The gasket seals the door against the cabinet. A hardened or torn seal lets warm, humid air in, which causes frost, constant running and condensation.
Appliance part
Defrost Heater
The defrost heater melts frost off the evaporator during the defrost cycle.
If it fails, ice builds up, airflow stops and the freezer warms
Test the heater and the defrost thermostat together, since one often fails with the other.
Symptoms of a failed defrost heater
- Heavy frost on the evaporator coil
- Freezer warms while the compressor runs
- Ice builds up behind the rear panel
Fitment
Heaters are model-specific in length, wattage and mounting; the defrost thermostat is usually replaced at the same time.
Before you buy
Confirm the model and serial plate before ordering — two parts can look identical and still not fit. If you would rather not fit it yourself, request a repair quote and we will route it to an independent technician.
Guides that cover this part
Related parts
The evaporator fan moves cold air from the coil into the cabinet. A failed motor leaves the compressor running but the cabinet warm, and it often makes a bearing noise before it stops.
The start relay gives the compressor a momentary boost to start. When it fails, the compressor clicks, hums briefly and trips, and the cabinet warms.
The ice maker fills, freezes and dumps cubes on a timer. Failures show up as no ice, small or hollow cubes, or a maker that overflows.
The thermostat or thermistor tells the compressor when to run. A failed sensor makes the freezer run constantly or not at all, and the part is inexpensive compared with the compressor it protects.