Defrosting a fridge freezer

A standard freezer should be defrosted every eight months or so. Otherwise a thick layer of frost will develop at the top of the drawers, and can even immobilise a drawer from being opened. It also stops the circulation of cold air, which in turns effects the ability of the freezer to keep foodstuff frozen at the correct temperature.

The general procedure for defrosting is as follows, turn off the freezer, remove the food and wrap it up in cloth, then place a bowl of warm water at the bottom of the freezer. You then close the freezer door or lid and wait for a couple of hours.

Even though most fridges and freezers are built to a high standard, with reliability foremost in most manufacturers mind, failures do still occur. Problems can also occur with a sudden power cut, frozen food should usually not be effected for twelve hours so long as the door is keep shut.

It also helps if the freezer is packed full. If the repair work will take longer than twenty four hours you will need to transfer the contents of the freezer to another freezer.