You probably don’t give much thought to your freezer on a daily basis, but if you were to suddenly come home one day to find that it had stopped working, then you’d have the hassle of mopping up the mess and would likely have to throw away a lot of food. So, it’s important that you look after your freezer and keep it well-maintained to avoid this kind of problem. Let’s look at some of the essential freezer care and maintenance tasks to consider.

Defrosting your freezer

You should defrost your freezer at least once a year to prevent a build-up of ice and keep it working efficiently. To do this, you should first have somewhere to store the food from your freezer where it can be kept at a cool temperature. This could be another freezer, or a cool box or icebox. Then, unplug your freezer and leave the door open.

It’s a good idea to put towels down beneath your freezer door or inside the freezer to collect the water as the ice melts. Then, simply wait for the ice to melt. You should then ensure that the inside of your freezer is dry before switching it back on again. Wait for the temperature to reach its regular level before returning the food to the freezer.

Cleaning your freezer

You should also clean the inside of your freezer once or twice a year, and while you’re defrosting can be the perfect time to do this. Once all the ice is melted and while your freezer is stilled switched off, wipe down the sides and all of the shelves and other surfaces inside your freezer. Make sure to get into the tight spaces where debris may collect. You can also check the back of the freezer to vacuum or dust the condenser coils.

Keeping the right temperature

It’s a good idea to monitor the temperature of your freezer occasionally, to ensure that nothing is preventing it from maintaining the correct temperature. If your freezer doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, then you can buy a freezer thermometer or test this safely yourself by placing a thermometer in a cup of vegetable oil, or another liquid that won’t freeze, and checking the temperature yourself. The ideal temperature is 0°F.

If your freezer can’t maintain the temperature that it’s set to, then it may need repairing. One thing you can check yourself is whether the seal is still intact. As well as checking that there’s no visible damage to the seal around the door, you can try closing a dollar bill in between the door. If you can pull it out easily without any resistance, then the seal is not tight enough.

If your freezer or other kitchen appliances need plumbing maintenance, then contact Brandon Plumbing for our emergency plumbing services, repair, installation, and maintenance around Clemmons, NC.