Our freezers are important appliances within the kitchen, and as with all household appliances they need a lot of care, attention and maintenance to keep them working at their best and effectively.

To give you a helping hand at keeping your freezer working at its optimum level for years to come, we’ve answered some of the more common questions relating to freezer care, below.

How Long to Leave a Freezer After Moving?

After moving a freezer from one location to another, it’s important before turning the appliance on that it has been left to settle. This is because oil can seep into the refrigeration system. If this happens and the freezer is turned on without settling, there’s the added risk the oil will cause a blockage, which could be permanent.

Different manufacturers are likely to give different guidelines on how long the freezer should be left to settle before being turned on. At BuySpares we recommend you leave your freezer to settle for a minimum of twelve hours, although ideally it should be left for 24 hours.

How Cold is a Freezer Meant to Be?

To keep your freezer running at its optimum performance and efficiently, which will help save you money on your utility bills, it is important to make sure you have it set to the right temperature.

Setting the right temperature on your freezer will keep your food safe by preserving nutrients and slowing enzymes. Your freezer being kept at the right temperature will also prevent the growth of bacteria.

For storing food within your freezer the temperature should be roughly -18⁰C. You can check the temperature within your freezer by placing a freezer thermometer between two bags of vegetables.

How Long Does it Take for a Freezer to De-frost?

The length of time it takes to defrost a freezer will depend on a number of factors including the surface area, thickness of ice and method of defrosting the freezer.

For the best method to defrost your freezer in 8 simple steps we recommend reading our advice centre article “How to Defrost a Fridge Freezer”; we also recommend making sure you defrost your freezer when you have plenty of spare time.

For more advice and guidance on how to look after your freezer, visit our advice centre which is full of helpful “How To” videos and advice articles, all of which have been designed to help you keep your freezer running at its optimum performance, for longer.

Tags: Freezer Care and Maintenance, Freezers