Hi! I was getting fed-up with the smallish refridgerator/freezer in my apartment and starting to pick away at the inches and inches of ice that had built-up inside the freezer. As I was nearing completion I did something silly and pierced the ice pick into the metal back of the inside of the freezer. For 10-15 seconds some gases (or vapor? I don't know which) hissed and blew from this small hole I created. I don't know anything about fridges...did the actual coolant escape, or was it a insultating layer of some kind of gas? I do know that the coolant runs through coils at the back but does it run against the inside surface of the freezer as well? And will patching the hole do any good since whatever gas/vapor that was in there has escaped?? Have I ruined my freezer?? If anyone out there is appliance savy and has some insight I would be really grateful!!! Thank you!!!

-- Olivia Breese (breese96@potsdam.edu), September 09, 2001

Answers

you just did the inside of the freezer? shouldnt be anything in there,, maybe some inert gas as an insulator. Is it still working all right? you'll know soon enough. If you did puncture a coolant,, a repairman, repair shop could fix it,, seal the hole and recharge it

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 09, 2001.

I did the same thing when I lived in my first apt. You likely just released the freon gas from the freezer. You will need to patch the freezer and have a repairman refill it with new coolant. It was a simple job when I had mine repaired and was fairly inexpensive.

-- Mary S. (1deal@quik.com), September 09, 2001.

Now we're all gonna die. You released the freon which is going to destroy the ozone and end life as we know it on earth. Seriously though, older refers do have small tubes in the freezer compartment itself which carry the coolant. I did the same thing when I was a kid and really got in big trouble because I ruined the refer and we didn't have much money. Had to beg another hand-me-down from a relative. My folks just assumed it couldn't be fixed. It would be great if you can get it fixed, but the hole might be pretty hard to patch.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), September 09, 2001.

Refrigerant/Labor are expensive these days. I'm a refrigeration tech. It was a refrig. leak. Patching is quite "iffy". If your evaporator is exposed such that you can puncture it, rather than behind a cover as in a self defrosting, it means it's a lower end unit, and is fairley inexpensive. If mine, I might try the patching. If I had to pay for the repair, I'd by the new one, and upgrade to the self defrosting.

-- Tom (tomcrites@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

here's a question for Tom the repairman. in your opinion, which is better, the selfdefrosting or regular type freezer?

thanks

gene

-- gene ward (gward34847@aol.com), September 10, 2001.

Gene, I guess it's a matter of preference. Most prefer self defrosting, not only do you not have to do the dreaded periodic manual defrost, but the ref. cools faster and more evenly. The other side is that they cost more do to the additional componants, hence there are more parts to potentially fail. They also consume more energy. But then a non self defrosting unit consumes more too, when the evap. coil is covered with ice, it's difficult for it to do it's job. My vote...self defrosting every time. Who has time to manually defrost anyway?Tom

-- Tom (tomcrites@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

My experience with manual defrost versus self-defrost or frost free is that "frost free" uses moving air to prevent frost build up, but it can easily dehydrate and ruin stored food. Self-defrosting periodically heats the freezer space to melt any accumulated ice before it gets too thick. If you want long term storage of quality food, manual defrost is what to get. Just make sure you don't open it too often, and keep all gaskets sealing properly. But they are harder and harder to find as most people want convenience.

Jim

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

Self defrosting for the kitchen, but definetly a chest freezer that does not have that feature for long term storage. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.

Oh God!!!I have done the same thing It means that i pnctured it with a knife and then put some of the frosts on the hole to stop the whistling! and after half an hour turned it off! after defrosting i recognized that it is a sucking! and I put some hard glue on it just now. My land lord is on holiday and will come back in 5-6 days. I don't know what should i tell him:( can i tell him that the previous tenants may have done that? I have lived here for 3 months and he has given me the freezer full of frost! Would you help me please? Awaiting your reply

-- Delaram (delaram71@yahoo.com), December 27, 2001.