It's an unsettling feeling to reach inside your fridge and realize the it's no longer keeping your food cold. This problem can be the result of a variety of different problems with your fridge, most of which can quickly be resolved by having an appliance repair person visit your home. While you might be inclined to panic about the situation, it's better to stay calm and take a three-step approach. While calling a repair person is one of the tasks you'll need to perform, it's not your first priority right now. Here's what to do. 

Deal With The Fridge Contents

It's of paramount importance to deal with the contents of the fridge right away to avoid them spoiling because they aren't being kept cool. If the interior of the fridge is still somewhat cold, it means that either the problem has recently developed or perhaps the fridge just isn't keeping its temperature as low as it needs to be. In either case, you can often salvage some of your foot. If you have a deep freeze, use it for meats and cheeses that need to remain cold. Things such as fruits and veggies can be kept at room temperature for a short period. It's also effective to store some items in a cooler with ice packs or ask a neighbor if you can place a few things in his or her fridge temporarily.

Unplug The Appliance

Your next task is to unplug the fridge, but before you do so, take note of whether it's running and whether the light comes on when you open the door. If it's not running, the issue could be indicative of a failed compressor. If it's running non-stop instead of in intervals as it's designed to do, the thermostat might be broken. It's useful to unplug the fridge for two reasons -- there's no sense in running up your electricity bill unnecessarily and unplugging the unit can actually prevent further issues if it's not running properly.

Call The Appliance Repair Person

Once you've handled the food and unplugged the fridge, get on the phone with a local appliance repair person (such as one from Arnie's Dependable Appliance Repair) to explain the issue. Do your best to identify the symptoms you encountered, as doing so will help him or her be able to provide an initial diagnosis -- this will help you get an understanding of the repair time and cost. Be ready to perform additional steps as suggested by the repair person.