Why Is There Condensation in My Fridge?

The compressor is the highest energy-consuming part of a commercial refrigerator. Depending on the size of the unit, commercial refrigerators can use anywhere from 17,000-38,000 kilowatt-hours of power each year. With such high energy costs, your business must find ways to lower costs. The best place to start is to keep each refrigerator frost-free.

Five Reasons for Condensation

Condensation is an expected and necessary result of a refrigerator’s compressor and evaporator. Nonetheless, too much water, ice, or fog is evidence of a significant problem.

The main reasons for condensation are temperature, damaged gaskets, unleveled refrigerator, clogged drainage, and an open fridge door.

1. Temperature

Whether it’s the ambient temperature, humidity, or the interior temperature in the freezer compartment, it’s essential everything is in-sync. If the temperature in the store is too warm, then the units overwork to maintain cooler internal temperatures. However, if the refrigerator temperature is too low, then instead of keeping things cold, the units create ice. The ideal refrigerator and freezer temperatures are between 37℉-40℉ and around 0℉, respectively.

2. Damaged Gaskets

If your refrigerator door gasket is torn or weak, warm air enters the unit. If a door seal is not sealing properly, warm air contains more moisture than the cold air inside, so the unit condenses the moisture-laden air resulting in ice and fog.

3. Unleveled Refrigerator

If your refrigerator is not level, it’s possible water is not properly draining from the unit.

After a while, the water eventually turns into ice on the door, door seals, baseboards, and shelves. Level your refrigerators and freezers to improve drainage.

4. Clogged Drainage Hose

If the drain hose is clogged, the unit cannot release water and moisture. The best way to resolve this issue is to de-ice the unit (empty it and turn it off to let the ice melt). However, before turning the freezer or refrigerator back on, check the drainage hole and pipe for any potential blockages.

5. Open Door

By far, the most straightforward problem to fix is an open door. If an employee or customer leaves the fridge door open, warm air coming into the unit leaves a cloudy residue on the windows–close the door to prevent any fog.

Conclusion

If you experience too much condensation building up in your units, you risk damaging the entire refrigerator or freezer. Before something like that happens, allow PGS to help you maintain your units. Our expert technicians will address every situation and provide you with immediate recommendations and feedback.