How to Reduce & Resolve Frost Buildup in Upright Freezers and Freezer Compartments of Two Door Refrigerators.
Frost occurs when moisture in ambient air touches the frozen evaporator coils, metal shelves and interior sides of a freezer.
Steps you can take to reduce frost build up:
Move your hand around the outside of the freezer door. If you feel cold air, then the door is not sealing adequately.
You can adjust the freezer door by loosening the top hinge to reposition/adjust the freezer door to create a tight seal.
Adjust the front levelling feet of your unit such that the front of the unit is slightly higher than the rear. Gravity will assist the freezer door to close with a proper seal.
TIP: Close the freezer door on a dollar bill (or similar). The dollar bill should not easily pull out – there should be some resistance. Perform the “Dollar Bill Test” on the top, sides, bottom of your freezer door, and adjust accordingly.
Do not over fill your freezer to prevent food items from shifting and preventing the freezer door from closing properly.
Place only cool or cold food items in your freezer. Hot foods introduce humidity into the freezer compartment, which contributes to frost build up. Allow hot foods to cool before placing them in the freezer.
Wrap foods tightly with plastic wrap. Butcher paper is not an adequate wrapping material. Glass container lids typically do not provide a proper seal.
Dry the exterior of food before storing. By the time you reach home after purchasing frozen foods, the food items may have defrosted a bit and moisture may have already developed on packaging.
Reduce the amount of time the freezer door remains open. Labelling and organizing your foods so you can easily identify them will help shorten the number and duration of freezer trips.
Set the freezer temperature so the freezers interior compartment stays around 0F (-18C), as higher and lower temperature settings contribute to frost build up.
Door Seal Care:
Keep the door seal clean. You can clean your door seal with a solution of one tsp of baking soda to a quart of lukewarm water. Pour the solution onto a clean sponge, and wipe it over the seal. Sponge off the solution with clear water and dry the seal with a clean cloth before closing the freezer door.
Keep the door seal flexible by lubricating it with some petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline). Wipe it on and wipe it off with a clean dry cloth.