The freezer is frosty, yet the milk is lukewarm, and the cheese has gone sweaty. Most fridge breakdowns begin this way. Fix Cheetah repairs refrigerators in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby and across the Fraser Valley and Sea-to-Sky corridor, around the clock and on holidays. Same-day visits are often available, so a fridge that quits before a long weekend doesn't have to limp along until Tuesday.
Top-freezer, bottom-freezer, French door, side-by-side, counter-depth, chest, upright or fully integrated: if it keeps food cold, we'll take a look. Samsung, LG, Whirlpool and Miele refrigeration is where our technicians have factory training, and we're warranty-authorized for GE, Frigidaire, Fhiaba and Fulgor Milano. Sub-Zero, Liebherr, Thermador, JennAir, Fisher & Paykel and Bosch appear on our schedule often, too.
Warm food doesn't always mean a dead fridge. More often a small part has failed, like a defrost heater, a seized fan motor or a thermistor sending the board a false reading. Those are everyday repairs.
Early signs your fridge or freezer needs repair
Big breakdowns are hard to miss. The quiet warnings arrive first, and acting on them tends to mean a cheaper repair and fewer spoilt groceries.
- Ice cream that scoops softly or frost-coated packaged food
- A compressor that rarely seems to switch off, even overnight
- Water droplets on shelves or inside the door bins
- A door-open alarm that chirps while the door is closed
- A blinking temperature display or an unfamiliar error code
- Slow ice production, or a water dispenser that dribbles
How we diagnose refrigeration problems
We follow the cooling path in order, link by link. Does the compressor start, and does it draw normal current? Are both fans actually moving air across the coils? Is the evaporator clear, or buried in ice, and are the defrost heater, bi-metal thermostat and defrost timer or board all doing their jobs? Inverter-driven Samsung and LG models get their own checks: we test the inverter board and compressor windings before anyone talks about replacing a compressor.
Where it helps, we log temperatures at several spots inside the cabinet and pull the fault history from the unit's service mode. A suspected refrigerant leak or restriction gets confirmed with care before sealed-system work is ever suggested. That repair costs far more than swapping a fan or heater, so the evidence should be solid before you're asked to decide.
Built-in and luxury refrigerator repair in Vancouver
Sub-Zero, Thermador Freedom columns, Miele MasterCool, Liebherr Monolith, Fhiaba and Gaggenau Vario refrigerators are built to last decades, which makes repair the sensible call nearly every time. They demand patience, though. Panels must come off without scratching custom millwork, condensers mounted up high need cleaning from a ladder, and dual-compressor designs keep separate sealed circuits for the fresh food and freezer sides.
Our technicians are used to finished kitchens and put protection down for floors and cabinetry before a tool comes out. For Fhiaba and Fulgor Milano, where we're warranty-authorized, in-warranty work follows the manufacturer's own procedures.
Refrigerator brands we service
Refrigerators and freezers come in every price band, and we repair across all of them: Samsung, LG, GE, GE Monogram, Café, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana, Electrolux, Kenmore, Bosch, Miele, Liebherr, Sub-Zero, Thermador, JennAir, Fisher & Paykel, Fhiaba, Fulgor Milano, Bertazzoni, Smeg, Haier, Hisense, Danby and True Residential.
Repair or replace your refrigerator?
Fans, defrost components, thermistors, door gaskets, water valves, ice makers and control boards are everyday repairs, and they usually cost a small fraction of a new refrigerator. Sealed-system jobs, such as a compressor swap or an evaporator leak, cost noticeably more. They're best justified on premium and built-in units, or on a newer mainstream fridge whose cabinet and doors are still in good condition.
On an older budget fridge with a failed sealed system, buying new is often smarter, and we'll tell you so plainly. Either way, you hear the diagnosis and see a clear estimate before agreeing to anything.
Keeping your fridge healthy in BC homes
Many Vancouver condos wedge the fridge into a narrow alcove with barely any breathing room. Trapped heat around the condenser forces the compressor to work harder to hold temperature. A coat of dust or pet hair on the coil has the same effect, and muggy coastal summers add moisture and, therefore, frost each time the door swings open.
- Vacuum the condenser coil or grille twice a year, with the fridge unplugged
- Keep the air gap the manufacturer recommends around freestanding models
- Test the door seals: a sheet of paper shut in the door should resist when you tug it
- Change the water filter when the manufacturer says so, which also protects the inlet valve
- Don't let food containers block the interior air vents
5 Most Common Fridge & Freezer Issues and How to Fix Them
The fridge is not cooling, but the freezer works
Most fridges make their cold in the freezer and push some of it into the fresh food side with a fan. If only the fridge is warm, suspect a seized evaporator fan, a stuck air damper, or a coil iced over because the defrost heater, thermostat, or timer failed. Check that food isn't blocking the vents between sections, then press the freezer door switch and listen for the fan to start. A freezer back panel covered in frost or a fan that stays silent means the defrost system and fan need testing and a replacement part.
The refrigerator is not cooling at all
If both compartments are warm, look at the back of the fridge first. Condenser coils packed with dust or a stalled condenser fan stop the system from releasing heat. A failed start relay can leave the compressor clicking on and off without ever running. Make sure the fridge has power, the thermostat hasn't been nudged and the toe-kick grille is clear. Then unplug it and vacuum the coils. Still warm after several hours? The compressor, relay and control board then need a technician's testing.
Fridge leaking water on the floor
Start by suspecting the defrost drain, which can freeze or clog. Water from every defrost cycle backs up, freezes across the freezer floor, then seeps out under the crisper drawers. Other sources include a cracked drain pan, a loose supply line, a water inlet valve that drips, or a filter housing that isn't seated properly. Close the water supply, inspect the line behind the fridge for drips and push the filter back in firmly. If the drain keeps refreezing every few days, the defrost heater is the likely fault, and we test and replace it.
Frost build-up in the freezer
A little frost is normal. A solid white sheet across the back wall is not, and points to a defrost heater, thermostat or control that has stopped melting the coil. Frost on food packages and around the doorframe is a separate issue, usually humid air leaking past a torn or twisted gasket. Keep the door closed more often while you check the gasket for gaps and flattened spots. Resist the urge to chip at ice with a knife or screwdriver, since a slip can puncture the evaporator. Defrost components are a job for a technician.
The refrigerator is making a loud noise
Grinding or rattling from inside the freezer often means the evaporator fan blade is clipping ice, an early hint that defrost is struggling. A buzz or squeal from the bottom rear usually points to the condenser fan motor, and a click every few minutes followed by silence suggests a failing start relay. Gurgling and soft crackling during defrost are normal. Unplug the fridge, pull it forward and check that nothing is brushing the condenser fan. Worn fan motors and start relays are simple parts for a technician to swap.
Can't pin down the faulty part? Our technician checks the fans, defrost system and controls at your home, sources what's needed and completes the fridge repair across Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Sea-to-Sky.
Book OnlineFridge & Freezer brands we service
Warranty-authorized & factory-trainedTHE GO-TO TECHNICIANS
- Blomberg· Warranty-Authorized
- Fhiaba· Warranty-Authorized
- Frigidaire· Warranty-Authorized
- Fulgor Milano· Warranty-Authorized
- GE· Warranty-Authorized
- Irinox· Warranty-Authorized
- LG· Factory-Trained
- Miele· Factory-Trained
- Samsung· Factory-Trained
- Whirlpool· Factory-Trained
Also serviced
- Admiral
- AEG
- Amana
- Beko
- Bertazzoni
- Bosch
- Café
- Capital
- Dacor
- Danby
- Electrolux
- Fisher & Paykel
- Forno
- Frigidaire Gallery
- Frigidaire Professional
- Gaggenau
- Galanz
- GE Monogram
- GE Profile
- Gorenje
- Haier
- Hisense
- Hotpoint
- Inglis
- Insignia
- JennAir
- Kenmore
- KitchenAid
- Koolatron
- Kucht
- Liebherr
- Magic Chef
- Marathon
- Marvel
- Maytag
- Midea
- RCA
- Sharp
- Silhouette
- Smeg
- Sub-Zero
- Summit
- Thermador
- Thor Kitchen
- True Residential
- U-Line
- Unique Appliances
- Viking
- Vissani
- Westinghouse
- ZLINE
Fridge & Freezer FAQ
Why is my fridge warm when the freezer is still cold?
That means cold air isn't getting from the freezer into the fridge. Most refrigerators make their cold in the freezer and use a fan and damper to share it, so an iced-over evaporator from a defrost fault, a seized fan or a stuck damper can leave the freezer frozen while the fridge slowly warms. A single visit is usually enough to tell which one it is.
My fridge stopped cooling. What should I do before the technician arrives?
Keep the doors shut and move the most perishable items into a cooler packed with ice. Confirm the fridge has power and that nobody has changed the temperature setting. If the back wall of the freezer is thick with frost, leave it be: chipping at it or using a hair dryer erases a clue the technician uses to diagnose the defrost system.
How do I reset my refrigerator?
Cut power at the plug or breaker for about five minutes, turn it back on, and give the fridge up to 24 hours to return to temperature. Your owner's manual may also list a control reset or diagnostic mode for your model. If the same fault or error code reappears, a component has failed and needs testing.
Can you repair Sub-Zero and other built-in refrigerators?
Yes. We repair built-in and integrated refrigeration from Sub-Zero, Thermador, Miele, Liebherr, Gaggenau, JennAir, Fhiaba and Fulgor Milano, with warranty authorization for Fhiaba and Fulgor Milano. Custom panels and cabinetry get protected throughout the job.
Is it worth repairing a refrigerator compressor?
Often, yes, when the fridge is built-in or premium. A compressor or sealed-system repair is worth it if the rest of the unit is sound and replacing it would mean new panels or cabinetry. On an older budget fridge, buying new usually wins. We confirm the diagnosis carefully and give you a clear estimate, so the decision is yours.
How quickly can you get to me?
We're open 24/7 including holidays, and same-day appointments are often possible when a technician is already working in your area. Failed refrigeration gets priority because your food is on the clock.
Do you fix chest freezers and standalone upright freezers?
Yes. Chest freezers, upright freezers and convertible fridge-freezer columns are all in scope, including thermostats, fans, defrost systems, start components and door seals.
Fridge & Freezer service locations
Local technicians based in Surrey and Whistler, serving Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Sea-to-Sky daily, with scheduled trips to the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Interior.