Many refrigerators‘ owners detect frost blocks in the freezer and even in the fridge chamber from time to time. You can always prevent ice buildup in your freezer. For this, you should:
- Close the door tight
- Set the correct temperature
- Follow the basic operating rules
- Clean out the drain hole
- Move the refrigerator away from other devices
- Change the freezer door gasket
One study noted that freezers ice makers were more than twice as likely to be repaired due to this problem, indicating that this is a likely common problem. The significant thickness of such frost buildup becomes a serious problem, as refrigeration equipment begins to consume much more electricity and also does not cool food well. The household appliance has to be constantly defrosted in order to get rid of this problem. This issue not only causes inconvenience but also indicates that some kind of breakdown has occurred in the refrigerator. If it is not corrected promptly, there is a high probability of more complex and, therefore, more costly troubleshooting.
If you notice that freezer frost is constantly growing in the refrigerator, then our article will be useful to you. You will be able to find out the exact causes of frost buildup as well as practical solutions to this problem.
Reasons why there is a lot of frost buildup in the freezer
There are several reasons for this problem in the fridge:
- The freezer door is not closed tightly.
- Super Freeze mode is on.
- Incorrect operation.
- The drain hole is blocked.
- The high temperature outside.
- Damage to gasket on the freezer door.
Now let’s consider these reasons in more detail:
- The freezer door is not closed tightly. First, check that the freezer door is surely closed because someone could just not close it tightly enough. It can also be the consequence of the incorrect installation of the refrigerator. If it is in an uneven position, the freezer door warps, and gaps remain.
- Super Freeze mode is on. If your refrigerator has a Super Freeze function, it is possible that you have forgotten to turn it off or decided to reinsure in hot weather and then have not turned off this mode yet.
- Incorrect operation. This problem may also occur when the user frequently overloads the refrigerator compartment with uncooled, steaming food. It can also include the storage of dishes with no lids.
- The drain hole is blocked. At the bottom of the freezer, you can observe a thick crust of ice, perhaps even with water not frozen yet.
- The high temperature outside. If it is too warm near the refrigerator, the compressor must work harder to provide adequate cooling. Thus, it can work with full pressure and start to cool too much.
- Damage to gasket on the freezer door. If the gasket is damaged, worn out, or the door is slightly warped due to incorrect installation, thus warm air will filter into the freezer and settle there in the form of condensate, which will turn into ice.
Basic solutions for preventing the freezer frost
After you have detected increased ice formation in the freezer, you need to:
- Set the correct temperature.
- Follow the basic operating rules.
- Clean out the drain hole.
- Eliminate device overheating.
- Replace the gasket on the freezer door.
And now let’s consider these reasons in more detail:
- Set the correct temperature. After deactivating the Super Freeze function, keep the optimum temperature for the freezer at -18°C.
- Follow the basic operating rules. Do not put anything hot in the refrigerator, do not place open containers of liquids, and do not leave the door open for a long time. Evaporating moisture condenses on the walls and freezes, and if you put something hot next to the sensitive defrost sensor, it can easily fail.
- Clean out the drain hole. There may be foreign objects that interfere with the flow of water, because of which it will accumulate at the bottom of the chamber and turn into frost buildup. You just need to clean the drainage hole with a syringe. Take a special brush (usually included with the refrigerator) or a few cotton swabs and gently wipe the inside of the drain channel wall. If this does not help, and there is some dirt left inside the drain, use a syringe to rinse the blockage with water. Or call a professional repairman to find the reason and eliminate it.
- Eliminate device overheating. The cause of fridge overheating can be not only the heat outside the window. Near the refrigerator, there should not be devices that produce a lot of heat (electric stoves or ovens, radiators), and direct sunlight should not fall.
- Replace the gasket on the freezer door. If a visual inspection reveals damage or the gasket wear, it must be replaced. And if everything looks in order, then check how evenly it is installed.
If the reason lies in something simple, then you will eliminate this trouble yourself without additional help. However, there are other reasons for freezer frosting, that you cannot solve without a service master. It is better to entrust your house appliances to an experienced qualified specialist
FAQ
Yes, frost buildup is bad for a freezer. With a dense layer of ice, the device ceases to fulfil its main purpose and may even break.
Normally, the freezer is cleared of ice at least once a day. The defrost heater turns on, and the ice turns into water and flows down the drainage channel. If the drainage hole is clogged, the water has nowhere to go, and it accumulates under the boxes and freezes with a thick layer of ice.
Typical freezer failure symptoms include:
- A compressor that runs for 5-10 seconds and automatically turns off
- An engine operation during which it creates long pauses
- A not constant temperature in the cooling store
- Rust on the freezer
On average, the service life of modern freezers is 10-15 years. A number of manufacturers may make clarifications, indicating their time frame.
Turning to an experienced master, you can find a solution with a faulty refrigerator. Thus, you will save not only money but also nature.
