My Whirlpool freezer keeps freezing up inside at the back. I have to manually defrost it every other day. I have had it checked twice and have been told that the defrost timer and the heater are both working fine. What else could be making it freeze up?

If it’s in floor if freezer, you have a clogged defrost drain. If it’s on inside back freezer wall, it’s a defrost problem

Check your defrost timer also make sure its turning also there's a thermostat and heating element that defrost the ice at given cycles

Since you say the compressor is running, you should check the evaporator coil inside the cabinet. Remove the back wall screws, and the back wall, to expose the evaporator. If its fully encased in frost, like a square block of snow, you have a defrost problem, heater, t- stat or defrost control. If frost only at the top, your fan is not running. If its bare of frost, all you see is the aluminum coil, you have a sealed system leak of refrigeratnt

Hi. I am Kelly and welcome to FixYa. Here is the real question..... Is the food staying frozen?

Freezers usually defrost 3 times a day (8 hr intervals) Some as often as 4 times a day. The freezer use concept is that it is not opened more than 3 times a day. (Yes there will be more times than that any given week)

Having said all of that.... some things to look at.

1. Check the door seal for any signs of tears... grease... collapse...

2. Make sure there are no gaps in the door or between the closed door and the seal.

3. Many people don't check this one... but make sure it is level. An un-level freezer can cause the door seal not to function correctly.

Now if your saying that the food is actually defrosting... then there are a few other things that can cause that.

A. Sticking / defective Defrost timer

B. Defrost element is not heating and the freezer goes through a VERY long defrost cycle as the contents have to reach 60 Deg F for the 60 Deg bi-metal thermostat to close and advance the defrost timer to start the compressor.

C. Intermittent operation of the 60 Deg thermostat

I hope this clears things up a bit for you.

Thanks for using FixYa.

Kelly

Check rear wall of freezer by feel for frost. Heavy, even frost indicates likely problem in the defrost system. Unplug unit. Defrost heater (in freezer behind rear wall panel), defrost thermostat (same area-must be checked at freezer temperature) or Defrost timer-located lower back outside of unit. Near compressor. Do continuity test on heater and defrost thermostat and if they show continuity (good), replace defrost timer. If not, replace the one that tests bad.

Defrost coils fully. Reassemble.

Please let me know if I have helped with comments and rating.

Refrigerator will work about 7-10 days after being defrosted until thick frost builds up again cutting off air flow to both compartments

You have a dfrost problem if at all possible remove food from refrigerator and unplug it, leave the doors open. By morning the freezer should be defrosted and that will buy you time to fix or call someone. defrosting can be quickened with use of a hair dryer. This is only a TEMPORARY fix and freezer will need to be defrosted again after 4-5 days.

Either your defrost timer, defrost heater or defrost thermostat has failed. All parts are located behind the lower back panel inside the freezer. Most likely are the defrost heater and defrost thermostat.

Sounds like a defrost timer.Also it can be a defrost thermostat.Try to adcance the defrost timer to a defrost and see if it melts the ice off.If so then i would say you need a defrost timer hope i helped:)

When you say it is frosted over, do you mean the interior of the freezer is frosted, or the evaporator coils?

A couple things to check for:

1. Is the door gasket making a good seal when you close the door? A good quick fix for a bad seal on the gasket is to rub a thin layer of Vaseline (the original jelly kind works best) on the rubber to help it stick and to fill any scratches that might be keeping it from sealing tightly.

2. Is the fan running on the inside of the freezer? The evaporator coil in the freezer needs a fan to blow air over the coils to keep them from freezing over. They don't run continuously, and on some units will turn off when the door is open, so try holding the door switch shut when you check.

3. Is the defrost cycle working? Frost-free freezers have a defrost cycle in which a small heater turns on to thaw any frost that has begun to form. To check the functionality of the heater and the defrost timer will probably require a visit from a technician... It would take a while to explain it here, but if check the first two and come up empty handed, post back. You will need a volt/ohm meter.

I would check the first two

Check that the fanmotor is running and is not obstructed. If it is running, then you have an ice build up on the freezer (evaporator) coils. This can be caused by failure of the defrost system. Either the control board needs replacing or the defrost element, or the thermodisc.