How To Reduce and Prevent Moisture in the Freezer?

It is normal to have small amounts of moisture in a freezer. But if you notice a significant increase in moisture buildup, it’s a sign that warm, humid air is getting into your freezer at unusually high levels and causing a condensation problem.

To reduce and prevent moisture from forming in a freezer, minimize the warm, humid air that gets in. To do this, check that the sealing gaskets around the door are in good condition, ensure there’s adequate air circulation, and maintain the right temperature inside the freezer.

Keeping moisture levels low in a freezer boils down to making sure it’s running properly and minimizing the amount of humid air getting in. In the rest of the article, I will explore the changes you can make in your home environment and your freezer to reduce condensation.

You may have a condensation problem in your freezer because you left the door open for a long time. When you leave your freezer door open, you allow warm, humid air into the freezer. Get into the habit of closing your freezer door immediately after retrieving the food items you need.

You may run into the same problem if you frequently open your freezer. Keep the number of times you open your freezer on any given day to a minimum. When loading a new batch of shopping into the freezer, for instance, it helps to set everything up first and load all the items at once instead of doing it intermittently over a longer period of time.

Read: 3 Reasons Why Chest Freezer Is Not Working After Power Outage

Your freezer has to be sealed to prevent humid air from getting in. Don’t ignore a sealing problem. It could cause the freezer to not be able to maintain the desired freezing temperatures, and you may end up dealing with food spoilage in addition to the condensation problem.

With some DIY skills, you should be able to fix a problem with the sealing gasket without calling a technician.

Read: Why Freezer Not Cold Enough? What’s The Cause? 

Reduce the Weight on the Door

Too much weight on the door may prevent the door from closing properly. Consider reducing the weight on the door by removing heavy items such as gallons of milk and things that should be on the shelves instead. Keep prepared foods and leftover food on the shelves.

Clean the Door Seal To Remove Dust and Crumbs

Dust and crumbs present beneath the seal on the door (gasket) may hinder the freezer door from closing well. With a clean cloth, dish detergent, and hot water, scrub the seal and the grooves between the door and the seal.

You will need to revitalize the seal to counteract the drying effects of washing it with a cleaning solution. To do this, use a soft cloth to wipe a thin coating of petroleum jelly or mineral oil on it. 

Read: Freezer Problems In Hot Weather. How To Fix?

Replace the Seal if the Door Still Won’t Close Tightly

After cleaning the seal and removing all crumbs and dust, you should do the dollar bill test to check if the seal is faulty. Grab a dollar bill (or any note), open the freezer door, and put the dollar bill against the freezer where the door is supposed to go. Check if there is resistance when pulling the bill after the door is closed.

If there is no resistance, the gasket is faulty. In this case, buy a replacement from your local store or order one online. You can replace it without calling a technician by doing the following:

1. Order the correct seal by checking the model number of your freezer.
2. Remove the old door seal by pulling it away from the door.
3. Tuck the new seal to fit. Start by fitting the corners and work your way to the middle.

Below is a quick video explanation of the above process, including the dollar bill test and how to find the model number.

It is normal to have small amounts of moisture in a freezer. But if you notice a significant increase in moisture buildup, it’s a sign that warm, humid air is getting into your freezer at unusually high levels and causing a condensation problem.

To reduce and prevent moisture from forming in a freezer, minimize the warm, humid air that gets in. To do this, check that the sealing gaskets around the door are in good condition, ensure there’s adequate air circulation, and maintain the right temperature inside the freezer.

Keeping moisture levels low in a freezer boils down to making sure it’s running properly and minimizing the amount of humid air getting in. In the rest of the article, I will explore the changes you can make in your home environment and your freezer to reduce condensation.

You may have a condensation problem in your freezer because you left the door open for a long time. When you leave your freezer door open, you allow warm, humid air into the freezer. Get into the habit of closing your freezer door immediately after retrieving the food items you need.

You may run into the same problem if you frequently open your freezer. Keep the number of times you open your freezer on any given day to a minimum. When loading a new batch of shopping into the freezer, for instance, it helps to set everything up first and load all the items at once instead of doing it intermittently over a longer period of time.

Read: 3 Reasons Why Chest Freezer Is Not Working After Power Outage

Your freezer has to be sealed to prevent humid air from getting in. Don’t ignore a sealing problem. It could cause the freezer to not be able to maintain the desired freezing temperatures, and you may end up dealing with food spoilage in addition to the condensation problem.

With some DIY skills, you should be able to fix a problem with the sealing gasket without calling a technician.

Read: Why Freezer Not Cold Enough? What’s The Cause? 

Reduce the Weight on the Door

Too much weight on the door may prevent the door from closing properly. Consider reducing the weight on the door by removing heavy items such as gallons of milk and things that should be on the shelves instead. Keep prepared foods and leftover food on the shelves.

Clean the Door Seal To Remove Dust and Crumbs

Dust and crumbs present beneath the seal on the door (gasket) may hinder the freezer door from closing well. With a clean cloth, dish detergent, and hot water, scrub the seal and the grooves between the door and the seal.

You will need to revitalize the seal to counteract the drying effects of washing it with a cleaning solution. To do this, use a soft cloth to wipe a thin coating of petroleum jelly or mineral oil on it. 

Read: Freezer Problems In Hot Weather. How To Fix?

Replace the Seal if the Door Still Won’t Close Tightly

After cleaning the seal and removing all crumbs and dust, you should do the dollar bill test to check if the seal is faulty. Grab a dollar bill (or any note), open the freezer door, and put the dollar bill against the freezer where the door is supposed to go. Check if there is resistance when pulling the bill after the door is closed.

If there is no resistance, the gasket is faulty. In this case, buy a replacement from your local store or order one online. You can replace it without calling a technician by doing the following:

1. Order the correct seal by checking the model number of your freezer.
2. Remove the old door seal by pulling it away from the door.
3. Tuck the new seal to fit. Start by fitting the corners and work your way to the middle.

Below is a quick video explanation of the above process, including the dollar bill test and how to find the model number.