Refrigerator Repair
Warm fresh food section, back-wall frost or nonstop running. We trace the refrigerator fault and repair it at your home.
See the repairRefrigeration
Freezer repair in Los Angeles for upright and chest units
A freezer that creeps above 10°F puts weeks of groceries at risk. We repair standalone upright and chest freezers, including the second unit in your garage, and the freezer side of combination refrigerators.
- Phone answered 24/7
- Office in Sun Valley
- Price before the work
$155 to $275 typical for start relay and overload kit
Quick answer
Freezer repair covers standalone uprights, chest freezers and the freezer section of a refrigerator. Typical faults are a failed start relay, a stuck defrost timer, a dead fan or a leaking lid gasket. Keep the lid closed, pack the contents tight, and call us. We answer 24/7 and give you the repair price before we start.
We repair Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, KitchenAid, Bosch, Sub-Zero, Wolf, Thermador and the other names found in Valley kitchens and laundry rooms.
WhirlpoolGESamsungLGFrigidaireKitchenAidMaytagBoschSub-ZeroWolfThermadorVikingKenmoreMiele
Before you call
Freezer checks you can do safely
Safe checks only. If anything smells hot, sparks or involves gas, stop and call.
- Put an appliance thermometer in the middle of the contents and read it after a few hours.
- Check that the plug is seated and test the outlet with a lamp, including any garage GFCI.
- Look for a dial that was knocked to a warmer setting during loading.
- Wipe the gasket and check for gaps where light shows through with a flashlight inside.
- Unplug the freezer and vacuum dust from the base grille and the back.
Symptoms
Freezer warning signs worth acting on today
- Ice cream turns softSoft ice cream means the cabinet is above about 10°F. Meat is next.
- Compressor hums then quitsA hum that stops after a few seconds points to the start relay, overload or a struggling compressor.
- Thick ice on the lid rimIce along the opening of a chest freezer means warm air is getting past the gasket.
- Outer walls feel hotChest freezer walls run warm by design, but very hot walls with poor cooling suggest a condenser or refrigerant problem.
- Auto-defrost model frosting upHeavy frost inside a auto-defrost upright means the defrost heater, timer or thermostat has failed.
- Power light on, cabinet silentIf the light works but nothing runs, the thermostat or cold control may have failed open.
The short version
Chest and upright freezers fail in different ways
A chest freezer is a simple machine: a compressor, a condenser buried in the outer walls, and cold plates wrapped around the tub. It has no fan inside and usually no automatic defrost. When it fails, the cause is most often electrical, such as a start relay, overload, thermostat or cord.
An upright freezer works more like a refrigerator. Auto-defrost uprights use an evaporator coil, a fan and a timed defrost heater, so they share the airflow faults a fridge has. Manual defrost uprights put the coils in the shelves and fail more like a chest model.
We start every freezer call by identifying which design you have. That single fact changes which parts we test first and keeps the visit short. It also tells us which parts to bring in from the truck.
Step by step
From the first call to a cold freezer
Every visit follows the same order, so you always know what comes next and what it costs.
Phone us any hour
Tell us whether it is a chest or upright freezer and what the thermometer reads. You get an arrival window before we hang up.
Protect the food
We tell you how to pack and cover the contents so they hold cold until we arrive.
Electrical and temperature tests
The technician checks voltage, the cold control, the start parts and the compressor windings.
Clear price
You get the diagnosis and the repair price before any part is replaced.
Repair and pull-down
We install the part and watch the freezer begin to pull down toward 0°F before we leave.
Parts and repairs
Freezer repairs our technicians handle on site
We carry the common start parts and thermostats for Frigidaire, GE, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Amana and Electrolux freezers. Defrost parts and fan motors for auto-defrost uprights are also on the truck for most popular models.
- Start relay and overloadThe small parts on the side of the compressor that help it start. They are the most common chest freezer repair.
- Cold control thermostatTurns the compressor on and off by temperature. A failed control leaves the freezer off or running nonstop.
- Defrost timerSwitches a auto-defrost upright between cooling and defrost. A stuck timer can stop cooling completely.
- Defrost heater and limitClear frost from the evaporator coil on auto-defrost uprights. We test both for continuity.
- Evaporator fan motorCirculates cold air through a auto-defrost upright. A stalled fan causes warm shelves near the door.
- Lid or door gasketSeals the cabinet. A torn gasket causes ice buildup and long run times.
- Lid hinge and counterbalanceWorn chest freezer hinges let the lid sit crooked and leak air along one side.
- Power cord and junctionGarage freezers often have chewed or crushed cords. We replace them and check the outlet.
Los Angeles price ranges
Freezer repair price ranges in Los Angeles
Most freezer repairs are electrical parts that cost far less than a new unit. Sealed system work is the exception and we always flag it early.
| Repair | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Start relay and overload kit | $155 to $275 | Compressor type and relay style |
| Cold control thermostat | $170 to $310 | Mounting location and model |
| Defrost timer or heater on an upright | $205 to $385 | Which defrost part failed |
| Evaporator fan motor | $190 to $345 | Fan design and panel access |
| Lid or door gasket | $165 to $320 | Cabinet size and gasket style |
Your real price depends on the part and the diagnosis, and we tell you the price before we start.
Here in the Valley
Why garage freezers in the Valley struggle every summer
A lot of Valley homes keep a second freezer in the garage, and those garages bake in summer. With outdoor highs past 100°F, a closed garage can get much hotter than the kitchen. Most household freezers are built to run in a normal indoor room, so a hot garage pushes the compressor to its limit.
We see the results from Sylmar to Chatsworth every August: relays that burned out, condensers packed with dust, and compressors that run without a rest. Leave several inches of space around a garage freezer, keep it off the wall that faces the afternoon sun, and vacuum around the base. If your model is rated for garage use, keep the manual handy so we can check its settings.
Worth weighing
Is your freezer worth repairing
A chest freezer with a bad relay or thermostat is almost always worth fixing. These freezers are simple and the cabinet lasts a long time. The repair usually costs a fraction of a new unit.
If the compressor has failed or the refrigerant has leaked out of a skin condenser, the math changes. Those repairs can approach the price of a new freezer of the same size. We explain both paths and let you choose.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Where we handle freezer repair calls
Our Sun Valley office sends technicians across the Valley and the cities around it. These are the places we visit most for freezer repair.
- Sun Valley 91352
- North Hollywood 91601
- Valley Village 91607
- Studio City 91604
- Sherman Oaks 91403
- Van Nuys 91405
- Lake Balboa 91406
- Encino 91436
- Tarzana 91356
- Woodland Hills 91364
- West Hills 91307
- Northridge 91324
- Granada Hills 91344
- Porter Ranch 91326
- Chatsworth 91311
- Mission Hills 91345
- Sylmar 91342
- Sunland-Tujunga 91040
- Burbank 91505
- Glendale 91205
- Pasadena 91101
- La Cañada Flintridge 91011
- San Fernando 91340
- Santa Clarita 91355
- Calabasas 91302
- Simi Valley 93065
- Thousand Oaks 91360
Questions
Freezer Repair questions we hear in Los Angeles
How long will food last in a freezer that stopped working?
A full freezer that stays closed holds frozen food for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for about 24. Do not keep opening the lid to check. Packing the contents together and covering the freezer with a blanket helps it hold temperature until we arrive.
Why does my chest freezer hum but not get cold?
A hum without cooling usually means the compressor is trying to start and cannot. The start relay or overload is the most common cause, and those parts are inexpensive. A compressor that is mechanically stuck is less common, and we test the windings before suggesting anything.
Can a garage freezer be repaired after a heat wave?
Usually yes. Heat waves wear out start relays and condenser fans first, and both are routine repairs. We also check the cord, the outlet and the space around the freezer, since poor airflow in a hot garage will wear out the new part too.
Why is my auto-defrost upright freezer full of ice?
A auto-defrost upright melts frost off its coil on a timer. If the defrost heater, defrost thermostat or timer fails, frost keeps building until air cannot move. We test all three and replace the failed part, then clear the existing ice so the freezer runs normally.
Do you repair the freezer section of a refrigerator too?
Yes. Freezer repair on a combination refrigerator uses many of the same tests, including the evaporator fan, defrost circuit and gasket. If both sections are warm, the fault is often shared, so we diagnose the whole refrigerator rather than just the freezer side.
Is it safe to defrost my chest freezer myself?
Yes, if you unplug it first. Move food to coolers, open the lid, and let the ice melt into towels or the drain. Do not chip ice with a knife or screwdriver, because the cold plates and refrigerant lines sit right behind the inner wall of a chest freezer.
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See the repairNeed freezer repair today?
Call now. We answer every hour of every day and will tell you what we will check first.