How To Prevent Ice Buildups & Defrost Your Freezer

Have you ever wondered why your freezer keeps getting a build-up of ice?  It's a common misconception that this could mean there's something wrong with your freezer, that it's broken or needs replacing, but often it's just a matter of where it's placed or your door seals being slightly damaged! This blog will tell you the best ways to prevent ice-build up and how to defrost your freezer when needed.

Why Is Your Freezer Getting A Build-up Of Ice?

It's completely normal for your freezer to get an ice build-up from time to time, especially if it has a manual defrost. However, how often your freezer needs defrosting could depend on several different factors. The environment you keep your freezer in is a big one - the hotter the environment around the freezer, the more often it will need defrosting. Hotter air means that it has a higher air pressure as well as being more humid, which means there is more moisture in the air. Freezers are cold inside meaning that they have lower air pressure, so when the door is opened the lower air pressure causes the hot air and moisture from outside of the freezer to be sucked inside, the moisture then sticks to the shelves and back of the freezer, it then turns into ice inside the unit and over time this can cause an ice build-up.

Another reason for ice build-up inside a freezer is due to damaged door seals, if the door to your freezer isn't sealing properly then it's constantly letting moisture into the freezer, which sticks to the shelves and back of the unit, freezing and causing ice to build up. Overloading your freezer can also cause issues in a very similar way if your freezer is overloaded then it might not be able to seal shut properly, meaning air and moisture are constantly able to get into your freezer and cause an ice buildup, or the fan may be blocked restricting airflow around the cabinet.

Most commercial freezers are designed to hold frozen food at temperature, not freeze it from ambient or cooked temperatures, using them in this                                                                                     manner can cause them to freeze up.

How To Defrost Your Freezer?

Defrosting your freezer is simpler than you might think! Make sure you empty your freezer of all produce, give it a good clean and turn it off. Since the ice in your freezer will melt and turn into water, it's a good idea to place some towels in front of the freezer to help absorb this. Leave your freezer to defrost for a few hours with the door open, until all the ice has melted. Never try and scrape the ice away as this can cause damage to your freezer.  Once it's fully defrosted, wipe it down so it's dry and then you're good to go!

How To Prevent Ice Build-Up?

There are a few different ways to minimize ice buildup in your freezer, start by making sure to keep your freezer in a cool, dry environment. This helps prevent as much hot air and moisture from getting into the freezer compared to if it was kept in a hotter environment. Less water getting into the freezer means that there won't be as much ice build-up over time.

Always check your door seals, a broken door seal makes it easy for moisture to constantly enter your freezer and lead to ice build-up - you'll usually be able to tell if your door seal is damaged as ice will form around the damaged part of the seal. It's a simple fix, check your door seals for any rips or tears and if you find any, it’s time to replace them. It’s also important to properly maintain your door seals so they don’t get damaged often – never put them through a dish or glass washer, instead use a water-based cleaner and gently wipe them until they are clean, also making sure to clean inside the unit where the door seals sit.

Never overload your unit, overloading your unit can prevent the door from closing properly and let excess moisture into the unit which will cause an ice build-up. It can also block the fan, causing an airflow restriction. Always make sure the door is able to properly seal shut if it can't remove some items from your freezer until this is possible. Always check the loading guides supplied by the manufacturers.

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