Your freezer is a cold place where you stash various bits of edible fare for future use or to be maintained at a cold temperature. The freezer isn’t glamorous, and if it is doing its job, you’ll never know about it. That is, of course, until you are faced with a freezer that is on its way out.
Considering the majority of us aren’t mechanically inclined or licensed repair persons, it can be somewhat alarming to know that our in-home cold storage is going kaput. The key is being able to identify when this is going to happen. Here are five signs to look for when judging time left for your freezer, but bear in mind that there may be something you can do about it:
1. Freezer Temperature Can Vary – Your freezer should be cold, but it can be too cold at times. Moreover, you can also tell when the temperature is far too warm. This swing in temperature is dangerous for one main reason — spoilage. Before panicking, be sure to check on the temperature of the thermostat as it may be set incorrectly, and then monitor the changes.
2. Faulty or Damaged Door Seal – We often use our freezer without really paying attention to how well the door sits when closed or the condition of the seal. If there is extensive damage to the freezer door seal or you conclude that it’s faulty, you can usually replace the seal yourself without too much worry. However, you’ll want to pay attention to this early in your ownership as if it goes on too long, your freezer will find it difficult to run properly, work too hard, and cause severe mechanical damage.
3. Freezer Is Not Defrosting – It isn’t normal for your freezer to frost over. The good thing is that you can do a manual defrost. Plug everything back in afterward and see what happens. If the frosting over happens again, it may mean that something is seriously wrong that can’t be readily repaired by a DIYer.
4. & 5. Freezer Not Freezing – So, in the end, this is perhaps the biggest thing you’ll notice when your freezer is on its way out. If your freezer isn’t doing its job, something is wrong, and it’s imperative that you find out what’s wrong. You can check for the following:
A) If evaporator coils are frozen over, air can’t pass over them, causing your freezer to not be able to freeze. A manual defrost and cleaning the coils may be the way to get things back to normal.
B) Check the compressor motor. Whether it’s running or not can lead you to other avenues. If the motor isn’t running, you can run through a litany of mechanical checks but only if you know what you’re doing.
Sometimes, though, it becomes more cost-effective to replace your freezer as repairs can cost as much as a new appliance. Know when it’s time to throw in the towel.