Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator Ice Build-Up!
Whirlpool french door refrigerators should not accumulate frost normally because it has a defrost system to melt any excess ice.
However, ice can build up inside the refrigerator due to some reasons. Therefore, it might raise concerns about fixing the frost issue with your fridge.
Fortunately, this article will help you understand the reasons for the ice build-up and how to fix and address every other whirlpool french door refrigerator problem.
The major reason for a Whirlpool french door refrigerator building up ice is due to an incorrectly set temperature. The fridge would freeze faster if the internal temperature were too low. Another common reason for the ice build-up is frequently opening the refrigerator doors or leaving the doors open for a long time and other possible causes.
Why is My Whirlpool French-door Refrigerator Icing Up?
There are several reasons why your Whirlpool french-door refrigerator is icing up. However, the grounds are always basic problems you can resolve easily.
The reasons why your Whirlpool french-door refrigerator is icing up are below.
#1. Temperature Issues
It is essential always to check the refrigerator temperature settings when you notice ice accumulating. If the temperature is too low, it could result in frozen items.
The ideal temperature range Whirlpool recommends is 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit for the refrigerator and 0-2 degrees Fahrenheit for the freezer.
#2. Refrigerator Door Issues
The doors of your Whirlpool refrigerator are essential to maintain its internal temperature. Any issue with the doors would result in an ice build-up.
Common door problems include:
#1. Opening the Door Frequently
Opening the refrigerator door frequently can cause ice build-up because humid air would enter the fridge. The higher humidity level inside the fridge would result in an ice build-up.
It is best to reduce the frequency at which you open the door to prevent ice build-up. Open and close the refrigerator door quickly if you want something from the fridge.
Additionally, you should avoid leaving the refrigerator doors open while it is working. It would help if you always secured the doors tightly to prevent ice build-up.
#2. Leaky Door Seals
The refrigerator door seal is responsible for keeping cold air inside the appliance. If the door seal leaks, some cold air will escape into the atmosphere.
At the same time, the refrigerator would have to work harder to make up for the cold air it is losing. It will need to maintain the temperature so the appliance can work normally.
Unfortunately, the struggle to maintain the temperature could result in an ice build-up inside the fridge. It would make all the items inside the refrigerator become frozen.
#3. Improper Items Arrangement
Your Whirlpool refrigerator has air vents in different locations to release and distribute cool air within the appliance.
Putting items in front of the air vents could make them freeze due to excess exposure to cool air. As a result, the frost around these items would accumulate, resulting in an ice build-up.
#4. Low Items Capacity
The cold air will only distribute if many items are inside your whirlpool refrigerator. Therefore, it is essential to stock and evenly distribute items inside the refrigerator.
The items at the bottom would freeze faster because the cold air doesn’t circulate to the upper part. Instead, the air would settle in the lower part of the refrigerator.
#5. Dirty Condenser Coils
The condenser coils are responsible for cooling the refrigerant moving inside the refrigerator to produce cool air. Dirty condenser coils would prevent the refrigerant from cooling properly.
Therefore, the condenser would have to work harder to maintain the refrigerator’s temperature. However, it may result in excessive cold air if the condenser is overworked.
The excess cold air would result in freezing and ice build-up inside the refrigerator. Therefore, cleaning the condenser coils every six months is best to prevent this issue.
#6. Faulty Components
Faulty vital components in your refrigerator can cause it to freeze. The refrigerator components include:
#1. A Thermistor
The thermistor is in charge of monitoring the cold air temperature going into the refrigerator. Then, it sends a signal to the control board when the refrigerator requires cold air.
The thermistor would be unable to monitor the mean air temperature if it is faulty, resulting in excessive cold air inside the refrigerator.
#2. Thermostat Control
The thermostat control is responsible for monitoring the temperature inside the refrigerator, then sending a signal to the compressor when the temperature is too warm.
A faulty thermostat could not sense the temperature and send the correct signal to the compressor. Therefore, the cold air entering the refrigerator would be too much.
#3. Damper Control Assembly
The damper control is in charge of opening and closing the refrigerator’s vents to control the amount of cold air.
However, the damper control could develop faults and remain stuck open. The vent will release excessive cold air into the refrigerator, resulting in freezing and ice build-up.
How Do I Get Rid of Ice Build-up in My Whirlpool French-door Fridge?
It would help to defrost your Whirlpool french-door fridge to eliminate ice build-up. Although, the refrigerator should have an automatic defrost mechanism.
However, if the fridge is not getting rid of ice on its own, you can manually defrost it using the steps below.
- Remove the items inside the refrigerator and arrange them in a cooler or another fridge to prevent them from thawing.
- Then, unplug the fridge from its power source.
- Arrange some towels or plastic buckets on the floor before the fridge.
- Also, stuff the bottom shelves with thick towels to collect water from the melting ice.
- Leave the refrigerator door open till all the ice melts.
- You can position a fan towards your refrigerator to fasten the melting process or fill bowls with hot water and put them on the thick towels inside the fridge.
- Mop the melting ice water with towels or mop while defrosting is ongoing.
- Once all the ice melts, clean the refrigerator with a baking soda and hot water mixture. For example, mix one tablespoon of baking soda and four full cups of water.
- You should ensure to clean all the racks.
- Replug the refrigerator into its power source.
- Adjust the thermostat dial correctly and shut the refrigerator door.
- Wait for the fridge to reach standard temperature, then arrange the items back to the right positions.
Alternatively, you can force defrost your Whirlpool refrigerator using the steps below.
- Open the refrigerator doors, then press and hold the door switches until the display goes blank.
- Push the temperature(-) button thrice within ten seconds while holding the door switches.
- Release the door switches. Then the screen will display “F” and “D” (Forced Defrost).
- Next, push the temperature button once to acknowledge the process.
- The display would show “S,” meaning short.
- But you should adjust it to a long cycle with the (+) button.
- Next, push the (-) button to begin the defrost cycle.
- The display would return to normal, and you could close the door.
- Then, some minutes later, you will hear hissing sounds. The sound is due to water dripping on the refrigerator’s heater.
How Do You Fix a Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator That Freezes Food?
First, you need to determine the cause of the food icing up. Then, you can fix a Whirlpool french-door refrigerator that freezes food with the following methods.
#1. Reset Your Refrigerator’s Temperature
Adjust the temperature gauge to the accurate range. The ideal temperature should be between 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge and 0-2 degrees Fahrenheit for the freezer.
Leave the refrigerator for eight hours to reach optimal temperature. Then, check if the items inside it are still frozen.
#2. Change the Door Seal
If the refrigerator door seals are leaking, you need to replace them with a new one. Change the door seal immediately before it causes more damage.
#3. Rearrange the Food
Arrange the food items at least one inch away from the wall, so they stay away from the air vents. The refrigerator should normally work once you fix these issues.
However, if it doesn’t solve the issue, you can fix the issues outlined below.
| Refrigerator Issues | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dirty condenser coils | You must clean the coils every six months. |
| Faulty components | It is best to repair any faulty system. Replace any component that is damaged. |
| Low item capacity | Add more food items and distribute the arrangement. |
What Are the Most Common Problems With Whirlpool French Door Refrigerators?
Whirlpool refrigerator problems are mostly issues a professional technician can fix. The common problems with Whirlpool french-door refrigerators include:
#1. Whirlpool Water Dispenser Isn’t Working
The refrigerator won’t dispense water if a faulty valve or low water pressure causes the water inlet valve not to open.
Additionally, a faulty door switch would prevent the water dispenser from functioning. You might need to replace the components if they are damaged.
Another reason could be due to a blockage in the water filter. You need to replace the water filter every six months to prevent it from getting clogged.
#2. Whirlpool Refrigerator Is Not Cooling
The refrigerator won’t cool the items inside it if faulty cooling components are. Therefore, you need to repair or replace such components.
The possible causes of your refrigerator not cooling are;
- Dirty condenser coils
- Faulty condenser fan motor
- Faulty evaporator motor
- Defective start relay
- Faulty thermostat
#3. Whirlpool Refrigerator is Not Defrosting
The refrigerator won’t defrost if the defrost system is defective. The defrost system comprises the thermostat, heater, defrost timer, and control board.
If any of these components are faulty, it is best to contact a professional technician to repair them. In addition, you might need to replace them if they have zero continuity.
#4. Whirlpool Fridge is Making Too Much Noise
The fan blade is mainly the reason your fridge makes too much noise. The issue could be an obstruction either at the condenser fan or the evaporator fan blade.
Another reason is a defective condenser fan motor. If this component is the issue, the noise will come from the rear bottom area of the fridge.
Also, a defective evaporator fan motor will cause a lot of noise and increase when you open the refrigerator door.
Additionally, the ice maker could make loud noises due to a clogged water inlet valve. It would help if you replaced the valve immediately to stop the noise.
Finally, if your refrigerator compressor is damaged, it will make loud noises to signal that the fridge will stop working soon. Therefore, it is best to replace it before it hurts the refrigerator.
Conclusion
In the end, it is best always to contact a professional technician if you find it challenging to fix any major issue with the refrigerator.
It will help if you don’t repair the fridge independently. However, you can use the methods in this article to troubleshoot minor refrigerator issues.
