Reasons why and what to do
There are many reasons that may cause your freezer doesn’t work properly even if the fridge does, from a faulty evaporator fan motor, defrost system malfunction, low refrigerant level or sealed system leak, a broken thermostat, and so on. Continue reading to understand what could be happening with your refrigerator and freezer.
Understanding how your Fridge and Freezer work together
If the freezer is running but not freezing, it could be due to restricted airflow, dirty coils, or an overpacked freezer blocking the evaporator fan. Clear items, clean coils, and wait for 24 hours. If freezing still fails, it’s wise to request a professional service to inspect the fan or refrigerant.
Why is the refrigerator working but the freezer not freezing?
Refrigerators and freezers are similar parts of the same arrangement, and they both use the same principle. Because of that, before understanding how these two systems work together, let us look at how a refrigerator works in general.
A refrigerator consists roughly of a compressor, condenser coils, evaporator coils and an expansion device; these parts are all interconnected in a closed loop controlled by a thermostat that measures the temperature inside the refrigerator cabin. Enclosed inside this loop, there is refrigerant, which is a type of fluid that can transition easily from liquid state to gas state and vice versa.
Now, there are several steps involved in the cooling process:
- First, the compressor compresses the refrigerant. This makes its temperature go higher and makes it transition to a gas state.
- After that, the refrigerant gas goes through the condenser coils, which are exposed to the room the refrigerator is in. Given that the gas running through the coils has a significantly higher temperature than the refrigerator room, the gas gets gradually cooler and eventually becomes a liquid again.
- Then, the gas reaches the expansion device (which can be a capillary tube, for example). When this happens, the refrigerant is depressurized and gets even cooler.
- After it expands, it goes through the evaporator coils, which are inside the refrigerator. Here, the refrigerant absorbs heat from inside the fridge and eventually becomes a gas.
The evaporator coils are thermally insulated from the outside of the fridge, so the refrigerant only absorbs heat from the inside of the cabin.
- Once the refrigerant is gas again, the compressor compresses it once more.
In this loop, what the thermostat does is measure the temperature inside the cabin and turn off and on the compressor so that the set temperature is maintained. This cycle is the reason why a refrigerator does not bring cold air in, but rather transports heat from the inside of the cabin to the outside room, making the air inside the cabin effectively colder.
In the case of a freezer, the process is very similar, with a few small differences. Most importantly, the fridge and the freezer have independent temperature controls, so that the freezer’s goal temperature can be lower without affecting the refrigerator.
The freezer’s lower temperature is achieved through a series of measures. First, more coolant gas passes alongside the freezer, dissipating more heat in the process. Additionally, freezer cabins can have thicker insulation walls, so less heat can come from the outside. Finally, sometimes the expansion valve is closer to the freezer; that way, the refrigerant gas is colder when passing alongside the freezer.
Why is the refrigerator working but the freezer not freezing?
If the freezer is running but not freezing, it could be due to restricted airflow, dirty coils, or an overpacked freezer blocking the evaporator fan. Clear items, clean coils, and wait for 24 hours. If freezing still fails, it’s wise to request a professional service to inspect the fan or refrigerant.
Common reasons why my freezer isn’t freezing
We already broke down how a refrigerator and a freezer work together. However, a freezer is a complex machine with multiple parts in it. That means that, if there is a problem, it may come from different places. Here are some of the most common issues when the freezer is not doing its job:
Faulty evaporator fan motor
The evaporator fan’s job is to circulate the air from inside the freezer to the evaporator coils, which remove the heat from the freezer cabin. If this fan does not work, due to bent blades, ice buildup or faulty motor, air will not circulate and the freezer’s cooling function will be stopped.
Some freezers stop the evaporator fan motor when the door is open. In order to test the motor, you can open the door and press the fan switch manually. If the fan does not turn on, or if it turns on with a high-pitched whining or buzzing, your motor is probably faulty.
If your freezer does not stop the motor when the door is open, you can also test this by unplugging and plugging the freezer.
Defrost system malfunction
Excess ice buildup on the walls of your freezer can congest the vents and coils that keep your freezer functioning. If that is the case and your freezer is not functioning properly, you can manually defrost it so that it may maintain its goal temperature.
However, most modern freezers include an automatic defrosting system. This means that, if you have to defrost your freezer manually, there may be another underlying problem with your defrosting system.
Blocked air vents or airflow issues
Airflow is highly important in any cooling system, especially in a freezer. If air does not flow, your freezer will not be able to function properly.
Airflow issues can happen for a variety of reasons. Perhaps, your evaporator fan is not working properly, either because of a faulty motor (as discussed above) or because of ice buildup or bent blades. If you are dealing with the second case, unplug the freezer and check the fan can move freely.
On the other hand, ice buildup can clog your freezer’s vents. That would be a defrosting issue, and you can read above about how you can solve it.
Dirty or damaged condenser coils
Condenser coils are responsible for making the coolant gas lose its heat to the outside so it can return to its liquid state. If they are not maintained properly, heat dissipation may not be happening properly.
In order to clean them, you can vacuum them with a crevice attachment. On the other hand, if they are broken or rusty, you may want to consider calling a technician.
Broken thermostat or temperature sensor
The thermostat or temperature sensor is a vital part of your freezer. Without it, the compressor will never know exactly when to start and stop. In other words, a thermostat issue can greatly affect your freezer’s cooling function.
To check for this kind of issue, you can change the thermostat from the lowest to the highest setting and listen for a click. At that moment, your freezer’s compressor will start. If it does not start, the thermostat is most likely faulty and needs to be replaced by a professional.
Low refrigerant level or sealed system leak
The compressor takes care of compressing the refrigerant so it can transport the heat from inside the freezer to the outside. If there is not enough refrigerant, the system will not cool properly.
That would mean that your freezer needs a refrigerant refill. However, if there were gas missing in the first place, that would mean there is a leak somewhere. Until that leak is repaired, your freezer will not fully function as intended.
How to troubleshoot the problem at home
This depends on the problem. In general, some simple problems can be identified and even dealt with at home.
For example, some of the most common problems are due to overpacking, airflow issues, frost buildup or dirt accumulation. In these cases, a simple reorganization of the items inside the freezer, regular defrosting and cleaning are enough to keep the freezer working properly. This type of maintenance can be done at home.
When to call a professional Appliance Repair Technician
If you did maintenance to your freezer and went through basic troubleshooting, but your freezer is still not working as intended, or if you suspect that some part of your freezer is malfunctioning and want a professional opinion, it may be time to call a professional Appliance Repair Technician.
Call us today and we will help you identify and solve whatever may be wrong with your freezer!
Conclusion
Your freezer transports heat from the inside of the cabin to the outside. That way, it keeps your goods nice and frozen.
With time, several things can malfunction in your freezer. Most of these things happen due to ice or frost buildup, bad airflow or even something as simple as overpacking. These issues can be solved at home.
However, in many cases, your freezer may need maintenance done by a professional, technical diagnostics or parts replacement. If that is the case, do not hesitate to call us!
In OX Services, we have the most skilled professionals in order to help you deal with whatever your electrical appliances may need. We repair appliances from a wide range of well-known brands, such as Whirlpool, General Electric, Bosch, Samsung, and much more!