What is it doing?
Fridge Repairs South Africa covers domestic fridges and freezers as well as commercial refrigeration and cold rooms. It is the same refrigeration trade as air conditioning, which is why most aircon companies do both. Describe the fault once and compare callout fees and repair quotes.
Describe the fault and get fridge repair quotes.
Get the Best QuoteCommon Faults
- Not cooling at all. Compressor, a gas leak or the start relay.
- Fridge warm, freezer fine. Usually a blocked air path or a failed fan.
- Running constantly. Door seals, a dirty condenser or low gas.
- Ice build-up. A failed defrost heater, thermostat or timer.
- Water on the floor. A blocked defrost drain, most of the time.
- Noisy. Fan bearings, the compressor mount or something behind it.
Domestic, Commercial and Cold Rooms
- Domestic fridges. Sealed systems, cheap to replace, so repairs must be worth it.
- Chest freezers. Simple, long lived and usually worth repairing.
- Display fridges. Trading equipment, and downtime costs money every hour.
- Under-counter units. Hard working, hot environments and frequent servicing.
- Cold rooms. A built installation, repaired rather than replaced.
- Ice machines. Water quality and scale as much as refrigeration.
Repair or Replace at Home
- Age. Past ten to twelve years, a sealed system fault rarely pays.
- The fault. A thermostat or a fan is worth doing; a compressor often is not.
- Replacement cost. A basic fridge is cheap; a built-in one is not.
- Gas leaks. On a sealed domestic system, often the end of the road.
- Parts. Discontinued models can stall a repair indefinitely.
- Energy use. An old fridge running constantly is costing you monthly.
Fridge Repairs Prices
Ballpark fridge repair figures so you can check a quotation.
| Item | Ballpark price |
|---|---|
| Callout and diagnosis, domestic | R450 - R1,100 |
| Thermostat replaced | R650 - R1,900 |
| Fan motor replaced | R750 - R2,400 |
| Defrost heater or timer replaced | R850 - R2,800 |
| Door seal replaced | R600 - R2,200 |
| Regas, domestic fridge | R950 - R2,600 |
| Compressor replaced, domestic | R2,500 - R6,500 |
| Cold room callout and repair | R1,500 - R12,000 |
Prices JUST UPDATED. Ballpark figures, rounded, excluding VAT. They reflect typical South African aircon and refrigeration rates. They are not our prices or quotations, and no provider is bound by them. Confirm what each quotation includes, such as the unit capacity, the standard pipe run, the electrical work, making good and callout fees.
Get a repair price for your own unit rather than a range.
Get the Best QuoteWhat Affects the Price
- Domestic or commercial. Different parts, different urgency, different rates.
- The part. A seal and a compressor are not the same conversation.
- Parts availability. Older and imported models are slower and dearer.
- Urgency. A display fridge full of stock is an emergency callout.
- Access and location. A built-in unit takes time to get out and back.
- Travel. Distance from the technician's base.
What to Include in Your Request
- What it is doing. Not cooling, over freezing, leaking, noisy or running always.
- Make and model. Off the plate inside the door if you can reach it.
- How old it is. Roughly.
- Domestic or commercial. And what is stored in it.
- Whether stock is at risk. Which changes how fast you need someone.
- Where it is. Freestanding, built in or a cold room.
Before the Technician Quotes
- Ask whether the callout is credited. Many deduct it if the repair goes ahead.
- Weigh it against replacement. On a cheap domestic fridge, do the sum first.
- Clean the condenser coils. At the back or underneath; it fixes more than people expect.
- Check the door seals. A note of paper that pulls out freely means a seal is gone.
- Ask about parts lead time. Especially on imported or older models.
- For trading equipment, ask about response. Hours matter when stock is at risk.
Fridge Repairs FAQs
Why is my fridge not cooling but the freezer is?
On most modern fridge freezers the cold air comes from the freezer section and is moved into the fridge by a fan through a duct. If that fan fails, or the duct ices up, the freezer stays cold and the fridge warms up. It is a common fault and usually a far cheaper repair than people fear.
Is it worth repairing a fridge?
Do the sum. A thermostat, fan, seal or defrost component on a fridge under about ten years old is usually well worth fixing. A sealed system fault - a gas leak or a failed compressor - on a basic domestic fridge often costs more than half a new one, in which case replacement wins, particularly as an old fridge running constantly is also costing you every month.
How much does a fridge callout cost?
Typically R450 to R1,100 for a domestic visit including diagnosis, and more for commercial work or after hours. Many technicians credit the callout against the repair if you go ahead, so it is worth asking before you book rather than after.
Why is there water under my fridge?
Almost always a blocked defrost drain. The fridge defrosts periodically and that water should run down a small pipe to a tray on the compressor where it evaporates. When the pipe blocks with debris, the water finds its way out onto the floor instead. It is one of the cheaper repairs there is.
Do aircon companies repair fridges?
Many do, because it is the same refrigeration trade: the same gases, the same gauges and the same registration. Commercial refrigeration and cold rooms in particular are usually handled by the same companies that service air conditioning, which is why both appear on the same quote requests.
Fridge and refrigeration repairs are among the services providers listed on Aircon Hub quote for, alongside aircon repairs and servicing.
Related Services
Get the Best Quote, Fast
Client Reviews
Powered by leaderr
