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Dust-matted condenser coils at the back of a refrigerator that has been pulled away from the wall.

Refrigerator
Running Constantly

The compressor never cycles off, and the cabinet may still be holding temperature.

(844) 681-4650

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 681-4650

What it
usually means.

A refrigerator is meant to cycle. One that runs without stopping is losing heat as fast as it removes it, or it has been told to keep going by a control that is not seeing the truth. Importantly, the food may still be perfectly cold — which is why this problem is often ignored until the electricity bill or the noise makes it impossible to ignore.

A refrigeration gauge manifold with two hoses connected at the back of a refrigerator, the compressor and its copper lines exposed below. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Is the food still at the right temperature, or has it started to drift?
02

When were the condenser coils or the front grille last cleared?
03

Has the room the appliance stands in become much warmer?
04

Is there frost building anywhere inside?
05

Has a door been left open recently, or is one not closing fully?

Check these
before you book.

Refrigerator running constantly: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Clear the front grille or vacuum the rear or underside coils.

02

Check there is clearance around and behind the unit.

03

Test the door seal by closing it on a sheet of paper and pulling; it should drag.

Also worth checking

  • Note whether the food is still cold, because that changes the urgency completely.
  • Note how warm the room has become, especially in summer.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent while the food is still cold, but it is the early stage of several problems that do become urgent. Worth booking before it becomes a cooling call.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things refrigerator running constantly turns out to be, from dirty condenser coils or a blocked grille to low refrigerant charge.

The cost guide
  1. 01 lowest

    Dirty condenser coils or a blocked grille

    By far the most common cause, and on a built-in it is the front grille rather than anything at the back.

    Fixed by maintenance
  2. 02 low

    Door seal leaking

    A continuous small inflow of warm air means the appliance never catches up.

    Fixed by door, gasket and alignment See refrigerator door not sealing
  3. 03 low

    Condenser fan failing

    Heat is not being carried away from the coil, so the compressor runs on without effect.

    Fixed by fan and airflow repair
  4. 04 moderate

    Defrost heater stuck on or thermostat failed

    The appliance fights its own defrost cycle, which also shows as a compartment that is warmer than it should be.

    Fixed by defrost system repair
  5. 05 highest

    Low refrigerant charge

    A slow leak leaves the system running continuously and still losing ground, and it usually arrives after months of gradual decline.

    Fixed by sealed system and compressor
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

31 makes on this site; refrigerator running constantly can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 31 brands

Refrigerator Running Constantly,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A family preparing a meal together in their kitchen
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
refrigerator running constantly.

Is it normal for a new refrigerator to run almost all the time?
Often it is. Many modern units use a variable-speed compressor designed to run for long stretches at low speed, so a quiet, near-continuous hum is expected. A newly installed unit also runs without stopping for its first day while it pulls down to temperature. Running hard with food that is only just cold is the pattern to report.
The sides of the cabinet feel hot. Is that a problem?
Warm sides are often by design, because many refrigerators route part of the condenser through the cabinet walls to shed heat and keep the outside dry. Hot sides together with nonstop running are different: the heat is not getting away, and clearance and a clean coil are the first things to check.
Will running nonstop wear out the compressor?
It shortens its life, because a compressor that never rests runs hotter and its start components take more strain. That is the practical reason to book while the food is still cold: most causes of constant running sit in the lowest and low bands, while a worn compressor sits in the highest.
Does it matter where the refrigerator stands?
Yes. A closet, a sunny wall or a pantry without ventilation keeps the air around the condenser warm, and the compressor then works longer for the same result. Check the clearances in the manual; a unit squeezed into a tight space can run constantly with nothing wrong inside it.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing refrigerator running constantly?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

Schedule a repair Call (844) 681-4650
(844) 681-4650 Schedule a repair