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How-To Guide to Freezer Maintenance

The freezer is an essential component of any kitchen, providing the dedicated storage space required for ice, pre-made meals, frozen desserts and more. While plenty of homeowners take advantage of their freezer units, few actually know how to perform maintenance on these appliances, putting them at risk for major repair problems down the road.Regular maintenance is a key component in extending the lifespan of your home appliances, and to help prevent freezer repair problems, we’ve created a how-to guide for some common freezer maintenance tasks.

Defrost Your Freezer

You do not want excessive frost to build-up in your freezer, as it can cause problems with your appliance that ultimately require repairs. The best way to prevent frost build-up is to ensure that your freezer is regularly defrosted.

Many of today’s modern freezers feature a self-defrosting setting that will routinely thaw the unit. Be sure to check that this setting is selected on your appliance, ensuring it defrosts on its own. If you have an older freezer, or if your unit’s self-defrost setting is not working, you can manually defrost the unit by turning it off and allowing frost build-up to thaw. You may need to scrape excess frost by hand, as it can be very time-consuming for it to melt on its own. Should your freezer create excessive frost after your defrosting efforts, be sure to enlist assistance from a professional freezer maintenance service.

Clean The Condenser Coils

The freezer’s condenser coils are vital to its ability to maintain low temperatures, and dirty condenser coils will have to work harder in order to preserve the cold conditions of your unit.

To prevent temperature issues, you should thoroughly clean your unit’s condenser coils at least every three months. You can access the condenser coils on the back or bottom of the appliance. Feel free to either clean by hand or vacuum the area surrounding the coils. Before you clean though, be sure to unplug your freezer, as touching the coils while they operate can cause serious injury. If your unit’s coils are clean, but it still has trouble remaining cold, there may be bigger issues with its internal components. Consider help from a factory-certified freezer repair specialist to remedy your problems.

Clean The Freezer Drain Opening and Pan

As your freezer defrosts, moisture collects around its drain opening and pan. Failing to eliminate this moisture periodically can cause the perfect conditions for mold growth, bringing harmful bacteria into your appliance and kitchen.

Before accessing the drain opening or pan, be sure to unplug your freezer. Next, access the drain opening and remove any mineral deposits or waste that may be clogging the components. You will find the pan underneath your freezer, collecting condensation run-off from its cooling coils. Remove the unit’s front grille to access the pan, carefully sliding it out and disposing of any excess water it may contain.

Examine the Freezer Door Seal

The freezer door seal ensures that cold temperature stay trapped in your unit, providing the ideal conditions for ice and frozen goods. If you notice fluctuating or warm temperatures within your unit, the problem may be related to a faulty seal.

To prevent door seal issues, it’s important that you routinely inspect the seal for any damage or deterioration. If you notice any dust or waste around the seal, you should clean it off, but it’s more important to look for rips, holes, tears or other signs that the seal has been broken. Should you notice signs of damage, you can order a replacement door seal for your freezer. If the seal appears fine, but you’re still noticing temperature inconsistencies, it may be time to contact a home appliance repair technician.

Superior Freezer Repair & Maintenance Services

Many homeowners often overlook freezer maintenance, but regular inspections of your appliance will ensure that it operates properly for years to come. If you know how to perform common maintenance tasks on your freezer, you’ll be able to increase the lifespan of your unit.

Unfortunately, regular maintenance cannot prevent all freezer repair problems, and if you run in to a difficult issue you cannot resolve, be sure to contact a professional home appliance repair service.