Generally, freezers are considered one of the home appliances that last the longest. An average freezer is expected to be in good condition for at least 16 years.
Read along as we examine the life expectancy of freezers and provide you with the necessary tips you need to ensure that your freezer is properly taken care of.
Although freezers are not the only appliances that last long, they give you real value for your money. When you get a good freezer, best believe that it will serve you for around 12-20 years.
However, there are no guarantees as a lot of factors like surges in power and maintenance can affect the durability of your freezer. Taking proper care of your freezer can make it last longer for you.
The lifespan of an average freezer is 16 years. So the question is: is the freezer in your home an ‘average’ freezer or is it on the verge of a breakdown?
How Long Will My Chest Freezer Last?
The answer to these questions is not singular; rather, it depends on a lot of factors. Some of these factors are;
Environment
This might look unlikely, but it is a major determinant of the durability of your freezer. A freezer that is installed close to a sunlit window will be more prone to damage than a freezer kept inside.
This also applies to freezers kept outside of the house or in the garage. The high temperature and humidity outside are bad for your freezer.
Quality
The quality of your freezing unit plays a great role in determining how long it will last. Upscale freezer models will and do last longer than lesser models.
So, invest in a quality freezer for long time returns. Getting a refrigerator-freezer or full-scale home freezer will serve you better than buying a mini freezer.
Usage
When used recklessly and not properly taken care of, your freezer will quickly wear out. Careful usage of your freezer includes maintaining a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit; moderating the contents you put in the unit so that you don’t overfill, and removing obstructions from the vent.
Repairs
Avoid using substandard parts in repairing your freezing appliance. Insist on a reliable freezer repair person.
Taking shortcuts here won’t be in your freezer or your best interest.
Maintenance
A good and proper maintenance culture is required if your freezer is going to reach its life expectancy of 16 years. As you read along, you will find that the tips you need to properly care for your freezer are discussed below.
Taking Care of Your Chest Freezer
Your chest freezers serve you in a lot of ways; from making ice cubes to ensuring that your ice cream remains ice cold. It’s only right that you ensure that it remains in great condition.
How do you do that, you might ask?
Well, the first step is to pay close attention and take seriously any kind of sign hinting at malfunction. Is your appliance making a strange noise? Is the ice-making slow? These are signs that something is wrong.
Identifying the signs is one thing getting a reliable repairer is another. As already mentioned earlier, ensure that only a professional repair person works on your freezer.
Getting The Best Out Of Your Freezer
So, you got a quality freezer and installed it inside and away from direct sunlight, good. Now, these few maintenance guidelines will help your freezer serve you optimally and last longer.
You should examine the thermometer calibration, wiring condition, and condenser coil of your freezer at least once a year.
Ensure that the temperature of your freezer is set within the specified temperature range provided by the manufacturer of your appliance.
Generally, the temperature of a freezer ranges from 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Clean up spills in the freezer right away.
From time to time you might want to clean the ice buildup in your freezer.
While this is a good idea, you mustn’t use abrasive cleaning materials like bleach or acid-based cleaning products.
To start, clean, switch off your freezer, and allow the ice to thaw before cleaning with mild detergent and water. This should be done every 7 months or whenever the ice buildup gets too much.
These maintenance guidelines will not only increase the longevity of your freezer. It will also optimize your energy consumption. So not only are you extending the lifespan of your appliance by applying these guidelines, but you are also saving money.
I think it’s a fair offer; maintain your freezer and save money. You will find these guidelines very helpful especially if your freezer has gotten old.
Knowing The History Of Your Freezer
Knowing the history of your freezer is easier if you bought the freezer yourself. Since you’re the one that bought it, you would know how long you have had it and the way you have maintained it or abused it.
It gets hard if you bought a fairly used freezer or the new apartment you moved into has a freezer already. In this situation, you can only guess how old the freezer is based on how well maintained or abused it is. If it was badly used, the person wasn’t aware of this guideline you’re reading.
So, go ahead and show the difference by taking proper care of the unit and employing the services of a reliable repair person if needed.
However, if you want to find out the history of your freezer, there is a sticker at the back of the unit that tells you the serial number and model of the freezer.
You should be able to find the date the particular unit was manufactured. In the situation where the date of manufacture is not there, you can get the serial number, brand name, and model and look it up online.
Is My Freezer Breaking Down?
Like the vast majority of our home appliances, the freezer’s lifespan shortens the heavier you use it. This simply means that the less you use it, the longer it will last.
As the years go by, you will start seeing signs that your freezer is going bad and not functioning as well as it used to. You wouldn’t need anyone to tell you that your appliance is breaking down.
Here are some clear signs you can use to check the state of your appliance.
Ice buildup in your freezer
This is often caused by a faulty gasket, and sometimes replacing the faulty gasket will get it working good as new.
You can confirm if this is the case by using a dollar bill. Put the dollar bill in the chest freezer while you’re closing it; pull the dollar bill out gently after you have closed the freezer.
Call a technician to change the gasket if the bill comes out smoothly but if the ice continues to build even after the technician has changed the gasket, it means that your freezer is approaching its last days.
Another cause of ice buildup in your chest freezer is the temperature regulator going bad as a result of old age. So, pure ice forming inside your chest freezer is a telltale sign that there is a problem with your appliance.
Sweating freezer
You can be sure that the state of your freezer is getting worse when it starts sweating. Although this happens to all freezing equipment, excess of it heralds a problem.
It allows the growth of food contaminants like mold to grow in the freezer, so now instead of the freezer preserving your food, it is poisoning and spoiling it.
Moreover, the condensation pan of your chest freezer can be filled with additional condensation leading to water leaking from your chest freezer.
Motor overheating
The motor at the back of your freezer normally generates heat, and this heat makes the back of the freezer warm.
However, if you notice that the back of your freezer is very hot, it means that the motor is overheating. This means that due to disproportionate and additional consumption of power supply, the motor is generating unnecessary heat. If you notice this, don’t postpone it.
Call your technician immediately so that the issue can be tackled and you can prevent the loss, accidents, and further damage.
Why Can’t My Freezer Preserve Food
The major job of the chest freezer is to preserve food. Unfortunately, old and faulty freezers do the opposite of what they were designed to do.
They not only make the food go bad. They also make dairy products like ice cream to defrost when left all through the night in the freezer.
This is caused by fluctuations in temperature and this means that the freezer might not get to the freezing point of some foods and in some other foods, it might take a lot of time to reach the freezing state.
These fluctuations mean that the freezer consumes more energy in a bid to reach the freezing point of the food it’s meant to preserve, and this translates to an increased electricity bill for you.
If you like this article, be sure to check out others.
Leave a Reply