Samsung Refrigerator Freezing Up – 6 Tips to Balance It

Are you frustrated that your Samsung refrigerator keeps freezing up? Don’t worry, it’s quite a common issue. The vast majority of people rely on their refrigerators every day. You need this to keep your food and drinks fresh so you do not have to go to the grocery store constantly. At the same time, if the refrigerator keeps freezing up, this could slow down your routine in the kitchen.

So, why does your refrigerator keep freezing up, and what do you need to do to fix this? It is important to figure out what part of your refrigerator is freezing up. This could include the ice maker, the coils, or even the drain. Then, we will discuss how to fix it.

Even though you may think you can do all of this on your own, it is a good idea to take a look at some of the most recent research. We have done a lot of this for you, saving you a lot of time and effort. Take a look at some of our key points below, and remember to reach out to a professional if you have any questions or concerns about your refrigerator.

Now, are you ready to learn more about why your Samsung refrigerator might keep freezing up? Take a look at some important information below! 

What You’ll Need

There are a number of reasons why your fridge might keep freezing up. The materials you will need will vary depending on the issue that is harming your refrigerator. A few important materials you will need include: 

  • You should have your manual with you. 
  • You should have a flashlight with you.
  • You should also have a bucket of water available.
  • You need a multimeter.
  • You may want to have some silicone that will act as a temporary fix for any leaks that might be present. 

Once you have gathered all of these materials, it is time to take a look at your fridge. What might be freezing up, and how can you fix it? 

Fixing A Frozen Samsung Refrigerator

As with most appliance problems, solving it is all about finding the root cause. Let’s go through each potential issue one by one, and solve them together.

Ice Maker Keeps Freezing Up

Appliance Expert: Many (most) of the Samsung Ice Maker Freezing issues are due to a known design flaw where the Ice Maker compartment is letting in warmer outside air. There is a factory recommended process to resolve this issue. In many cases, if you contact Samsung directly they will fix the issue for no charge.

If you are having a problem with your ice maker, the first thing you should do is look for signs of a leak. There should be a dispenser bucket in the refrigerator door. Keep the door open, and take a look at the exit of a dispenser on the outside of the refrigerator. If you notice water coming from the other side, then there might be a leak in your ice maker. 

To double-check your work, you may want to use a flashlight to see if there is light coming out the other side. If you can shine a light in the dispenser and see it coming out of the other side of the refrigerator, you have confirmed there is an air leak present. Even though you might be able to repair this on your own, you are better off replacing your ice maker.

As a temporary fix, you may want to use silicone to seal the ice maker. This is not going to be a permanent solution, as the silicone could eventually develop a hole or peel off. On the other hand, this could be a temporary solution until the ice maker can be replaced.

Fridge Isn’t Cooling

If you have noticed that your refrigerator is not cooling properly, there are a few possible reasons why. These include:

  • Verify Incoming Power: One of the first things you should check is to make sure the Samsung refrigerator is plugged in. Even though this sounds obvious, it also only takes a few seconds to confirm.  An easy An easy way to accomplish this is to plug in a different electrical device in to the refrigerator’s electrical outlet. If the new appliance works as expected, you have verified that the outlet has appropriate voltage. 
  • Check the Fridge Door Seals: If your refrigerator is not cooling, it is possible that the door to your refrigerator is not closing properly. Therefore, you should take a closer look at the door seals. If the door is not closing appropriately, warm air from the outside is going to enter the refrigerator, creating serious problems. You may need to fix the door seals or replace the door gasket.
Man checking the refrigerator
Broken door seal can cause your refrigerator to have cooling issues.
  • The Ice Dispenser Flap Is Not Working: There is a flap on the ice dispenser that is supposed to prevent outside air from entering the refrigerator. If there is a problem with the ice dispenser flap, warm air from the outside could be entering the refrigerator. This will prevent it from working properly. 

These are a few of the most common reasons why your Samsung refrigerator might not be cooling. If you notice any of these parts are defective, you will need to replace them. Take a look at the manual to figure out what replacement parts you need to get. 

Refrigerator Coil Issues

If you feel like your refrigerator coils are freezing up, you need to defrost them. If you need to defrost your coils, the easiest way to do so is to turn off the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. You can also use some hot water to speed up the process. At the same time, this is only going to treat the symptoms on the surface. You need to take a closer look at the individual parts of the refrigerator to figure out why the coils are having issues.

refrigerator coil
The easiest way to defrost coils is to turn off your refrigerator for 24 hours (after removing all the food!)

You should take a look at the defrost heater, which is located under the evaporator coils. If the heater is not working, this could be the reason why your coils are freezing up. The heater might have to be replaced, or there might be an issue with the control board, which is what acts as a defrost timer.

You can test the heater with a multimeter to make sure it is not defective. If it still has power to it, then there is probably an issue with the defrost timer. You should take a look at the manual to see how to fix this issue. Or, you can reach out to a professional who can help you. 

Temperature Control Issues

If the temperature control of your Samsung refrigerator is not working properly, there are two possible issues you need to inspect. The first is the thermistor. Use the manual to take a look at the thermistor to see where it is located. Then, you should test it with an Ohm/Resistance check.

If you do not notice any current flowing through the thermistor, then you will need to replace it. You may want to compare the price of a new thermistor to the price of replacing the appliance. 

If you do not notice any problems with the thermistor, then you should take a look at the temperature control thermostat. This could be another reason why the refrigerator is not working properly. Start by turning the thermostat all the way up. You should hear a click when this happens. If you do not, you know there is something wrong with the thermostat. 

If the temperature control is working properly, you may want to check the air damper assembly. If the air damper assembly is always open, the refrigerator will freeze up.

Freezer On The Fritz

If the freezer is not working, the first thing you should do is to check for proper airflow. Make sure nothing is leaning against the back wall of the freezer. If you have a bunch of items in the back, such as packages, this is going to inhibit the airflow of the freezer. You should make sure nothing is blocking the air vents or their freezer will not work properly.

After this, you should check to make sure the freezer door is closing properly. For example, there may be a problem with a door seal. Or, the door may not be situated over the frame correctly. If the freezer door cannot close, warm air will get inside, causing the freezer to malfunction.

Make sure the seals are working well, and ensure the flap of the ice dispenser is situated flush with the housing. If you go through these steps, you should be able to address the most common reasons why your freezer might not be working appropriately.

Malfunctioning Drain

You may also have a problem with the Samsung refrigerator drain freezing up. There are a few elements you should check. The first thing you should do is take a look at the drain strap. If you see a small metal strap attached to the defrost heater, you have found a drain strap.

Make sure the drain strap is fitted appropriately to the drain. You may want to take a look at a picture to see how it should be situated. If the drain trap is not set straight, fix it. Then, test the drain to see if it is working again. 

If the refrigerator drain is still having issues, check and see if it has a drain heater. Even though not all refrigerators have a drain heater, there is a good chance that yours does. Make sure the drain heater is appropriately situated.

The drain heater is required to ensure the frost from the drain does not freeze inside. Test the drain heater with a multimeter to see if it is working appropriately. If you do not notice any current, you will need to replace it. 

Still Not Fixed?

These are just a few of the most common reasons why your Samsung refrigerator might be freezing up. Hopefully one of these fixes will do the trick and get your fridge to be cold, but not too cold.

If you are having issues getting your Samsung refrigerator working again, you may want to reach out to a professional who can help you. That way, you can figure out if it is worth it to fix the refrigerator or if you have to replace the appliance entirely

Hi there! I’m Craig, and I’m the founder of Appliance Analysts. When it comes to appliances and anything electrical, I’ve always loved opening things up, figuring out how they work, and fixing them. This website is where I share free advice from myself and our experts to help our readers solve their appliance/HVAC problems and save money. Read more