Defrosting a hotpoint fridege freezer-any tips?

justaquestion

Hi folks,


I have a hotpoint fridege frezzer (not frost free) bought about a year old, and I know that the freezer part at bottom needs to be defrosted maybe twice a year, but as we always seem to have food in there, easier said than done to get a convenient time.


The freezer part at bottom has inbuilt mesh type shelves that hold the four frezzer containers one sitting on top of each mesh shelve.


Ice build up on the mesh shelves and was a bit difficult to push container back in one day, so knocked some ice off with a screwdriver, off the mesh shelve.


Now its got me thinking does gas refrigeration circuit actually run through part of those mesh shelves, or is it only at back, a bit dodgy to be poking at the shelve with a sharp object if the gas circuit runs through there.


I have punctured an old fridge freezer before near end of its life, letting the gas out so don't want to do it again.


Anyone familiar with the usual hotpoint combined free standing fridge/freezer and know if the gas circuit runs thoruth those mesh shelves in freezer part?


Thanks

Biggles

Turn the fridge setting up to max, then pop your frozen food in there and clear the ice out of the freezer with a fan heater.

Put the frozen food back in the freezer.

casper_g

Some years January is a good time for this - just stick the frozen food outside on a frosty evening while clearing the ice with a fan heater (put it a way off so it stays clear of drips). At the moment though, Biggles probably has a better idea!

Owain_Moneysaver

Refrigerant runs through the thick pipes in the mesh but not the thin ones. Unwise to poke with anything sharp though as you say. The pipes can also fracture if you push the drawers in too hard and they're encrusted with ice.

Chrishazle

Before we got our frost free freezer I would defrost our upright freezer with a Black and Decker hot gun, starting at the bottom and working up, with old towels in the bottom to catch the water. I'd put the frozen food in our large cooler box, but in the 30-45 minutes it took to completely defrost the freezer the food was fine!

melanzana

A steam cleaner pointed into the drawers does the trick in jig time.

Food wrapped in an old duvet is fine. Takes about 20-30 minutes -including mopping up the gallons of water that inevitably gets on the kitchen floor despite all my efforts with towels and so on!

I hate this job.

justaquestion

Thanks for replies. Well I used one of those floor steam cleaners that seem to be in fashion now, another use for it seemed to work well.


Just a little worried though that the pressure of the steam and maybe the ice cracking, as it melts could crack the gas circuit pipe as well.


But got to be better than using a screwdriver, punishing myself for doing that, as I thought the gas circuit didn't go through shelf.


ah well we live and learn.


Thanks again.

littlemoney

I have a chest freezer and when I want to defrost it I pile the contents on the floor and cover with old blankets. Bowls of hot water in the freezer make quick work of the ice. As the ice softens I use an plastic spatula to ease the ice off the sides and then pick up the ice chunks from the freezer floor.