Fridge problems
Fridge Freezing Food on the Shelves
Frozen lettuce, slushy milk and cracked eggs mean the fridge section is running well below the 3 to 5 degrees it should hold. The fridge is working too well, not too little, and the fault is nearly always in the control rather than the cooling system. Harare Fridge Repairs tests the thermostat, sensors and damper and puts it right at your home.
- Mechanical thermostats stuck closed or wrongly set
- Electronic sensors reading warm when the fridge is cold
- Dampers stuck open between freezer and fridge
- Food placed against the back wall or the cold air outlet
- Fridges and freezers only, nothing else
- Mobile across Harare, no need to transport the unit
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Price agreed before any work starts
Why is my fridge freezing my food?
A fridge freezes food when the compressor keeps running after the cabinet has reached temperature. On an older fridge that means the mechanical thermostat has either been turned too cold, often by accident, or has failed with its contacts stuck closed so it never switches the compressor off. On an electronic fridge it usually means a temperature sensor has drifted and is telling the control board the cabinet is warmer than it is, so the board keeps cooling.
On frost free double door and combi fridges there is a third cause: the damper that regulates cold air flowing from the freezer into the fridge has stuck open, flooding the fridge with freezer air. Food at the back of the top shelf, nearest the outlet, freezes first. A fourth, simpler cause is food pushed hard against the back wall of the fridge, where the evaporator sits, or placed directly under the cold air vent.
Our technician checks the setting, measures the actual cabinet temperature against what the control thinks it is, tests the thermostat switching point or the sensor resistance, and checks the damper. The repair is a thermostat, a sensor, a damper motor or occasionally a control board, and it is done on site.
Common causes of a fridge freezing food
These are the faults behind this symptom, roughly in the order we find them in Harare.
- 1
Thermostat set too cold
The dial has been turned towards maximum, sometimes by a child or while cleaning. The simplest fix of all.
- 2
Thermostat contacts stuck closed
A mechanical thermostat that never switches off. The compressor runs continuously and everything freezes. Replaced on site.
- 3
Sensor drift on an electronic fridge
The fridge sensor reads too warm, the board keeps cooling. Confirmed by comparing the sensor resistance with the manufacturer's chart.
- 4
Damper stuck open
On frost free fridges the damper between freezer and fridge has jammed open, so freezer air pours in. Food near the outlet freezes first.
- 5
Food against the back wall or vent
Items touching the cold back plate or placed in front of the air outlet freeze even when the fridge is working correctly.
- 6
Gasket leaking on the freezer section
Warm air into the freezer makes the control run longer to hold freezer temperature, over cooling the fridge on single control models.
Quick checks before you call
None of these need tools, and the answers help us arrive with the right parts.
- Where is the thermostat dial set? Try the middle position for a day.
- Is the frozen food at the back of the top shelf or against the back wall?
- Does the compressor ever switch off, or does it run all day?
- Is the problem new, or has it crept in as the fridge got older?
- Is the fridge in a cold room or garage where winter temperatures confuse a single thermostat?
Please do not
Things that make it worse
Do not turn the dial to the warmest setting and leave it there; the freezer may thaw.
Do not pack food against the back wall of the fridge section.
Do not assume the fridge needs gas; too much cooling is never a gas problem.
How we fix it
The services that deal with this problem, each explained on its own page.
FAQ
Fridge freezing food: your questions answered
Why does my fridge freeze vegetables in the crisper drawer?+
Cold air sinks, so when the fridge runs too cold the drawers at the bottom freeze first. The thermostat or sensor is holding the fridge too cold, or the damper is stuck open. All three are repairable on site.
Is a fridge that freezes food wasting electricity?+
Yes. A compressor that never switches off uses far more power than one that cycles, and it wears out sooner. The repair pays for itself.
Can you fix a fridge that freezes food in one visit?+
Usually. Thermostats, sensors and damper motors are carried on the vehicle, and the fridge is tested before we leave.
Fridge freezing food? We can be there today.
Call 0782 886 252 or WhatsApp a photo of the fault with your suburb. Harare Fridge Repairs attends homes and businesses across Harare, 24 hours a day.