In many Whirlpool designs, the freezer generates the cold and a fan moves that air through a damper/diffuser into the fresh-food section. If airflow is blocked or control signals are wrong, the freezer still reaches 0–5°F while the refrigerator climbs to 45–60°F. Common reasons are heavy frost on the evaporator (defrost failure), a non-spinning or weak evaporator fan, a stuck damper/baffle, blocked return vents, or thermistor/control issues.
Our diagnostic traces the full air path — from evaporator to diffuser and back via returns — and separates airflow faults from temperature-sensing or control problems. We also look for loading patterns that block vents, and gasket leaks that add heat and moisture.
We verify actual temperatures, inspect frost pattern, and confirm airflow volume. Then we exercise the damper, test the evaporator fan, and check defrost system continuity and control outputs.
After repair we balance temperatures, verify diffuser operation and return flow, and re-check within a cooling cycle to confirm stable 34–40°F in the fresh-food section.
If the issue appears after a long door-open period or big grocery trip, give the unit several hours to recover; if the fridge section won’t drop below ~42°F, schedule a diagnostic.
Yes. A stuck-closed or broken damper prevents cold air from entering the fresh-food section while the freezer stays cold.
If the evaporator is packed with ice, a controlled defrost plus fixing the failed part (heater/thermostat/board) is required. We do both in one visit when possible.
Usually within one full cooling cycle — 4 to 12 hours depending on load and door usage.