You probably own a mini-fridge, and you might sometimes wake up to find out everything in your mini-fridge is frozen. You are not alone.
Freezing up is a common and annoying problem with many mini-fridges. But one question that might have got you here is why my mini-fridge keeps freezing up?
There are many reasons why excess freezing is an issue that many mini-fridge users encounter. However, the major causes are faulty temperature controls and a damaged gasket. It can also be caused by mispositioned airflow ducts or dirty cooling coils. You can fix this issue by keeping your mini-fridge tidy.
This article will discuss why your mini-fridge keeps freezing up and how you can easily troubleshoot this issue. Besides, we will answer some commonly asked questions about mini-fridge freezing up.
Sounds great? Read on for more.
How Do You Keep a Mini Fridge From Freezing Up
You need to do several things to keep your mini-fridge from freezing up. These are not limited to;
1. Troubleshooting the mini-fridge door
This is probably one of the first things you need to do to keep your mini-fridge from freezing up. For instance, there are a few things that you need to check. They include;
2. Avoid opening the door too often or for too long.
Frequently opening the mini-fridge door increases the level of humidity inside. This could result in ice build-up and frost.
Therefore, you need to avoid leaving your mini-fridge door open when you are trying to figure out which item to take out or when you are deciding what to eat.
Instead, you should make a quick mental list of the items that you need so that you take all of those items out of your mini-fridge at once. For instance, be as quick or as fast as possible and close the mini-fridge fridge doors in under one minute.
3. Tighten the door hinges if they are weak
Loose hinges on your mini-fridge doors will lead to an incomplete seal, which will increase the humidity level inside, thus causing it to freeze up.
Therefore, tighten them using a screwdriver whenever you notice that the screws on the door hinges are loose.
4. Ensure the door seal is properly working.
If the door seal is loose and not working well, the mini-fridge door will not fully be closed.
Therefore, if you run your hand across the door seal and feel some food residue or a gust of air, you should wipe down the seal. You can also rub some petroleum jelly into the gap to push the door seal back.
This will assist in stopping the air from escaping. However, if this does not work out, you should consider replacing your door seal.
5. Keeping your mini-fridge tidy
An untidy mini-fridge will cause air circulation issues, which will affect the overall temperature of your mini-fridge. Therefore it is vital to keep your mini-fridge tidy by;
- Moving bulky items inside your mini-fridge away from the cooling source or mechanism
- Avoiding over-filling your mini-fridge
- Cleaning off the mini-fridge vents after every six months to ensure proper air circulation
- Washing or cleaning inside of your mini-fridge two times a year
- Vacuuming the condenser coils at the back of your mini-fridge two times a year.
6. Avoiding Sunlight
It is vital to keep your mini-fridge away from intense sunlight. For instance, intense sunlight affects the thermostat, thus making your mini-fridge overwork itself. This causes lumps of ice to form, and your mini-fridge will freeze up.
7. Eliminating any ice build-up in your mini-fridge
Another way to keep your mini-fridge from freezing up is eliminating any ice build-up in your mini-fridge. You can do this by;
- Keeping your mini-fridge set at 3 to 4 °C (37 to 40 °F)
- Melting away ice crystals with a cleaning cloth and hot water
- Using kitchen utensil or bristle brush to dislodge more rigid ice crystals
What Temperature Range Is Good For a Mini Fridge?
Keeping foods chilled properly inside your mini-fridge at the suitable mini-fridge temperature range helps them last longer and stay fresher. Besides, sticking to the ideal mini-fridge temperature range can enable you to avoid potential foodborne illnesses.
The recommended mini-fridge temperature range is 32° to 40°F. However, the ideal temperature range that you should aim for is 1.7 to 3.3°C (35° to 38°F).
Mini-fridge temperatures below this range will cause your mini-fridge to freeze up, which is not ideal. For instance, if you want your food frozen, consider putting it inside a freezer.
On the other hand, temperatures above this range will allow bacteria to multiply rapidly. This will cause your food to spoil and result in some tummy troubles.
How to Measure a Mini-Fridge’s Temperature
To measure the temperature of your mini-fridge, you will need to purchase a freestanding appliance thermometer at any local home store or online.
You will then be required to place your thermometer in your mini-fridge and leave it inside for about 20 minutes.
You can then remove it and check the reading.
Confirm whether you are close to the recommended mini-fridge temperature range or even the ideal one. If not, you should turn to your mini-fridge temperature control panel.
However, it is vital to note that not all temperature gauges are accurate. Therefore, it is not uncommon for mini-fridges to be a few degrees off the set temperature mark.
What is more, some mini-fridges do not display temperatures at all. They allow you to adjust the mini-fridge temperature on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the coldest and 5 being the warmest option.
Therefore, it would be hard to know what these milestones translate to in absolute degrees without a thermometer. This is why you need a thermometer.
Once you get your thermometer reading, you can adjust the mini-fridge temperature accordingly to keep the temperature in the ideal range of 1.7 to 3.3°C (35° to 38°F).
How Cold Can Mini Fridges Get?
Most mini-fridges have a regulator that automatically shuts off the compressor after several minutes.
For instance, most mini-fridges will cool down to 40 degrees, and then the compressor will shut off even though there will still be power going to your mini-fridge.
However, you might experience some cooling problems where your mini-fridge might cool down up to 43 degrees. As such, mini-fridge manufacturers provide guidelines on how you can use a mini-fridge so that it cools properly.
These guidelines are as follows;
Step 1: Put your mini-fridge in an area away from heat sources such as heaters and heaters and away from direct sunlight.
It is recommended that you avoid using a mini-fridge in areas where the temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit or below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme low or high temperatures can affect the inside temperature of the mini-fridge.
Step 2: Plug your mini-fridge power cable into a dedicated, ground electrical outlet.
This ensures that your mini-fridge gets an adequate amount of electrical current.
It is recommended to avoid using an extension cable with your mini-fridge.
Step 3: Wait for 2 to 3 minutes for your mini-fridge to cool down after turning it on.
Many mini-fridge manufacturers recommend that you place a mini-fridge thermostat in the coldest setting while it cools. You can then turn it down to a medium setting once cooling has been achieved.
It is also recommended to avoid placing anything inside your mini-fridge until it has sufficiently cooled.
Step 4: Keep your mini-fridge door closed as much as possible.
Frequently opening the mini-fridge door affects the internal temperatures. Therefore, you should avoid opening it frequently.
Besides, it is vital to ensure closed when closing the mini-fridge door.
Step 5: Allow your mini-fridge time to cool down after putting a large amount of warm liquid or food inside it.
After a few minutes, you should check your mini-fridge to confirm if it has cooled. If it has not cooled, you should try setting the temperature to a cooler setting and turn it back down to the previously selected setting after a few hours when it is sufficiently cold.
FAQs
Is 1 or 5 colder on a mini-fridge?
A mini-fridge, just like regular fridges, has a dual to regulate or control its temperature. However, the temperature dial of a regular fridge is the opposite of that of a mini-fridge.
For instance, the temperature dial on a mini-fridge has 1 to 7 levels in them. Unlike a regular fridge, 7 is the warmest setting on a mini-fridge, while 1 is the coldest setting possible.
Therefore, in a mini-fridge, between 5 and 1, 1 is the coldest. 5 is warmer than 1, but it is not the warmest setting level.
What should I set my mini-fridge to?
The temperature setting levels on the mini-fridge allow you to regulate its temperature. For instance, you can tweak around the control dial to find the ultimate temperature for your mini-fridge.
As previously discussed, 1 is the coldest setting level, while 7 is the warmest level. Therefore, to keep your food inside a mini-fridge fresh, it is recommended to balance the temperature. For instance, level 3 or 4 is the ideal setting level for a mini-fridge.
Your mini-fridge will not get too cold or too warm at this setting level.
Is freezing up in the mini-fridge bad?
Although freezing up is common with most mini-fridges, it is not a good sign, be it with your mini-fridge or regular fridge.
In some cases, freezing can even damage your mini-fridge.
Besides, freezing up makes the cold airflow inside the mini-fridge stop. This raises the temperature inside your mini-fridge, resulting in beverages or food spoiling.