Having problems with your freezer? Southwest Appliance Repairs of San Antonio will walk you through the steps of troubleshooting your freezer. Troubleshooting can help you determine whether you will need a repairman or if it may be something very simple that you can do yourself. It helps when troubleshooting your freezer to know how a freezer works. Whether it’s a combination fridge freezer or a stand alone upright or chest freezer, they all work the same.
How Does a Freezer Work to Keep Things Cold?
The freezer compressor flushes the refrigerant or Freon that then transfers it into the condenser. When the Freon enters the condenser’s coils it changes from vapor to liquid as the heat from the Freon is expelled. This cycle will produce heat, so it’s proper to feel heat from your freezer. The warm Freon flows from the valves and into the evaporator. The Freon absorbs the heat inside warming the freezer. Next it cools the Freon turning it back into warm vapor, then the warm Freon returns to the compressor. This restarts the cycle.
How to Tell if a Freezer is Working: Testing, Inspecting & Troubleshooting
One of the most common mistakes is when you believe your freezer isn’t working because it won’t maintain frozen foods or temperatures. However there may be nothing wrong with your freezer. It could be that the freezer door was left open. Many times little ones will not shut the door properly and then your freezer struggles with keeping the inside cool. Another reason why your freezer may not be cooling properly is when the contents inside the freezer is over packed. The evaporator fan that cools and circulates the air could be blocked. Pull any content away from the fan. The fan is usually located in the back of the freezer. After pulling the content away from the fan, check the temperature after a half an hour and see if the temperature has gone down. If it hasn’t, there may be something wrong with your cooling cycle. Another common problem why your freezer may not be cooling properly is that the seal is old, or damaged and not properly sealing the freezer. You can test your freezer’s seal by placing a dollar bill through your freezer’s door with half the bill inside the freezer and other half is sticking out. Try to pull the dollar bill out. If the dollar bill slid out then there is something interfering with your freezers seal. Sometimes the interference can be simple as gunk around the seal. If there appears to be residue on the seal, clean it off and do the dollar bill test again. However it may need to be replaced if there are holes or other signs of damages. Other simple problems may be that the coils need to be cleaned. Pull the fridge or freezer away from the wall and inspect the coils in the back. If they appear dirty, which they often get that way, you may want to clean them. This won’t just improve the cooling system but will improve the whole function of the unit and even help save you money on your power bill.
Freezer Appliance Inspection & Repair Services in San Antonio, Texas
There are many mechanical functions that often go out on your freezer. Often you will hear a humming sound or other noises like gears grinding. If you hear noise or your freezer is still having problems cooling, it is time to call an appliance repair company. Southwest Appliance Repairs of San Antonio will help you get your freeze up and running. Call us today.