How often to defrost the freezer

If your refrigerator is not equipped with a No Frost system, ice will inevitably appear on the walls of the freezer during its operation. The rate of its formation depends on the frequency and features of use of the freezer. It is individual in every family.

The cause of ice formation is water vapor that gets inside when the door is opened, the seal does not fit tightly, or food that is too warm is placed in the freezer. Water vapor gradually condenses on the walls and turns into ice.

The presence of a large amount of ice in the chamber causes an increased load on the cooling system, because is a cold insulator.

Why and how often do you need to defrost the freezer?

The presence of even a small amount of ice on the walls of the chamber leads to increased energy consumption and load on the compressor. How often should you defrost your freezer? To avoid unnecessary expenses on electricity and premature failure of the refrigerator, experts advise defrosting it when ice forms more than 5 mm, but at least once a year.

Features of the process

General algorithm for defrosting the refrigerator compartment:

• Turn off the camera and disconnect it from the network;
• Remove products;
• Wait for complete defrosting by regularly removing melted ice and melt water;
• Wash the inner surface with detergent;
• Wipe all surfaces dry;
• Turn on the power and wait until the operating temperature is established;
• Place products.

Attention! The choice of defrosting mode is individual in each specific case. If you have time and a way to preserve food during defrosting, preference should be given to the natural defrosting mode. The best option is with the door open at room temperature.

However, this is not always possible, since with natural defrosting, even with a small layer of icing, the process is delayed for 2–3 hours. If there is a large layer of ice and low temperature in the room, it can take up to 8 hours.

The main ways to speed up the defrosting process are as follows:

• Place a pan of boiling water inside the chamber and close the door (don’t forget about the stand for the pan);
• Direct a flow of air into the chamber from a fan heater or a conventional fan;
• Use a household hair dryer.

Is it possible to preserve food by defrosting the chamber?

Before defrosting the chamber, you should decide on the issue of food preservation. Remember, the quality of many foods deteriorates significantly when re-frozen.

The easiest way to resolve the issue is if you have good relations with your neighbors and they are willing to temporarily accommodate your products. If this is not possible, then it all depends on the time of year.

In winter, just take the food out to a cold balcony or hang it outside the window. In the warm season, you will have to invent a thermos yourself.

It is necessary to place frozen foods in some container, place cold accumulators or a large amount of ice prepared in advance on top.Place all this in a heat-insulated shell, the role of which can be played by a foam box, foil insulation, or an old blanket. These measures will increase the thawing time of products.

Is it worth defrosting a refrigerator with a No Frost system?

Refrigerators with a No Frost system prevent the formation of ice. That is why many people think that there is no need to defrost such a refrigerator.

This opinion is wrong; if you have a refrigerator with a No Frost system, carefully read the instructions. Each manufacturer has specific maintenance procedures.

As a general rule of thumb for all manufacturers, you should unplug the unit every year by leaving it with the door open for a day. This is due to the fact that in any refrigerator with a No Frost system there are places inside the air duct system where ice may form and, as a result, the system may not work properly.