Appliance Repair Tips: How to Maintain Your Chest Freezer

Owning a chest freezer comes in handy when you have a large family or when you prefer buying your groceries in bulk. As with any major appliance, if you want to avoid costly appliance repair bills, proper maintenance is a must. Overlooking the simple but effective maintenance tips provided below can result in your chest freezer failing to operate at its fullest potential.

• The placement of your freezer is key to its well being. Surrounding the appliance with boxes or other forms of clutter can have an ill effect on its performance. For your freezer to run at its most efficient capacity, you should allow it space to breathe. Ensuring the compressor and condenser’s air circulation is not inhibited will aid in your appliance functioning at its highest capability. Stacking items around your freezer or on top of your appliance will inevitably force it to work harder which will lead to larger energy bills.

• As with your refrigerator, cleaning your chest freezer’s condenser coils is a must. Unplugging your freezer and vacuuming the coils at least twice a year is highly recommended. The dust and dirt that builds up on the coils effects the appliance’s air circulation which can cut years off of your freezer’s life, and as mentioned above, it can cause a spike in the appliance’s energy use.

• While some chest freezers are frost-free, others require manual defrosting. Luckily, defrosting your appliance only requires you to unplug it. While it may be tempting to speed up the process by using a sharp object to remove ice chunks from the  wall, you could actually end up damaging the appliance with your efforts.

• You should periodically check your freezer’s door gasket for dirt and deterioration. When the gasket is obstructed from properly sealing, your appliance will need to work overtime when trying to maintain a cold enough temperature. Cleaning the gasket with warm soapy water should clear away any debris and if you do spot any tears in the rubber seal, you will need to replace it.

If you’re concerned with your chest freezer’s performance level or another appliance in your home is malfunctioning, please contact us today and we’ll be happy to assist you.