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Refrigerator Evaporator and condenser coils: What It Does and Signs It's Failing

Two heat exchangers. The evaporator is the finned coil hidden behind the back panel inside the freezer (and on some models the fresh food section too); it gets very cold and the fans blow air across it. The condenser sits under the fridge or on the back and gets rid of the heat pulled out of the cabinet.

How it works

Refrigerant boils inside the evaporator tubing and absorbs heat from the air passing over the fins. The compressor pumps that heat to the condenser, where a fan and room air carry it away.

Signs it is failing

• A thick layer of dust and pet hair on the condenser
• Fridge running almost nonstop and the back or bottom feeling hot
• Solid ice packed on the evaporator behind the freezer panel
• An oily spot on the tubing in the machine compartment (a possible leak)
• Sealed-system leak codes

Sealed-system codes on LG models point to a leak on the condenser (high) side or evaporator (low) side. Ice on the evaporator usually means a defrost problem, not a coil problem.

Can you replace it yourself?

You can and should clean the condenser coil with a coil brush and vacuum, with the fridge unplugged, every 6 to 12 months. Anything involving the coil tubing, a leak or refrigerant is sealed-system work. US federal rules limit that kind of refrigerant work to EPA Section 608-certified technicians.

Buying the right part

Coils aren't a homeowner purchase. If a tech finds a leak, ask whether the repair is warrantied and how it compares to replacing the fridge.

Error codes linked to the evaporator and condenser coils

• Er CHSealed system (refrigerant) faultLG

Last reviewed 2026-10-19.