5 Reasons Why Your Commercial Fridge Is Freezing Over
Commercial refrigerators and freezers are the backbone of any food and beverage operation, from neighbourhood cafes to commercial hotel kitchens. As such, it’s important to keep them in optimal working order. So that your perishables stay fresh and you maintain food safety.
One of the most common issues with commercial refrigerator and freezers is that they can freeze over due to issues such as an overstocked space, a faulty thermostat, and damaged door seals. This can lead to consequences such as freezer-burnt ingredients and higher electricity bills — which in turn impact food quality, operational flow, and profit margins.
Are you facing this issue with your unit? If so, let’s take a look at five reasons why your commercial fridge might be freezing over, as well as how to solve the problem.
1. Incorrect Temperature Settings
Often, one of the biggest culprits of a commercial fridge freezing over is because the temperature settings are incorrectly set. The ideal temperature for a commercial fridge is between 2℃ and 6℃. If the temperature is set too low, the compressor is always running. Which can lead to overcooling and cause ice to build up on the walls and shelves of the refrigerator.
While many commercial fridges now have digital temperature displays, some may have a single temperature control gauge instead. Always refer to the manufacturer’s manual for the recommended operating range. If the markings have faded on the thermostat knob and you can’t tell what the internal temperature is, put a fridge-safe thermometer inside the unit.
2. Faulty Thermostat
Thermostats are designed to activate cooling within your unit and stop when the set temperature is reached. If items inside your commercial refrigerator keep freezing despite the temperature displayed being within the desirable range, it might be due to a faulty thermostat.
A faulty thermostat may misread the internal temperature or fail to signal the compressor to shut off even after reaching the set temperature. This results in the refrigerator overworking and cooling the unit below its intended set point.
This technical issue requires the expertise of trained commercial refrigeration repair specialists. They’ll have the tools and the experience needed to properly address the issue. It isn’t recommended to try DIY-ing a thermostat fix as you could further damage the thermostat with the wrong tools and approach.
3. Dirty Condenser Coils
Located on the back or bottom of a commercial fridge, condenser coils change refrigerant gas into liquid and back again in a cooling cycle, which releases any heat absorbed by the gas. However, the coils can often be prone to being clogged with grease or dust. This buildup serves as insulation, further raising the temperature. You’ll know if the air around the coils feels very hot.
When this happens, the compressor runs harder and longer to expel heat from the refrigerant. As with the point above, overworking the compressor can lead to excessive cooling in the fridge and it freezing over as a result. The good news, however, is that this issue can easily be remedied by periodically cleaning the coils using a soft brush or vacuum — either by a professional or yourself.
4. Damaged or Worn Door Gaskets
Door gaskets (also known as door seals) are flexible, elastic strips fixed to the outer edge of the refrigeration unit, forming an airtight seal. It serves to keep warm air out and cold air in. Over time, these gaskets can crack, become brittle, or loosen due to overuse and wear and tear, allowing warm air to seep in.
The moisture from the warm air condenses inside the unit and will eventually freeze onto shelves, walls, and products. Moreover, the compressor has to work harder to maintain the set temperature, which may worsen the freezing issue.
Not sure if your door gaskets are tight enough? Put a sheet of paper or a dollar bill between the gasket and fridge door, then shut the door. If the paper holds or is hard to retrieve, your door gaskets are fine. Alternatively, you can also place a lit flashlight in the fridge and see if you can spot any light shining out when the door is closed.
5. Stuck or Malfunctioning Damper
The damper, often a door-shaped component, controls the amount of cold air that flows from the evaporator into the refrigerator compartment based on readings from a thermostat sensor. If the temperature of the unit rises above the set point, the damper opens to let cold air in and closes once it reaches the set point.
If the damper gets stuck, cold air flows continuously into the refrigerator compartment and drops the temperature beyond its ideal range. Items placed in the direct path of the airflow will likely freeze over first, followed by other items if the issue is not addressed.
You can test if a manual damper is stuck by seeing if it slides open and closed freely. An automatic damper, however, requires a multimeter test for the motor. As the damper is typically located behind a cover inside the refrigerator unit, accessing it may involve disassembling some parts. It’s best to contact a professional technician for commercial refrigeration repairs to handle it.
Keep Your Commercial Refrigerator Frost-Free with BOSSY’s
A commercial freezer or refrigerator that freezes over is more than a mere nuisance. It can waste stock, drive up energy bills, and shorten the lifespan of your equipment. Regular checks and maintenance — such as monitoring temperatures, inspecting gaskets, and cleaning coils — can prevent minor issues from snowballing into major problems down the line. Saving you from emergency repairs and providing peace of mind.
At BOSSY’s, we specialise in commercial refrigeration solutions from installation to ongoing maintenance, providing support to keep your systems running at peak performance. Whether you need repair for your frozen fridge or help installing the perfect commercial refrigeration setup, we can meet all your refrigeration needs. Contact us today.
