Why is my refrigerator freezing my vegetables?
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We’ve all been there – you open up the fridge to grab some fresh tomatoes only to find they’re are half frozen over. And you think why is my refrigerator freezing my vegetables?. Here are a few possible reasons for why your vegetables are being frozen:
1 – Your Vegetables Are Too Close To the Cooling Vent
Most refrigerators have a air flow vent in the side or the back of the fridge for cooling.
Make sure that you are not placing sensitive items too close to this vent as they are likely to freeze over.
2 – Your Freezer Is Too Cold
The temperature of the freezer could be the reason your refrigerator is freezing your vegetables.
There are some side-by-side models that pass cold air from the freezer into the fridge via a vent. If the freezer temperature is too low, it will make your fridge colder too, especially by the vents.
3 – Your Fridge Temperature Is Too Low
You should also check that you have the temperature set to the appropriate level in the fridge. The level you set it to should be partly determined by the amount of food you typically store in there.
Ideally your fridge should be set to between 3°C (37°F) and 5°C (40°F) for optimum food storage.
If your fridge does not have easy to read temperature settings then you may want to consider grabbing yourself an appliance thermometer.
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If your fridge has a temperature dial (e.g. 1 to 5) then generally you want to make sure it is set to:
- 3 or 4 if it tends to remain quite full
- 1 or 2 if there’s typically not much food in there
- The temperature dial lowers the temperature the higher up you go with 5 being the lowest temperature.
4 – Find The Cold Spots
Something to bear in mind is that the issue may be confined to one area of the fridge. The most common places where food is accidentally frozen in the fridge are the top-shelf, bottom of the fridge and door shelves.
If you have found that the problem only occurs in certain compartments then this should be easy to fix; only place food that can withstand the cold in those areas.
5 – Your Fridge Needs Be Defrosted
Sometimes your vents may become blocked which means the air cannot circulate as it should. Try defrosting your fridge and freezer to see if this will solve the problem. Empty the fridge of all its contents and leave it for 24 hours to settle. Give it a good clean and then plug it back in. With any luck this should solve the problem.
6 – The Fridge Is Not Full Enough
This might seem like an odd one but the fact your food may be freezing in because your fridge is not full enough.
Refrigerators work at their best when they are well packed. This is because fridges need to be adequately filled to absorb the cold air circulating inside. If they sit relatively empty then the cold air will sink to the bottom freezing any food there.
Doing this may also help to regulate the temperature in the freezer.
Use The Crisper Drawer
To keep your vegetables at their freshest for longest, the best place to keep your fruit and vegetables in your fridge is the crisper drawer. Take a look at the best way to use your crisper drawer here.
What if it’s still happening?
If these suggestions don’t solve the issue your fridge may have a problem that needs a bit more attention; be aware of some of the signs that could mean you need to call an engineer or consider a new fridge.