Defrost methods for commercial refrigeration

Most refrigerators are equipped with the ability to defrost their ice and frost buildup but don’t always perform this process efficiently. The more you know about the various methods for defrosting, the better you’ll be able to get rid of excess ice and frost buildup without wasting electricity or causing damage to your refrigerator or freezer. 

Here are the most common methods for defrosting a refrigerator:

• Electric Defrost

Some commercial refrigerators and freezers utilize an electric defrost process. This method is accomplished by turning on an electric resistance heating element that emits heat into a tiny area or multiple areas of the fridge or freezer. Electric defrost requires manual control as you must actively turn it on and off as necessary to ensure food safety remains consistent.

Electric defrosters can be used along with manually-controlled types of defrosting if needed, allowing you more fine-tuned control over your process. A bonus to using an electric defroster is that it can often prolong your fridge’s compressor life as it helps maintain more consistent operating temperatures.

• Hot Air Defrost

Another way to avoid frost buildup in your rental is to use hot air or look through a directory to find refrigerated trailers for rent. Some people might even visit Hale Trailer to talk to the experts. Some manufacturers offer models with built-in fans, but you can also purchase kits that will help you get rid of ice and frost from your coils. With hot air defrost, hot air travels through hoses or tubes into each compartment and warms up refrigerated and frozen foods in about two hours. 

The following are three methods for hot air defrost:

Three Pipe System

The three-pipe system is one of the easiest ways to defrost your refrigerated trailers for rent. This method involves putting water or ice in a pan and placing it on your refrigerator’s evaporator coils. 

The pan will begin to heat up, and as that happens, any condensation on your coils will evaporate. The result: You won’t have to manually defrost your freezer coils (and they won’t need defrosting nearly as often).

Reverse Cycle

This is a very effective method to get rid of ice buildup inside your refrigerator. Use this method by turning the fridge on its opposite cycle. For example, if it’s usually set to cool, turn it on to heat. The fan circulating air in your fridge will defrost and remove frost buildup. While using a reverse cycle might be more convenient for everyday use, it’s not necessary if you want to keep ice away during off-peak hours.

Reverse Flow

Unlike other methods, reverse flow defrosts by reversing all the refrigerator’s airflow. Instead of taking warm air from inside the fridge and circulating it to your freezer, reverse flow forces cold air into your freezer and sends it back to your refrigerator compartment. 

This lets you minimize unnecessary compressor usage while still keeping things frost-free. It also means you get better circulation, so you don’t have to worry about any blockages when it comes to cleaning.

Refrigerators need to be defrosted and maintained regularly to keep them running at peak performance and prevent minor problems from becoming big ones. Use this guide to determine which techniques might be more suitable for your refrigerator.