Upright, chest and convertible Whirlpool freezers
Whirlpool sells stand-alone freezers in two shapes. Upright models look like a fridge and have shelves and door bins. Most are frost-free. Chest models open from the top and hold bulk food. Many chest freezers are manual defrost. Some Whirlpool models are convertible, so you can switch them from freezer to fridge. There is also the SideKicks all-freezer, made to stand next to a matching all-fridge. Some models have Fast Freeze, which drives the cold lower when you add a big load. This page is about these stand-alone units. For the freezer in your kitchen fridge, see Whirlpool refrigerator repair.
The alarm is sounding
Many Whirlpool uprights have a temperature alarm. It buzzes when the inside gets 10 degrees or more above normal for your setting. Do not just silence it. Ask why it went off. A door left ajar is the easy answer. A big load of warm food can trip it for a few hours. If neither fits, the freezer is losing cold. Keep the door shut and call us. A full freezer holds its cold for a day or more if no one opens it.
Warm freezer with the fan running
On a frost-free upright, look at the back wall inside. A sheet of frost there means the defrost system has failed. The coil is packed with ice and air cannot pass. The parts to test are the defrost heater, the thermostat on the coil and the timer or control. If the back wall is clear and it is still warm, we check the evaporator fan. Then we check the condenser fan and coil near the floor. Dust on that coil makes any freezer run hot.
Clicks but will not start
A click every few minutes, then silence, is a compressor trying to start and failing. Often the start relay on the side of the compressor is burned. That is a small, low cost part. Shake it. If it rattles, it is bad. If a new relay does not help, the compressor may be locked up. That is a major repair.
Frost and ice buildup
In a chest freezer, some frost on the walls is normal. When it gets thicker than a pencil, it is time to defrost. Empty it, turn it off and let the ice melt. Never chip at the walls with a knife. The cold lines run just under the liner. One poke can end the freezer. On an upright, heavy frost near the door means a bad gasket. Check the seal for cracks and gaps.
Garage freezers
Many freezers live in a garage. Heat in summer makes the compressor run hard. Deep cold in winter can confuse some models. Leave a few inches of space on all sides. Use a wall outlet, not a thin extension cord. Low voltage is hard on a compressor.
Visit price and the repair or replace math
To diagnose a home freezer we charge $79. We waive the charge with an approved repair. Our fixed quote has parts and labor in it and comes before we start. A warm freezer is a same-day job for us when we can fit it, and we answer 6 AM to 9 PM daily. We are an independent company. Whirlpool freezer techs are licensed, carry insurance and pass a background check. A 30-day repair warranty comes with the repair. Now the math. A relay, fan, gasket, thermostat or defrost heater is worth fixing on any Whirlpool freezer. A failed compressor or leaking cold line on a small Whirlpool chest freezer is not. A new chest freezer can cost less than that repair. For a large upright, it is a closer call, and we will price both. We repair Whirlpool freezers around Los Angeles and Pasadena. See our California page. Freezer calls from Chicago and Houston are welcome, as are calls from D.C. and Northern Virginia. More on our Whirlpool repair page and general freezer repair. If the freezer failed and food thawed, check it before you refreeze. Meat that still has ice crystals is usually safe to keep.