Does A Frost Free Freezer Need A Drain? [3 Considerations]

Does A Frost Free Freezer Need A Drain?
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A freezer is a place where food is stored at very low temperatures to keep it preserved and prevent spoilage. The purpose of freezing foods is generally to kill any existing microbes or parasites that may cause disease, increase the foods’ longevity, or simply make it taste better.

Freezing food slows down decomposition by turning water in the food into ice, inhibiting the growth of most bacterial species. Any bacteria present are thus preserved until the food defrosts somewhat and they can grow again.

However, in this post, we’ll talk about does a frost free freezer need a drain?

Let’s find out!

Does A Frost Free Freezer Need A Drain?

Freezer is a common household appliance that can keep food frozen for long time. The fridge has two parts, the refrigerator and the freezing compartment. The freezing compartments are not usually frost free but if you’ve got one which is than that’s great.

The frost free feature is designed to eliminate the need for defrosting coils by using active dry air circulation and water drainage instead of relying on manual removal of ice from inside the freezer compartment your frost free freezer will take care of it for you.

So no you don’t need a drain for a frost free freezer.

3 Best Frost Free Freezers

1.      No It Doesn’t

It is quite common for frost free freezers to not have a drain. This is because they do not require defrosting, so they don’t need to drain any water from the freezer.

Defrosting a freezer means that the layer of ice that has frozen on the inside walls of the freezer needs to be removed periodically. This is done with a special hot air gun that melts the ice and allows it to drip off. Some frost free units remove this layer of ice automatically by running warm air through the freezer and defrosting it in the process. This method eliminates the need for drains.

2.      In The Case Of Malfunctioning Buying One Is Better

When your freezer stops working correctly, you may be tempted to call a repairman and have him fix it. But before you do, make sure that you know whether your freezer is experiencing a problem with the switch or the motor.

If you notice any of the following issues when using your frost-free freezer, then it’s probably experiencing a problem with the switch:

  • You open the door and no cold air comes out.
  • You don’t feel any cold air coming from the vents on the back of the freezer.
  • The fan in the back isn’t blowing as it should be.

If your frost free freezer is malfunctioning and producing water at the bottom of the refrigerator than you should get a drain for it to protect your carpet and floor.

3.      Frost Free Freezer Doesn’t Usually Have A Drain

Frost-free, or automatic defrost, freezers don’t usually have drainage systems. However, if a freezer that is of the frost-free variety stops working properly, and the temperature inside it is consistently above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, a clog may have formed around the drain hole.

The next time you open your freezer door, take note of how warm it is inside. If it is warm enough to melt the refrigerant inside the panel, it is likely that condensation has built up and frozen around the drain hole.

Frost free freezer usually doesn’t need drain but if anything goes wrong you can use an external drain for this very reason.