Samsung, a South Korean tech giant, started as a trading company 85 years ago in 1938. Over the years, it has branched its business into several different fields, such as smartphones, electronics, and home appliances. The one which is relevant to us in this article is Samsung Electronics. Samsung entered this space towards the end of the 1960s, dealing with all electrical appliances.
When we are looking for refrigerators, we have quite a lot of options to choose from. One of the most renowned brands in this space is Samsung. Samsung refrigerators are known for their classy and premium designs, usually packed with many essential features. They also come in different price categories.
However, like any other fridge, Samsung fridges can sometimes run into problems. One of these problems is the freezing up of your refrigerator. It is a fairly common issue and generally nothing to worry about. Also, the possible causes of the issue are numerous but can be pointed out. There are some ways by which you can do that and, in turn, resolve the issue, all of which we will tell you in this guide.
Why is your Samsung refrigerator freezing up?
Freezing up of refrigerators is quite a common problem. It can happen for numerous reasons, some of the most common being very low temperatures or frost generation inside the refrigerator. Others include various hardware and configuration faults.
How to stop the freezing up of your Samsung refrigerator?
There are almost as many different ways of resolving the problem at hand as the causes creating the problem in the first place. Some are easy, while some fall on the more complex side. That is not for you to worry about, though, because we will be helping you throughout the process.
One thing to keep note of is that you will have to identify the cause of the problem before trying to fix it. Once you have done so, you can check the corresponding troubleshooting steps. However, if you cannot figure it out, you can try each fix until you find out what works in your case.
1. Power Cool mode is turned on
Several Samsung refrigerators come with a feature called Power Cool. This feature is used for accelerating the cooling process. However, if this feature is kept on for a long time, your refrigerator may freeze.
As you may have guessed by now, you must turn off the Power Cool feature to stop your fridge from freezing. To do so, simply press the Power Cool key from your refrigerator. You can also press the Fridge key and hold it for a while. This will turn off the Power Cool feature. Alternatively, you can use the Fridge Manager app on your phone if your refrigerator supports it. Samsung’s Family Hub models usually do. Just open the app, locate Temperature Setting for your refrigerator, and you will find the controls for the Power Cool feature once you tap on it. Tap on it and then tap Save.
If you get stuck somewhere, it is finally time to put the user manual that came with your fridge to use. It will have detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
2. Extremely low temperatures inside the refrigerator
As per the USDA food safety guidelines, fridges should be set to a temperature of 4° C or lower. However, abnormally low temperatures inside your refrigerator for prolonged durations can cause it to freeze up.
Keep pressing the Fridge key until the temperature exceeds the recommended limit to bring your refrigerator back to a normal temperature. But there is a possibility that your fridge does not have a Fridge key and has arrow keys instead. If that is the case, use the arrow keys to locate the Fridge option. Select it by pressing the O key. Use the arrows again to bring the temperature of your refrigerator within limits. After that, press O again to confirm and save changes.
If your Samsung refrigerator supports Family Hub, you can change the temperature using the Fridge Manager app. Open the app and locate the temperature controls for your refrigerator. Adjust the temperature accordingly and hit Save to confirm changes. Alternatively, you can always refer to the user manual of your refrigerator. It will have detailed steps for doing so for your specific model.
On a related note, do not keep the refrigerator in a room with very low-temperature conditions. It can play a role in freezing up the refrigerator.
3. Frost Generation in the fridge
Frost generation is a pretty common issue with many fridges. And the fix for this is also very simple.
First of all, let us take a look at what could be causing the frost to build up in the first place. Many things could factor in. The most common one is storing high-temperature food items in the fridge. The vapours released from these form moisture when put in the fridge’s low-temperature conditions. This moisture eventually freezes up and is called frost. It is very easy to avoid this problem. You must ensure you do not store food items in the refrigerator before letting them cool down. Putting lids on top of the containers before storing them is also a good idea.
Another really common cause of the frost building up is a malfunctioning door. Check for defects near the hinge area or the rubber seal. If you find any, get it fixed immediately. Besides, cleaning the door frequently and just the whole fridge, in general, is recommended.
By now, you must have concluded that moisture is the real culprit for frost generation. Most refrigerators come with passages or vents for the moisture and air to leave the refrigerator. So look for blockages in these passages, and clean them. Remember to avoid keeping anything too close to the vents, which may hinder air and moisture flow.
And while we are talking about handling moisture, it is important to note that food items should be stored in the designated sections for their type. This may not seem like a big deal, but it can surely make the process of freezing up your refrigerator easier and faster.
4. Mechanical Faults
Now comes the tricky part. If the above troubleshooting steps did not work for you, there is a strong possibility that your refrigerator has some serious defect in one or more of the parts. Do note that it is recommended to consult a qualified technician to fix these faults. Doing it yourself poses a high risk of landing into further issues. Not only that, but it could also result in physical injury in case of an unprecedented short circuit or any such disaster. So proceed only if you know what you are doing.
Faulty thermistor
A thermistor is basically a temperature sensor, and it helps control the temperature settings of the refrigerator. You can see why a faulty thermistor can cause the fridge to start freezing up.
First, you must check whether the thermistor is causing the issue. For that, you need a multimeter and the obvious operating tools. Locate the thermistor after turning off the power from the refrigerator. You will find it in the refrigerator compartment inside a plastic cover. This compartment will be located somewhere on the side, rear, or top of the fridge. Take the cover off, and then remove the thermistor.
Now, check the resistance of the thermistor using the multimeter. Refer to the corresponding chart, which you can find on the bottom grill. Contact Samsung support if you are unable to locate the chart. Once you find it, check if the reading on the multimeter is more than 10% off from the recommended figures. If it is too far off, you must replace the thermistor with a new one. Once you get a new thermistor for your refrigerator, just put it in place of the old one and attach all the connections and wires. Put the cover back in place as well. Power on the refrigerator and see if the problem persists. It should not.
Faulty defrost heater
Many a time, refrigerator coils start freezing up. This usually happens because of a malfunctioning defrost heater, which can be found under the refrigerator coils. First of all, check whether the defrost heater is faulty or not. You can do that using a multimeter. If it is, it is time for you to get it replaced. Doing so will solve your problem.
Faulty drain
All refrigerators come with a drain. The role of the drain is to collect moisture, and the refrigerator’s regulator helps defrost. When this drain starts malfunctioning, your refrigerator can run into various issues. And one of these issues can be the one you are currently facing — your refrigerator freezing up.
To resolve this problem, check whether your drain is damaged or positioned properly or not. One way to check that is by looking for any leakages. If there are any, fix them. The empty drain could also be an issue, so you must get it repaired. You can locate the drain by looking up its location online for your specific refrigerator model. Once everything is back to how it should be, your refrigerator should start working as before.
Faulty temperature control thermostat
We will not dive into the technicalities, but to give you an idea, a temperature control thermostat regulates the cooling cycles of the refrigerator. When this starts malfunctioning, over-cooling is one of the consequences. This, in turn, may cause your refrigerator to freeze up.
You must run simple tests to check if the temperature control thermostat is defective. The first is to rotate it to the extreme high and low settings and observe if there is a click sound. If there is, your refrigerator’s temperature control thermostat is intact. If it does not, it is likely damaged. To replace a damaged temperature control thermostat, follow the steps given below.
Disconnecting the fridge from power sources is the first step you should take before doing any such tasks as a precautionary measure. Now, find the temperature control thermostat. It is usually present on the ceiling of the fridge compartment under a cover. Remove this cover by undoing the screws. Detach the suitable wires if necessary during the process. Remove the control knob as well. After that, remove the temperature control thermostat by disconnecting all the attached wires and other parts. Then remove the diffuser block to reach the sensor tube of the thermostat. Replace this sensor tube with the new one, then redo all the connections as before. Once you have reassembled your refrigerator, power it on. The refrigerator should start functioning normally without freezing up.
Faulty damper control assembly
A damper control assembly’s task is to control and regulate airflow through the ducts. If it starts malfunctioning, your refrigerator may start freezing up due to the unregulated flow of cold air. And if that is the case, you will have to get it replaced.
Faulty control panel
This is a basic one, the control panel. It is used to control various aspects of the refrigerator. Note that you generally must replace the control panel with a new one if it starts malfunctioning. So, be sure it is the control panel only that is causing the problem. Then again, while it is not a likely cause of your problem, replacing the control panel is quite easy.
First of all, cut off all connections of the fridge from power sources. Then, undo the screws of the cover on the front of your refrigerator and remove it. After that, disconnect all wires from the control panel. You have to remember where you disconnected these from, so keep that in check. Remove the control panel by letting go of the tabs holding it.
Place the new control panel in the position of the old one, and connect the corresponding wires to their right places. Place back the cover you took off from the refrigerator earlier, and put the screws back in place too. Connect the fridge to the power source, and it should start functioning without freezing up after a while.
That concludes this guide. If you are still facing the problem, it is best to consult a qualified technician. They may have a better chance of fixing your refrigerator for you.
- Also Read: How to Defrost Samsung Refrigerator?
