How To Troubleshoot A Freezer?

Introduction

Running into problems with your freezer can be both frustrating and expensive, especially if your freezer isn’t doing its job of keeping your food safely frozen. Nobody wants their expensive steaks or carefully crafted weeknight meals going to waste because of a faulty appliance, but you may not know how to deal with this.

Many things can go wrong with a freezer, so it’s important to look at what’s happening to your appliance and what issue this points to. Sometimes, you might be able to fix it with some simple maintenance techniques, while at other times, you’ll need a repairman. Either way, you need to know what’s happening.

There are a lot of issues that freezers can encounter, so you need to know what is going wrong with yours before you start trying to fix it. We’re going to use this article to look at some common freezer problems, why they happen, and what you can do about them. This will help you tackle your problem head-on.

What Are Common Freezer Problems?

There are many problems that freezers encounter, unfortunately. These handy appliances are prone to all sorts of issues, including things like:

• Not freezing properly
• Staying too warm
• Losing their interior light
• Frosting up inside
• Making too much noise
• Leaking water
• Not turning on

We’re going to look at all of these problems and their solutions, plus some of the other things you need to know about freezers. This will help you resolve any issues you run into with this appliance!

How Does A Freezer Work?

Freezers are pretty extraordinary appliances, and not many people really understand how they operate. How do they stay so cold all the time? Let’s find out.

Your freezer has a cooling pipe hidden inside its walls, and this pipe is full of a liquid that evaporates very easily. The pipe is attached to a pump, and the pump sucks in vapor from the pipe. This forces more of the liquid in the pipe to become vapor, and this evaporation process takes heat out of the freezer.

This is the same with any liquid evaporating off a surface: it cools that surface. You’ve probably felt this yourself after getting out of a shower; the evaporating water makes your skin cold.

The pump then pushes the vapor into a pipe at the back of the freezer, and this pipe turns it back into a liquid. This produces warmth – which is why the back of your freezer feels warm if you put your hand there. The liquid is then transferred back into the first pipe, so the cycle can be repeated.

Why Does My Freezer Not Freeze?

Many things can prevent your freezer from freezing properly, but one of the biggest ones is dirty condenser coils. You should vacuum these every few months to keep them clean. If the coils aren’t exposed, they aren’t causing the problem, so don’t try to open your freezer to access them.

Another source of the problem could be the thermostat. If this has broken, your freezer won’t know what temperature it is, so it won’t be able to keep things cold. You can test your thermostat by changing it to the highest setting, and listening to see whether it produces a click sound. If there’s no click, the thermostat is not working.

Sometimes, the problem might lie with the freezer’s seal. If the door doesn’t seal when it shuts, the cold air being generated by the condenser coil will simply leak out into the room, and this will prevent the inside of the freezer from getting cold enough to freeze properly.

Tips For Freezer Maintenance

Regular maintenance can keep your freezer in top condition. We’ve already mentioned vacuuming the condenser coils (which should be done at least annually), but what else can you do to keep your freezer working efficiently?

Keeping your freezer well stocked, but not too full is an important aspect of maintaining it. Freezers should be around 70 percent full, or a little fuller – but not above 85 percent, or air cannot circulate effectively through the appliance. Keep your freezer as close to this capacity as you can.

You should occasionally clean your freezer seal by wiping it down with warm water and then drying it with a towel.

Freezer Is Too Hot

If your freezer is too hot, check what temperature it is set to. Ideally, it should be at 0 degrees F. If it’s set low but isn’t freezing, the freezer might need defrosting (if ice has built up in it) or a new seal to keep the cold air inside.

Freezer Interior Lights Don’t Work

Interior lights often break in freezers, but they tend to be easy to repair. Unplug the appliance, and then change the bulb. This is usually an easy job.

If the switch has broken, it may be harder to fix, and you might need to speak to a professional. Check nothing is jamming the switch first, though.

Frost Inside The Freezer

Freezers get frost inside them when they get too much moisture in them. This can be caused by quite a few things, but leaving the freezer door open or not replacing a damaged seal are the commonest issues. This will allow warm, damp air to get in to the coils, where it condenses and then freezes, forming frost.

Putting hot food in the freezer will also cause this problem, as will wet food. Always let food cool, and dry packaging before you put it in the freezer.

Freezer Is Too Noisy

A noisy freezer usually has a problem with its fan. If the fan is hitting something or if the bearing has begun to wear out on it, you will need to get the part repaired or replaced by a professional. Don’t attempt to do it yourself.

Note that a low humming noise is perfectly normal for freezers, because the compressor is running. It’s only loud noises that should cause concern.

Leaking Water

If your freezer is leaking, you should start by disconnecting it and checking the defrost drain to see if it’s too full. Your manual should describe how to do this. Clear any debris from the drain hole and get rid of any ice that appears in there.

You should also check the drip pan, which needs to be emptied occasionally. Disconnect the freezer and then look under the compressor at the back of the freezer. Remove the pan and empty out any excess water.

If you’re still struggling, contact a professional for help.

Insufficient Cooling

If your freezer feels too warm, you may have overfilled it. This will stop the air from circulating and keeping the interior cold. Try to keep it below 85 percent capacity for best results.

You should also check the condenser coils are clean and free from dust, and that your door seal is still good.

Failure To Turn On

Many things can prevent your freezer from turning on, but the commonest is the compressor start relay. The thermostat might also cause issues, and sometimes the start capacitor will be the source of the fault.

Regardless, this is a problem for a qualified professional to fix.

Conclusion

There are plenty of things that can cause your freezer to go wrong, but many can be fixed at home by you. However, you should leave wiring and other electronics to professionals, rather than risk repairing these yourself.