What We Fix
Built-in refrigeration is the appliance we are called about most in Franklin Lakes, and for good reason: these units run continuously for decades and the failures tend to be specific and repairable. We handle the full range of refrigerator faults, including a fresh-food side that drifts warm while the freezer stays cold, a unit that runs without ever cycling off, frost creeping across the freezer coils, a compressor that will not start, and water pooling on the cabinet floor from a frozen drain.
We service dual-compressor and dual-evaporator designs where the two compartments are effectively separate cooling circuits, which changes how a warm-side complaint is diagnosed. We also work integrated and panel-ready installations, taking care around custom cabinetry when pulling a unit for access.
Common Problems We See
- Refrigerator warm, freezer cold: often the fresh-food evaporator fan, a stuck air damper, or a localized defrost fault.
- Whole unit warming up: a sealed-system issue, a failed compressor start component, or a control board.
- Frost on the back wall or coils: a defrost heater, defrost thermostat, or defrost control that has stopped cycling.
- Constant running: dirty condenser coils, a door gasket that no longer seals, or a refrigerant charge issue.
- Water on the floor: a condensate drain frozen or clogged, sending melt water over the tray.
Typical Causes
Most warm-running complaints trace back to airflow or defrost before they trace back to refrigerant. An evaporator fan that has seized stops moving cold air even though the compressor is working perfectly. A defrost cycle that has stalled lets frost blanket the coils until air can no longer pass through them. Only after those are ruled out do we test the sealed system itself, which requires appropriately qualified handling of the refrigerant. Dirty condenser coils, common in homes with nearby cooktops or pets, make the compressor work harder and can mimic a more serious fault.
Brands We Service
We repair refrigeration from Sub-Zero, Viking, Thermador, Liebherr, Miele, True Residential, Monogram, Jenn-Air, and KitchenAid. Sub-Zero built-ins are our core, so Parts needs and availability are confirmed after model-specific diagnosis.
Fault Reference
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What We Do |
|---|---|---|
| Warm fresh food, cold freezer | Evaporator fan or damper | Test fan motor and damper, replace the failed part |
| Frost on coils | Defrost heater or control | Check defrost circuit, replace heater or thermostat |
| Runs constantly | Dirty condenser or gasket | Clean condenser, replace worn door gasket |
| Whole unit warm | Sealed system or compressor | appropriately qualified sealed-system diagnosis and repair |
| Water on floor | Frozen condensate drain | Clear and heat-treat the drain line |
Refrigerator Acting Up?
Book a diagnostic visit. Diagnostic and travel fees, if applicable, are confirmed before the appointment and before repair approval.