Tips

Avoid Fridge Frost with This Simple Trick

Over time, freezers tend to develop frost and ice buildup which can lead to increased energy consumption. Placing a small item inside the freezer can help prevent this issue.

Administrator

20 April, 2024

Ice builds up on the freezer drawer and on food in the refrigerator. It starts out soft and fluffy, but gradually hardens into solid ice. It not only wastes energy, but also takes up space in the refrigerator, reducing storage capacity and decreasing cooling efficiency.

Put This in the Fridge to Keep It From Freezing
To address the problem of ice buildup in the refrigerator, many people resort to methods such as placing a bowl of hot water inside or using a hair dryer to melt the ice. Some even resort to more extreme measures to defrost the ice.

These methods are effective, but they can be inconvenient and unsafe. You can resolve the ice problem more easily and efficiently by simply placing a mask in the refrigerator.

Excess moisture in the fridge will cause ice to form. (Photo: Ocean property)

Excess moisture in the refrigerator will easily form ice. Ice buildup not only reduces the storage space in the freezer but also impairs cooling efficiency and increases energy consumption. Therefore, it is best to clean the freezer regularly.

To reduce moisture and prevent ice buildup in the freezer, take a medical mask, cut one end with scissors, and stuff paper towels inside the layers of the mask until it is full. Tie the open end securely and place it in the freezer.

Paper towels have high moisture absorption capacity, while masks are relatively breathable and can also lock in the absorbed moisture. The paper-filled mask in the freezer will help reduce excess moisture, preventing it from condensing into ice inside the refrigerator.

However, the absorbency of the paper towels will decrease significantly when they get wet. When this happens, take them out and replace them with new ones, or dry them in the sun before putting them back in the refrigerator.

Causes of Ice Buildup in the Refrigerator
Ice buildup in the refrigerator can be caused by one or more factors, including:

Usage habits
Do you frequently open the refrigerator door throughout the day or put hot food or drinks in the refrigerator? Is the refrigerator door gasket loose or damaged? These incorrect usage habits can cause ice buildup in the refrigerator because too much air enters the refrigerator, leading to condensation and freezing.

Faulty cooling system
The refrigerator has a cooling coil and a defrost heater. These are two critical components. A faulty defrost heater or cooling coils can also cause ice buildup in the refrigerator.

Blown thermal fuse
The thermal fuse is a component located on the refrigerator’s freezer compartment. If this component blows, the defrost system will also stop working, causing ice buildup in the refrigerator.

Frozen evaporator
The evaporator, also known as the cold plate, heats up the resistor when frost covers the cooling coil. A faulty evaporator will cause the circuit to malfunction, preventing the heating resistor from working, and frost will accumulate on the freezer, leading to ice buildup in the refrigerator.

Defrost relay failure
If the defrost relay (also known as a timer) fails to close its contacts, the defrost cycle in the refrigerator’s freezer will not proceed normally. As a result, the freezer will experience ice buildup, while the refrigerator compartment will not cool properly, causing vegetables and other perishables to spoil quickly.

According to VTC

Frequently asked questions

Ice buildup reduces storage space, impairs cooling efficiency, and increases energy consumption. It wastes energy and takes up valuable space, impacting the overall performance of your refrigerator.

Some common methods include placing a bowl of hot water inside or using a hairdryer to melt the ice. While these methods are effective, they can be inconvenient and may not address the root cause of the issue.

To prevent ice buildup, you can create a moisture-absorbing packet by taking a medical mask, cutting one end, stuffing it with paper towels, and securing the open end. Place this packet in your refrigerator; the paper towels will absorb excess moisture, and the mask will allow breathability while locking in moisture.

The paper towels will need to be replaced or dried in the sun when they get wet, as their absorbency decreases significantly. Regularly check and replace them as needed to ensure optimal performance.

Other potential causes include a blown thermal fuse, a frozen evaporator, or a defrost relay failure. These issues are more technical and may require professional assistance to resolve.