A broken freezer shelf is a nightmare for every homeowner. You want to store your groceries and snacks but you can’t do it because of a broken shelf.
This is one of the most common issues that Frigidaire freezer owners face after every specific time. And this issue is as bad as the failure of an ice maker. You feel helpless and don’t know how to deal with this issue.
In this situation, you just need to replace the Frigidaire freezer shelf which will take a few steps and moments of yours.
Frigidaire Freezer Shelf
The Frigidaire freezer shelf is the a place where you put your groceries and other items. These shelves can be numerous in your fridge or there can be only a few ones due to the model of your fridge. These shelves are mostly made of a good-quality plastic.
This plastic is light and transparent so you can see your groceries and have easy access to them. These transparent shelves give a neat and clean look to your freezer too.
But, there is an issue. The plastic on the shelves can crack due to the ice and load of groceries. There can be scratches on your shelf. This can lead to different issues in your freezer so you need to address the issue swiftly.
Ways of Finding Cracks on Your Frigidaire Freezer Shelf
There are different ways of finding the cracks on your Frigidaire freezer shelf. These ways are:
- Visual Inspection: You can inspect your freezer’s shelf by taking out groceries from it. There can be visible cracks in front of you that you can easily see from your eyes.
- Running Your Fingers on it: You can run your fingers on the suspected freezer shelf. This action can tell you if there are any cracks or not. Because you can feel minor scratches in this way.
- Check for Frost: Sometimes, you see some ice and frost around the area of your shelf where cracks are present. This frost is a sign that there are scratches and nicks on your shelf.
- Comparison with Other Shelves: You suspect a shelf that is cracked. So, you can compare it with any other shelf of your fridge. It will tell you whether your suspected shelf is deformed or not.
Now, you know there is any deformation or issue in your Frigidaire freezer shelf.
Repairing your Frigidaire Freezer Shelf
If there are minor cracks on your shelf, you can easily repair them. You don’t need to replace your Frigidaire freezer shelf for a long time as you can keep it in the new position by addressing minor cracks.
You just need an epoxy resin to cure the scratches and nicks on your plastic shelves. This glue can easily fill the minor gaps and your shelf can return to its previous and new position.
Epoxy is ideal for curing scratches because it turns into plastic when you cure it. But, you should apply this glue with utmost care.
For this, you can get the knowledge of proper precautionary steps and drying time through the epoxy’s packaging.
How can you Replace your Frigidaire Freezer Shelf
1. Take out all the Groceries
You must clean your fridge in the first step. For this, take out each and everything present on the broken shelf of your fridge. Then, clean the refrigerator with a disinfectant and Microfiber Towel. It will help you in analyzing the damage to your shelf.
Moreover, you should take out every load from your fridge so that the shelf will not further break down due to its weight.
1. Order the New Shelf
You need to order a new shelf now. For this, you should check the model number of your Frigidaire freezer. You can get the number of this model on your user’s manual or behind its sticker.
If you do not buy the shelf of the correct model, it can cause you various issues too. That shelf will not help you in any way.
Now, you need to order the shelf of that model. You can buy it from the manufacturer or any local appliance store.
2. Installation
Now, you have the Frigidaire freezer shelf so it is time to install it. The installation process needs your attention and time so you should do it carefully.
Before installing the shelf, you need to discard the old one.
- You have to take out the plastic caps from the shelf. You may see these plastic end caps on your Frigidaire freezer shelf’s ends.
- Now, you need to firmly push your shelf toward the left side. There are freezer pockets on that side that will help you move the shelf. Keep pushing the shelf until the right side of the shelf comes out from its sockets.
- After that, tilt the shelf from the right side.
When you tilt it, your shelf will come out from your fridge. After getting rid of the old shelf, you now should focus on placing your new Frigidaire freezer shelf.
- The first step is to put the plastic caps back on your shelf. These plastic caps are those which you take out from your old shelf.
- Put your shelf into the freezer and move it toward the left side. You should move the ends of your shelf into the pockets of the freezer.
- Keep doing it until the right side of your shelf can go into its holes.
- In the end, you put the right side in the holes and adjust the shelf’s position. Your shelf should be in the center.
Important: You should focus on installing your shelf from the correct side.
I bet every one of you must want to avoid the hassle of replacing the Frigidaire freezer shelf. I am going to help you with this by discussing some necessary steps now.
Precautionary Steps
The Frigidaire freezer wants the same type of care and maintenance that you give to its dishwasher. Because we use these appliances on a daily basis. So, they are prone to get damaged.
Avoid Overloading
Overloading is the main reason you get cracks and scratches on your Frigidaire freezer shelf. Plastic can’t endure the heavy weight of groceries so it can cause severe damage to them.
So, you should make sure to keep the load even on your shelves. Excessive stress can lead to various issues.
You can avoid overloading by strategically placing your food. You should only freeze that leftover food that you know you will eat. Otherwise, you should discard the remaining unwanted food.
Also, you shouldn’t store the whole food in one container. This can make it heavy on your shelf. So, you should store the food in different portions in different containers. Moreover, you should never pile up the containers. This pile up can increase the weight on the shelf.
These strategies will also save you time when you want to heat the food. In one container, you should store the amount of food that you need at one time.
So, you just need to take out the required container and heat it. This will make your freezer organized and will save you from overloading.
Store Items in a Bag
You shouldn’t store your items directly on the shelf. Because this can cause spills or accidents that may lead to scratches on the shelf.
So, you should take different bags and containers to store them. There are freezer-safe plastic containers in the market that you can use.
These containers can endure the coolness of your Frigidaire freezer. Otherwise, other containers, especially those that are made of brittle glass, can crack in your fridge.
Check the Compatibility of Your Shelf
You should check whether your Frigidaire freezer shelf can endure the weight of specific groceries or not. Different people have suggested how we should store the food in the Fridge.
According to them, you should place your leftover and ready-to-eat food on the top shelf. There should be your meals and sandwiches.
These are relatively lightweight so putting them on the top shelf will be safe. Now, on the middle shelves, you should put dairy items. These items can include eggs, salads, and milk.
In the end, the last shelf should have raw meat and fish. They are relatively heavier than other items so you should put them in the bottom.
This strategic planning is best according to a hygiene point of view and to prevent any type of accident in the freezer.
Put the Items Normally
You shouldn’t bang your items on the shelf. Sometimes, we bang items in the freezer when we are in a hurry.
But, this banging can cost us a broken shelf. So, you should place your items on the shelf delicately and without banging them on your shelf.
Otherwise, any sharp or heavy item can cause any scratches or nicks on your shelf.
Cleanliness and Monitoring
You should never let any frost accumulate in your freezer. This frost can lead to scratches and your shelf can ultimately break down.
So, you should clean your freezer from time to time to avoid ice formation in it. Moreover, you should keep monitoring your freezer’s temperature. It shouldn’t exceed a specific limit. Because this temperature can cause ice formation or can weaken the plastic of your shelf.
Place Shelf Liners
There are specific liners and mats that you can use on your shelves. These mats are special and can provide you with extra protection and care from scratches. These mats avoid any direct connection of items with your shelves.
These are a few maintenance tips that all of you must follow to keep your freezer shelves in good condition.
If there are any other problems with your freezer, make sure to reach out to a professional. Find A Pro Near You Here!