How to Identify Cold Spots in Your Fridge

Cold spots in your refrigerator can ruin some foods or add on unnecessary thaw time to your meal preparation. This is a common problem with refrigerators. But by identifying cold spots in your fridge, you can avoid them and the unwanted freezing they cause. You can find cold spots through trial and error, or you can more accurately locate them with a thermometer. Once you know where they are, you can troubleshoot the problem until it's fixed.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding Cold Spots through Trial and Error

1
Gather a notebook and writing utensil. The main problem with cold spots is that they're invisible, which makes them easy to forget. Having a notebook and writing utensil handy in the kitchen will give you the opportunity to make a log of freezing.
- You might find it even easier to remember this if you use a magnetic pen/notepad. This way, when you look at the fridge, you'll be reminded about cold spots.
- Your fridge may have a few cold spots. To hone in on the location of these, you may want to draw a simple diagram of the shelves of your fridge and mark potential cold spots.
2
Track the location of frozen food in your fridge. Location is the key element you'll need to track to find cold spots. The location of cold spots is usually consistent, so by tracking frozen food in your notebook, you'll be identifying cold spots.^{[1]XResearch source}
- You should observe freezing in your fridge for two weeks for the most accurate cold spot identification.
- Various factors, including the amount of food in your fridge, can influence freezing and give you false results. More observations will provide more reliable data.^{[2]XResearch source}
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3
Chart your observations to find cold spots. Now that you have a log of where food freezes in your fridge, you should be able to easily determine cold spots. Areas where food has consistently frozen are where you have cold spots in your fridge.
- Even after finding the cold spots in your fridge, you might still forget where they are located from time to time. Mark these spots with a visible piece of tape, like a colored piece of painters tape.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Thermometer

1
Select a suitable thermometer. A regular thermometer should work for this method of finding cold spots, but a higher quality one will give the most accurate reading. Being able to clearly differentiate between temperatures will make it easier to pinpoint cold spots.
- Avoid touching the temperature gauge of your thermometer with your hands or fingers. Oil and heat from your hands can influence the temperature reading.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceNational Health Service (UK)Public healthcare system of the UKGo to source}
2
Fill multiple glasses with equal amounts of water. Use the same kind of glass for each one. Different glasses may cool down more or less easily and ruin your results. The amount of water in each glass should also be equal. Larger amounts of water cool less quickly than smaller amounts.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Fill enough glasses so that each shelf has at least one in each corner of the shelf and another glass in the middle.
3
Insert the glasses in your fridge and wait. Generally, one glass per shelf corner and one in the middle of each shelf should be sufficient for identifying cold spots. You may have to rearrange items in your fridge to fit the glasses. Once the water is inside, wait for approximately one hour.
- You can create a more precise temperature map of your fridge with more glasses. Arrange the glasses around the perimeter of shelves and across the middle of the shelves, left to right, front to back.
Once the time is up, take your thermometer and use it to check the temperature of each glass of water. Some glasses will be colder than others. These colder glasses are where the cold spots are.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting Cold Spots

1
Position temperature sensitive food away from vents. Food directly beneath cooling vents will receive the brunt of the cold, which may cause freezing. In most cases, you can find the cold air vent above or to the side of the top shelf.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Many of these vents will have a slatted or narrow opening through which the cold air passes.
- If you have difficulty identifying the cold air vent in your refrigerator, open the door and feel around potential vent areas with your hand. If you feel cold air being emitted, you've likely found the vent.
2
Investigate the freezer settings. Your freezer can influence the coldness of your refrigerator, especially for refrigerator models with a freezer at the bottom.^{[6]XExpert SourceAaron Beth
Appliance TechnicianExpert Interview. 14 July 2020.} By raising the temperature of your freezer, you could solve your cold spot problem.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Be sure not to raise the temperature of your freezer above freezing (32°F/0°C). This can cause bacteria to grow and food to spoil faster than normal.^{[8]XResearch source}
3
Add food to your refrigerator. The food in your refrigerator acts like a sponge for the cold air. The more food you have in it, the more evenly distributed the cold air will be. Keeping your refrigerator more fully stocked could be a simple solution to your fridge's cold spots.^{[9]XResearch source}
- This is especially true for the bottom of your fridge, where cold air can build up and cause freezing. Make sure the bottom of your fridge is well stocked.
4
Contact the manufacturer or a service representative. Refrigerators these days are complex pieces of machinery. In some situations, there may be a mechanical issue with the inner workings of your refrigerator. If this is the case, a service representative or manufacturer assistance may be the best way to resolve the issue.
- The manufacturer information for your refrigerator can usually be found in its user manual.
- If you cannot determine the manufacturer of your fridge, inquire with the retailer that sold it to you to determine this information.^{[10]XResearch source}
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Tips

Before contacting a service representative, check the information provided that came with your refrigerator to see if it's still under warranty. A warranty can greatly reduce or even eliminate repair costs.
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Warnings

Raising the temperature of your fridge above of the manufacturer's recommended settings could cause your food to spoil faster or bacteria to grow.
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