Manual defrosting a freezer: basic rules and tips

A characteristic feature of modern life is the presence of a large number of equipment that facilitates housekeeping, making life more convenient and comfortable. Simple and understandable ways to maintain it in good condition will help to use all its capabilities and potential with maximum effect. It is impossible to imagine housing without a refrigerator today, but not everyone is familiar with the methods of its proper maintenance and the nuances of operations to maintain it in the best technical condition. For example, how to properly defrost, how often it must be done, what needs to be done to speed up the procedure, and finally how to preserve the products without exposing them to the risk of partial or complete spoilage.

Why do you need to defrost a refrigerator

Snow "fur coat" on the walls freezer always formed if it is not an automatic No Frost system. Moisture from the air, from products placed in the device’s compartment, condenses on the walls of the heat exchanger and becomes solid, that is, snow, ice.

Consequences of improper refrigerator care

Having a lower heat transfer coefficient, this layer plays the role of an insulator, which leads to the following consequences:

1. Cooling system overload. The temperature sensor gives a signal to start, the compressor is working, but the "coat" significantly slows down the cooling of the air, which changes the normal mode of operation of the entire system;
2. Depreciation of equipment. Working with increased load, the refrigerator significantly reduces the resource of the device and creates risks of accidental defects and breakdowns of individual elements and mechanisms;
3. Increased energy consumption. The periods of the active phase of the compressor are increasing. In other words, the compressor is actually idling, consuming the allocated resource;
4. Violation of the temperature regime of storage. The difference can reach critical values ​​for certain types of products, medicines, which are in the refrigerator. Shelf life is directly dependent on temperature. A deviation of even a few degrees may be sufficient to spoil.

These troubles can be avoided by regular procedures to remove excess snow and ice. It should be added that work under increased load can cause more unpleasant situations. Despite the fact that the system is equipped with emergency protection devices, there is a risk of damage to household wiring, fires. This happens extremely rarely, but this should not be neglected.

The lack of ice is the key to the correct and economical operation of the refrigerator

Manual defrost technology

There are several ways to clear the refrigerator of excess ice. A natural process at room temperature is recommended. Perform this procedure at room temperature with the doors open. Step by step, it looks like this:

1. The device is disconnected from the power supply;
2. All products and items in the refrigerator are removed;
3. Place containers, rags for collecting and removing water;
4. Waiting for a complete natural defrost;
5. Wash the inside of the refrigerator with recommended compounds;
6. Dry all surfaces, shelves, freezer;
7. Place the contents in the refrigerator;
8. Connect the device to the network.

Products packed in sealed bags and containers significantly reduce icing

Most modern refrigerators are equipped with systems that automatically remove excess moisture. However, practice shows that the proportion of devices of an aging sample is significant and for owners the question of how to properly, quickly and safely defrost a freezer is relevant. The problem is the duration of the procedure. In hot time, with a small layer of icing, this can be 2-3 hours, and the defrosting of a larger “coat” will take 6-8 hours. If at the same time the refrigerator is installed in a cool place, and even in winter, then the process may be even longer.

Using a hairdryer to defrost a refrigerator

Not wanting to wait hours for a natural defrost, you can use the tips that speed up this procedure. The main rule in this case will be the following - it is impossible to physically remove ice and snow with any foreign objects. Not only metal knives, spatulas, scrapers, but also plastic and wooden products are not used for this. The aluminum casing of the heat exchanger does not allow such a load. Even a slight scratch can cause damage during further use.

Among the alternative methods of defrosting, the following technologies can be noted:

• Using heating devices. Use this method with extreme caution. Mechanisms, wiring, sensors, materials inside the refrigerator are not designed for high temperatures. The permissible value is 60 ° C. Hair dryers, convectors, heaters, heat guns and other devices are installed at a safe distance. Turning them on and off, you can find the optimal mode. To speed up the procedure, you can additionally use a fan;
• Air purge. Time is significantly reduced. Even with plentiful intake of room temperature air, or draft. A fan directed into the freezer is able to halve the thawing time in the warm season.
• Defrosting with warm water. Boiling water is strongly discouraged. Very effective and fast method. If at the same time to ensure reliable collection of water, then this method can be called the best. Warm water removes ice much faster. A few plastic bottles with warm water and a lid with a hole are enough to remove the ice in 10-15 minutes.
• Defrosting by steam. Several containers with hot water are placed in the refrigerator and the door is closed. Thermal protection in the device case reliably holds warm air. The larger the capacity of the placed water and the higher its temperature, the faster the process. You can replace hot fluid several times to speed up the event.

Special blade for removing frost, made of material that does not harm the aluminum evaporator

Without using foreign objects, not exceeding the recommended temperature threshold, you can quickly enough defrost the refrigerator. Experts advise thoroughly flushing the inside of the refrigerator at each defrost. This will help to keep the device not only in excellent sanitary condition, but also extend the time of its operation. You can use both recommended formulations and ordinary general-purpose detergents that do not contain active biological additives, chlorine, strong alkalis and acids. After cleaning, it is important to thoroughly remove any household chemical residues and wipe all surfaces dry. If time permits, then it is worthwhile to allow the refrigerator to stand in this state for 2-3 hours to completely weather moisture from technologically inaccessible places for processing.

• How often do you need to defrost a refrigerator?
• What is a service schedule?

Much depends on the conditions of use. With good thermal protection, when the device is used for long-term storage of products, and practically does not open, the time until the next defrost can be significant.Some devices can be defrosted once every six months or even a year. But an ordinary household refrigerator in the average operating mode needs to be cleared of ice at least 1 time in 3 months in the winter and 1 rad in 2 months in the summer. Some housewives conduct the procedure every month. This also has its own reason. The layer is not thick, it defrosts quickly, and the equipment always works as usual and will last several times longer than the warranty period. Products always have timely, high-quality freezing, which favorably affects their quality.

Using hot water pots for emergency defrosting

How to preserve food during defrosting

It is preferable to carry out the procedure when the load of the refrigerator is minimal. If it is possible, some of the most valuable products and medicines can be given for temporary storage to neighbors or placed in a mobile freezer. When this is not possible, you can use simple, but effective ways to preserve food, medicines and cosmetics. The easiest climate method. You can use it in the cold season. Hang packages, bags of food out of the window, or take them to an unheated balcony or other suitable place.

When it is warm outside, it is proposed to use more complex methods. First of all, you need to pack everything that was in the refrigerator. Most of the content without loss of quality will remain for several hours at room temperature. Those products for which cold is important can be stored as follows:

• Thermostatic. Initially, products have the right temperature when removed from the refrigerator. You can save it by covering the products with a heat-insulating layer. In practice, it can be a warm blanket, coat, cotton mattress and more. For greater efficiency, the products are placed in sealed bags so that melt does not flow. Tightly stacked together to accumulate energy in the middle of a blanket or other item and wrap. Several layers of thermal insulation will enhance the effect. If everything is done correctly, then in a few hours the products will not even have time to thaw.
• Water cooled. The method is used when it is allowed to warm the products to the temperature of cold water in the tap. In different regions, at different times of the year, values ​​can vary from 3 to 15 ° C. The products in the bags are placed in a container with running water. For most processed foods, vegetables, meat, fish, this is enough for several hours to be stored in this mode;
• Ice cooling. A good way, but you should first freeze enough water. You can use dry ice. Ice packs are placed in the prepared container. Then all the products and on top another layer with packages of frozen water or carbon dioxide;
• The integrated method. The above methods in any combination. It can be a very effective way if you need long-term storage. For example, if you put ice packs or pieces of frozen carbon dioxide in a thermos made of blankets, warm fabrics with your own hands, then in such an impromptu refrigerator you can store perishable foods for up to a day.

More exotic ways of preserving food are also described. However, in practice they are used extremely rarely. Today, no one will fill the meat with milk, process it with brine or cover the chopped herbs of rare plants.

If an unpleasant odor remains in the refrigerator after defrosting, you can remove it by placing a container of vinegar, ammonia, freshly cut lemon in it and leaving it for several hours in operating mode

Do I need to defrost No Frost refrigerators

Happy owners of know-frost devices often neglect the recommendations of manufacturers and refrigeration equipment repair specialists.They consist in the following - it is necessary to turn off the device once a year for a day, leaving it with the doors open. The system of ventilation, air supply and removal of excess moisture is closed by the structure. What happens in the routes is not visible, but often there are processes that lead to breakdowns. Developers are not able to completely get rid of some design problems. In any refrigerator with the No Frost system there are weaknesses, areas where ice is formed. A user who once a year finds the opportunity to turn off the refrigerator for a day is guaranteed to minimize risks:

• Premature entry of equipment out of order;
• Damage to stored products due to improper temperature conditions;
• Increased electricity consumption.

The opinion of some users and unfair advertising by some sellers that the “know-frost” system does not need defrosting is absolutely not true. The documentation of any refrigerator in this category indicates the routine maintenance and recommended measures for the care of the equipment.