Repair > Appliances > RefrigeratorMay 18, 2010

Refrigerator Is Freezing Food

My refrigerator is freezing everything, is there a way we can fix it ourselves?

By Denise from Fresno, CA

Answers

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By
05/20/2010

I don't know if this might help solve your problem or not but my fridge freezes things when the air flow vents become blocked with stored items. The air from the freezer circulates through the vents to cool your refrigerator. If I store an item in front of the vent it prevents the free flow of the cooled air thus freezing items in the refrigerator. Mine has the vents right at shelf height (poor design!!) so blocking them is easy to do without realizing it. I went to WalMart's kitchen storage area and bought a 3-pack of the white long narrow kitchen drawer organizers that have the holes in the sides, maybe a dollar or so for the 3-pack. I took one and turned it upside down in front of each of the vents to prevent a stored item from blocking the flow. Seems to help :) Good Luck!

By
05/19/2010

If these other posts don't help, then check out repairclinic.com as they have many solutions for repairing appliances yourself. I'm heading there now for my washing machine. Good Luck.

By
05/19/2010

Check your temperature control before trouble shooting for problems because it's most likely just set too high. It depends on each refrigerator, but I keep my current one set at "5 and if I set it at "6" then the food on the top rack freezes. I've had others that needed to be set at "4" or "6" so you'll need to experiment.

By
05/19/2010

I don't know if this will help but try these steps. Unplug fridge and pull it away from wall. Empty it. Take out drawers. Start with the back and clear away all dust, especially crusty dust. Look for any little holes that might be air holes. Carefully probe with a crochet hook for dust clog. Check with flash lights if you can. Try to clean any obvious vents/air holes. Look in freezer. Clean it scrupulously, look for vent holes that might be clogged with ice. Let defrost. Look inside fridge for holes at back of drawers, along back walls, or little sliding hole covers. Make sure there's no gunk in holes. Use Qtips to clean out. Read instructions along wall of fridge for proper settings. Check dials and see if you can pull them off, and clean away any grime or sticky food residue..check seals on doors, and clean with qtips or cloth wrapped around chopstick.
Is the door really closing? If not, is it the seals, are they sticky? Are the shelves and drawers misaligned and keeping door from closing?
Take off front of fridge cover, down at the bottom. Look for drip tray. Wash, and inspect underneath with flashlight for clogged tubes, pipes, etc.

I think sometimes just a little tinkering helps. Or, maybe not, but you will have done all you can yourselves. Also google, repair your own refridgerator, and causes of refridgerator freezing. Air flow is very important, and those little vents and vent covers get clogged/closed/open easily.

I am not super vigilant about it, but in my old age, I have learned it pays to try to know your appliances and treat them with love and respect. They need maintenance, but most people completely ignore maintenance and throw away stuff at first problem.

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We have a second fridge downstairs. It freezes everything I put in there unless it is a very hot, hot day. We have had it checked to see if it needed repairs and it does not. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?


My refrigerator is freezing my food.

By Styron from NC


RE: Refrigerator Is Freezing Food

Personally, I would check your temperature control before trouble shooting for problems because it's most likely just set too high. It depends on each refrigerator, but I keep my current one set at "5 and if I set it at "6" then the food on the top rack freezes. I've had others that needed to be set at "4" or "6" so you'll need to experiment. (11/06/2009)

By Deeli


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