs in Roodepoort: your questions
Why does my garage freezer thaw in winter?
On many fridge-freezers the thermostat is in the fridge section. When the garage is cold, the fridge never calls for cooling and the freezer warms up. Check whether your model has a garage or winter setting.
Can a fridge door seal be replaced?
Yes. Seals are made to fit specific models, and replacing one is a standard repair that brings the fridge back to temperature and stops frost forming.
My fridge stopped working after a storm. Can it be fixed?
Often. A surge can damage the start relay or the control board, and both can be replaced. Check the plug and the breaker first.
Can I keep a fridge-freezer in the garage?
Yes, if the model is designed for the temperatures your garage reaches, which the manual lists. Give it room to breathe, keep it out of direct sun, and use the garage or winter setting if it has one.
How often should I defrost a static fridge's freezer box?
When the ice is about as thick as a coin, or sooner if the door stops sealing. Switch off, take the food out, let the ice melt with towels down, and never chip at it with a knife.
What does a fridge repair cost in Roodepoort?
A door seal, a thermostat or a relay is a modest repair. A board damaged by a storm costs more, and a compressor most. You'll have the price before any work starts.