Help Keep Your Freezer Running

Freezers work a lot harder than refrigerators to keep their temperatures low. The compressor turns on and off throughout the day in order to stay cold and keep everything frozen. Every time the freezer is opened, however, cold air pours out and is replaced with warmer air. Depending how long the door(s) are left opened, the freezer will work even harder to produce the cold air which can wear the freezer out.

To keep your freezer running properly and accordingly, you can:

• Stock your freezer. When you stock your freezer with frozen items, they will help cool each other off and the air surrounding them. Just as ice cubes keep a drink cold, frozen items keep one another cold. When there isn't much in your freezer, then the freezer works harder to keep the empty space cold. If you're unable to stock your freezer, try freezing some gallons of water or placing ice blocks to fill in those empty spaces.
• Get in and get out.Keeping the freezer door(s) cold is essential to ensuring the cold air remains cold. Opening the doors requires the freezer to run harder which is unhealthy for the freezer.
• Keep hot food out.Hot foods take a long time to cool down and an even longer time to freeze. They also disrupt other frozen items, raising their temperatures and causing them to thaw. Before putting hot foods in the freezer, let them cool down a bit and then place them in the freezer.
• Watch the temperature.To make sure your freezer stays at a constant 0 degrees Fahrenheit, place a thermometer in the freezer frequently. This will help you find the perfect and correct setting.

Freezer Tips & Repairs

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• Keep freezer away from all heat sources.Keeping your freezer near heat sources such as heating vents, ovens, dishwashers, and windows will heat the area around the freezer which will make it work harder to maintain the temperature.
• Let there be air circulation.Wherever the condenser coils are, allow there to be air circulation.
• Clean coils often.If the coils are lined with dust, dirt, lint or any other sort of buildup, it can prevent the freezer from running efficiently. Cleaning them on a regular basis will help keep the compressor fan running accordingly.
• Keep door seals in tip-top condition.Air can seep through the rubber seals if they are broken or dirty which will force the freezer to work harder to maintain the internal temperature.
• Defrost freezer often.Defrosting your freezer can help keep up it's maintenance. Some units have self-defrosters, but most will need to be turned off, emptied and de-iced.

Defrost: Chest and Upright, Automatic and Manual

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Deep freezers are used for long-term storage and are designed to run much colder than refrigerator-freezer units. Deep freezer should be set lower than 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most common freezers:

1. Upright. Upright freezers take up less space and have convenient access to. Since they are opened frequently, they are less efficient, however, there are newer models available with frost-free feature which uses more energy, but warms itself to thaw frost buildup and getting back to the low temperature on its own.
2. Chest.A chest freezer is probably one you grew up with that was placed in the garage. This freezer remains closed with little encouragement to keep running. It runs for several years and has greater cubic footage for more storage. They are energy efficient and cost much less than upright freezers.