You open your fridge, go to put in your groceries and notice ice on the back interior wall. Foods might even be freezing inside your fridge, which is something that shouldn’t happen.
If you’re wondering, “Why is my fridge freezing up?,” we’ll explain the most common issues we fix at Mr. Appliance.
Before going any further, we want you to check your temperature setting. You might find this in a few places:
- Inside your fridge, often towards the top and in the middle.
- On your fridge’s touchscreen console on the front of the unit.
Are your fridge’s settings set to the coldest temperature possible? If so, dial this down a bit to see if it resolves the problem.
Still having issues with icing or freezing? Proceed to step one.
Why is my Fridge Icing Up? 7 Common Issues We See
Troubleshooting is the first step to finding the main cause of your icing issues. We don’t recommend using a hairdryer to try and unfreeze your unit because there are electrical dangers that are best left to a professional.
With that said, let’s look at the most common issues we see with our customers’ fridges freezing up.
1. Your Door Seal is Failing
Door gaskets are a common culprit. Open your refrigerator door(s) and look to see if the rubber seal shows signs of:
- Cracking
- Improper seating
- Dirt
Your gasket’s main job is to maintain a tight seal for your fridge. Warm air can’t get in and cold air can’t get out when your gasket is doing its job. Failing gaskets allow humid air to enter your fridge and often freeze on the coldest surfaces.
Dirt and grime can also weaken your seal’s grip, allowing warm air to enter. A quick cleaning may be all you need in this case.
If dirt and grime aren’t the cause of gasket failure, it may just be time to replace them. Gaskets can begin to fail in five to ten years, but the lifespan can be shorter or longer depending on the make and model of your unit and your usage habits.
2. Warm, Moist Air is Entering Your Fridge
Door seals and gaskets are just one of the many reasons for moisture causing your fridge to freeze up. Frost and ice buildup may also be caused by:
- Opening your fridge door too often. Moist air enters your fridge every time you open the door. If this is a one-off occurrence, the icing should be temporary and resolve without needing repairs.
- Leaving the door ajar. Many fridges have sensors on them that beep if you leave the door open for too long. If someone forgets to shut the door properly or a food item stops it from closing completely, moisture will fill the interior of the fridge.
Our technicians will know if the issue is caused by defrosting or if it’s a simple usage habit (such as leaving the door open for extended periods of time) that’s causing your fridge to ice.
3. Air Vent Blockages
Are you blocking your air vent? You’ll find this vent in the back of most models, and its main job is to help circulate air to your fridge’s interior. If the vent is blocked, you’ll only get cold air from the freezer compartment.
Remove any food products, Tupperware or other items that may be blocking your vent.
Poor internal air circulation is a big problem, which may also be caused by fan malfunctions. Your fridge has multiple fans that circulate cold air in your fridge. If one of these fans stops working, air begins to stagnate and moisture in one area of the fridge will begin to freeze.
4. Defrost System Failure
Defrosting your fridge is done automatically with the help of multiple components:
- Defrost heater
- Defrost timer
- Defrost thermostat
Your defrost heater may burn out, or your control board malfunctions and the timer isn’t engaging. A technician can use a multimeter to troubleshoot defrost system failure, which often occurs on the evaporator coils and, if allowed to persist, will cause ice to build up in the interior of the unit.
5. Your Fridge’s Thermostat is Failing
You set your thermostat to 37℉ to 40℉, but your internal temperature is lower. Why? Thermostats fail, and one or two degrees may be all that’s needed to go from a normal, ice-free interior to one that’s starting to frost.
When thermostats fail, the compressor will run longer and your fridge’s compartment will overcool.
Adjusting the thermostat, like you did at the start of this guide, should do the trick. If your fridge is still icing up, have a professional test your sensor or thermostat to see if it needs to be replaced.
6. You Don’t Have Water Hooked Up to Your Fridge
Refrigerators that have built-in ice makers may not have the water hooked up. Some customers prefer not to hook the water up to their systems, but they forget to toggle off the ice maker.
If you do this, it allows excess cold air to enter the fridge because it’s constantly calling for ice.
A general rule of thumb is that if you’re not using your ice maker, turn it off. You can always flip the switch back on in the future if you do connect the water.
7. You’re Packing Your Fridge Too Tightly
Packing your refrigerator to the brim will block your air vents and cause icing and freezing issues. You want to:
- Avoid blocking your air vents
- Allow easy air circulation in your fridge
But there’s another habit that may also be causing condensation and frost in your fridge: putting hot food directly inside of it. Hot and cool air will cause condensation to form inside your unit, leading to icing.
One-off icing or freezing up may be a sign of a larger issue.
If your fridge keeps icing or freezing up and you didn’t overpack it, turn the thermostat too low or leave the door open for too long, it’s time to call a professional.
Schedule your service call with Mr. Appliance.
We’ll be happy to diagnose your fridge and make timely repairs.
