Ice in the freezer? Here's 3 reasons your freezer could have ice where it shouldn't be and how to fix them.

Have you ever opened your freezer to grab some ice cream and it looks like a snow-storm happened inside? It can be a bit of a shock to see frost in the freezer when you weren't expecting it, and it can also cause other issues like poor cooling or leaks, but usually it's a simple fix.

1. The door was not shut

The most common cause of excessive frost in a freezer is that the door was not fully shut. This can happen for a lot of different reasons. Something could fall behind a shelf and make it to where the door won't fully shut. The glides on the drawer may be sticking and not fully shutting. Someone may have just forgotten to give the door that extra bump to make sure it's closed. Whatever the reason, if the gasket doesn't fully seat to the frame of the unit warm, moist air will flow in an meet the cold, dry air inside the freezer and form a snow-like frost around the front edge. When this happens, most of the time it doesn't warrant a service call. Simply remove the frost and make sure the gasket is sealing tight and you shouldn't have further issues.

2. Clogged drain

When your freezer goes into a defrost cycle, it melts the frost off the evaporator coils and drains the water into an evaporator tray in the back of the unit. If the drain gets clogged, the water has nowhere to go and will pool in the base of the freezer. From there it will freeze and more water will be added the next time the unit defrosts. Eventually there will be enough ice that the water has nowhere to go and the freezer will begin to leak onto the floor. This is also a simple fix if you know where the drain is, but sometimes a new drain is required. Some refrigerators also have an updated drain system that will need to be installed to prevent future clogs.

3. Frost on the back of the freezer

If you start to notice poor cooling in the refrigerator and freezer and there is a wall of frost on the back cover of the freezer, it's likely your unit is not defrosting correctly. Like I said earlier, the unit will periodically go into a defrost to remove frost buildup on the evaporator. If this doesn't happen, the evaporator will continue to build up frost, eventually having a thick enough layer to block airflow needed for cooling. This can cause food to spoil prematurely, the icemaker not to work, and can mimic a failed compressor. Usually the defrost heater or the control is the culprit, but on some older models there is a dedicated defrost timer that could be the problem.

If you're dealing with a freezer that's a bit too frosty, we're here to help. Our technicians can quickly and accurately diagnose refrigeration issues and get you back to cooling. We service in Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and the surrounding suburbs. Give us a call at 615-896-2933, or schedule service using the link below. If you're more of the DIY type, we also sell parts for all major brands at our parts counter! We're located at 511 B Middle Tennessee Blvd 37129 in Murfreesboro. Our office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 4:30pm and Fridays from 8:00am through 4:00pm central time.

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