Why Is My Whirlpool Refrigerator Freezing Up? 7 Tips to Fix a Frozen Refrigerator

Written By David Varnes

David Varnes is an Appliance Repair Professional with over 15 years of experience.

Your refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in your home. It keeps your food cold and fresh, so it’s important to take care of it and make sure it’s running properly. If you’ve been having problems with your whirlpool refrigerator freezing up, we’re here to help.

In this article, we will provide 7 tips that will help you fix a frozen refrigerator.

What Can Cause Your Whirlpool Refrigerator to Freeze Up?

Refrigerators, like similar modern devices, have a lot of moving components. Because there are so many components, locating the one that is malfunctioning might be difficult unless you know what to look for.

Solution 1: Evaporator Coil is Faulty

The evaporator coil is the copper tubing on the back of refrigerators that keeps their insides chilly. If this component freezes up, it will cause significant issues with your fridge’s functioning.

Solution 2: Defrost Heater is Faulty

The defrost heater is usually next to the evaporator coil, either above or below it. To check if your defrost heater is the problem, you can use a multimeter to see if it has a current running through it. If there is no current, then it will need to be replaced.

Solution 3: Defrost Thermostat is Defective

The defrost thermostat is behind the back panel in the freezer. It tells the heater when to turn on and defrost the evaporator coil. If it’s not working, then the heater won’t know to do its job. To see if it’s working, use a multimeter on it.

Solution 4: Defrost Timer is Defective

The defrost timer should be on the refrigerator’s control housing’s right-hand side. Turn the timer slowly until it clicks to check if it is working. If the heater and thermostat are operating and the heat comes on, the thermostat needs to be changed.

Related: How to Reset Whirlpool Refrigerator?

Solution 5: Temperature Setting Needs to be Adjusted

The temperature setting is usually at the top of your whirlpool fridge’s interior. While it may appear to be too simple that a knob on a dial could cause your food to freeze, it can happen.

Check your temperature adjustment to see if this is the case. If the setting on your refrigerator is set to a lower temperature, that would most likely be the reason why your food is freezing.

Solution 6: Airflow Is Being Disrupted By Some Items

Vents are used to distribute cold air inside your refrigerator. If you put food in the way of a vent, it will freeze over time. To avoid this, make sure that all of your goods are evenly dispersed throughout your fridge.

Another concern with an uneven food arrangement is that the chilly air may settle at the bottom of the fridge and ice some items there.

Solution 7: Door Seal is Faulty

The door gasket keeps air from seeping into or out of the freezer. If the door gasket is damaged, isn’t sealing properly, or if the freezer isn’t fully shut, humid air may enter the freezer.

When this humid air comes into contact with the cold evaporator coils, it condenses and freezes on them. The defrost system won’t be able to keep up, and ice will build upon the coils.

The gasket is the rubber or fabric that separates the freezer door from the freezer wall. To ensure a secure seal, close the freezer door on a dollar bill and attempt to extract it. If the dollar bill remains in place, the gasket is doing its job. The gasket has a leak if the dollar bill slides out or falls out during the test.

How Do You Prevent Your Crisper Drawers From Freezing?

If the crisper drawer in your refrigerator is freezing due to a lack of items to absorb the chilly air, it’s most likely due to an overabundance of food in the drawers and at the bottom of the fridge. Cold air may settle there and freeze some food if there is more food in the drawers and on the bottom than what can be evenly distributed.

You should also check that the drawer is not too full and that there is space for air to circulate. If you have too much food in the drawer, it will cause the same issue.

What is the Ideal Temperature for a Whirlpool Refrigerator?

The normal temperature of a Whirlpool refrigerator is 37°F, according to the manufacturer. However, depending on a variety of circumstances, you may need to adjust it. It’s conceivable for the setting to be changed or tampered with at any time, so keep an eye on it.

A good way to check and see if your fridge is set to the right temperature is by using a refrigerator thermometer.

How Do I Reset My Whirlpool Refrigerator’s Thermostat?

If your whirlpool fridge isn’t reaching the temperature you programmed it to, you may have to reset the thermostat. Finding the button on top of the inside of your whirlpool fridge is the easiest way to reset it.

When you close the door, push this button three times and wait a few seconds. If you hear your refrigerator click, that means it worked.

Related: How to Fix Whirlpool Microwave Door Error

What Causes Ice to Build Up in My Refrigerator?

If you’re having trouble opening the door, there may be an issue with the seal or hinges. Examine the door gasket for any signs of seepage. If you detect any, replace the gasket right away.

When Should You Consult An Professional?

Calling a specialist or a technician is always a good idea. If you don’t feel comfortable testing or replacing any of the faulty components, it’s better to call someone who specializes in that.

There’s also no need to be embarrassed about attempting to repair something and then having problems.

Conclusion

It doesn’t have to be the end of the world if your whirlpool refrigerator freezes up. If the evaporator coil is frozen, it’s probably due to a fault with the heater, thermostat, or timer. When your food items inside of the fridge start to freeze, it’s usually because of an incorrect temperature setting, how they’re arranged, or a faulty door seal.

You can try some simple solutions at home to see if you can fix the issue, but if not, don’t hesitate to call a professional. With these tips in mind, you should be able to get your whirlpool fridge back up and running in no time.

Thanks for reading!