Read the display
Note the room temperature, any alarm or fault code, and roughly when it started rising.
Repair guideARC AU 30896
Cool room not cooling? What it usually means
The fans are running and the display is on, but the temperature keeps climbing. Here’s what usually causes it, what you can safely check, and when to ring me.
Before you ring
Three safe checks
Look at the evaporator
That’s the fan unit inside the room. Are the fans spinning? Is the coil iced up, or is water dripping?
Check the outdoor unit
Is the condensing unit running or silent? Is anything blocking the air around it? Don’t open covers or keep resetting breakers.
Common causes
What I usually find
These are the faults I see most when a cool room stops cooling, with real jobs where I have them.
Refrigerant leak
A low charge means the system runs but can’t move enough heat out of the room. Topping up gas without finding the leak only buys time. In Werribee I found leak signs on a Sunday night, got the room back to temperature and booked the permanent repair for the next day.
Read the Werribee repairFaulty pressure switch
In a Camberwell cool room the fans were running and the thermostat showed the compressor calling, but the room kept warming. The dual pressure switches on the rooftop condensing unit had failed. A temporary repair got it cooling the same evening.
See recent job photosFailed evaporator fan
Without airflow across the coil, the cold stays in the coil instead of the room. In Doreen a failed evaporator fan had a freezer room down for seven hours; it was running again within an hour of me arriving.
Read the Doreen repairIced-up evaporator coil
Ice blocks the air through the coil, so the fans run but the room doesn’t get cold. It’s usually a defrost, door seal, fan or drain problem.
Why coils ice upDirty or boxed-in condenser
If the outdoor coil is clogged with dust and grease, or has no room to breathe, the system can’t get rid of heat. It shows up worst on hot days.
What a service coversController settings or sensors
Wrong set points, a failed sensor or defrost running too often can all leave a room warm. In Keysborough, wrong controller settings left the top of a new display fridge too warm; correcting them fixed it.
See recent job photosWhen to ring
Ring straight away if…
The temperature is above your safe limit for the stock, the compressor keeps clicking on and off, a breaker keeps tripping, or you can smell burning. Those aren’t things to wait on.
Have the suburb, the temperature it’s reading, any alarm code and a photo of the controller and the unit’s label ready. It helps me bring the right parts.
01Is a cool room that isn’t cooling always low on gas?+
No. A refrigerant leak is one cause, but fans, pressure switches, ice, a dirty condenser and controller settings can all do the same thing. It needs checking before anyone adds gas.
02Should I keep resetting the breaker?+
No. If a breaker or safety switch keeps tripping, leave it off and ring me. Resetting it again and again can damage the compressor.
03How soon can you get here?+
It depends where you are and what else I’m on. Ring me and I’ll give you an honest time, nights and weekends included.
Call James
Something stopped cooling?
Day or night, 7 days a week, anywhere in Victoria.
Call now0413 750 483 Available 24 hours · 7 days a weekWritten by James, refrigeration technician · Updated 2026-11-01