When you think of all the major appliances in your home, it may seem at first like the freezer would be on the simpler end of the spectrum. You don’t adjust it unless you’re installing it for the first time, it only has one job to do, and most of the time it’s just humming away in the background. When something goes wrong, however, and you look into getting a broken freezer fixed, you’ll discover that there’s actually much more to it than meets the eye. "Broken” is a nebulous term, and there are a few, simple problems that can be tackled by anyone with a bit of appliance repair know-how and some research. However, there are an awful lot of things that can go wrong, and many of them require the knowledge and expertise of a professional appliance repair specialist.

 

Many Parts, Many Possible Problems

 

For an appliance that has just one job, and one that seems pretty passive on the surface, a broken freezer can involve a huge number of possible causes.

• Condenser Coils – These are the things that help the freezer disperse heat and keep things ice cold inside. Usually at the back of the unit, it’s easy for dust and debris to clog them up, however, which can lead to problems like a freezer that won’t stop running, one that starts and stops intermittently, or could even be the problem with a freezer that won’t keep food frozen at all.
• Compressor Motor – The heart of a freezer unit, this is the machine that keeps the cooling material running through the various coils and pipes that allow for temperature control. As with any electrical component, a broken freezer compressor is not something to be handled lightly or without the right experience repairing electric appliances.
• Compressor Relay – This is the piece that makes sure the motor starts and stops when it’s supposed to. A problem with the relay can result in a motor that takes a few tries to get started, or maybe one that doesn’t ever really start at all.
• Condenser Fan – The airflow over the coolant lines is the job of the condenser fan. Sometimes this little piece is hidden behind an access panel and requires a little more work to get at. A condenser fan issue could be mechanical or electrical, but will often take home repair experience to diagnose and fix.
• Overload Protector – Perhaps the biggest reason to call a home repair technician to deal with a malfunctioning freezer is that a do-it-yourselfer may well look at a burnt out compressor motor and think that’s the only issue. But a professional freezer repair person will know that if the motor is worn out, it may also point to a problem with the overload protector, which is supposed to protect the motor from damage.

Any one of these problems can pose a serious technical challenge to all but the most skilled DIY enthusiast, and many of them involve very real safety concerns, particularly when dealing with delicate electrical connections. When you’re faced with getting a broken freezer fixed, it’s often best to simply call in a professional and give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is in good hands.