Why Are My Ice Cubes Sticking Together in My Ice Bin
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes, 34 seconds
A lot of people cannot live without refrigerators anymore. It is through their refrigerator that they are able to keep the food that they will share with the rest of the family. In the refrigerator, food will stay fresh for a longer period of time. They can also keep their beverages cool. Refrigerators usually come with an ice bin wherein all of the cubes will be stored. It can make getting ice an easier experience for users. There are times when the cubes just stick to the ice maker. This is not something that you have to worry about. It does not mean that your refrigerator is not working fine. This simple question can be given a simple answer too. Consider the potential reasons and check your refrigerator first before you start to search for a repairman.
Infrequent Use of the Ice Bin
One answer why the ice cube is sticking to the ice bin is you are not using the ice maker as frequently as expected. In the winter, you really cannot imagine drinking anything cold. When you do not use your ice container frequently, the water will start to melt below freezing temperature and condense. The moment that they condense, they will start to freeze again which makes the water make the cubes start sticking together. You may try to use your refrigerator more frequently and check if the problem will be resolved.
The Moisture Level In the Ice Bin is Too High
Do you know that the level of moisture found in the freezer can be another factor for your cubes that may stick together? The moisture will make ice stick together and they will be harder to break apart. The moisture may get in the freezer through some of the areas that may not be properly sealed. If there are some parts of your refrigerator that seems damaged, those should be fixed soon. The moment that you repair the damage, your problem will be solved. You can reduce the possibility of crystals that stick together.
Temperature In the Ice Bin is Too Warm
Water would need to be at a certain temperature so that it will stay frozen. If there is an abnormal fall in the temperature of your freezer, you can expect that the ice will all start to melt and will start clumping. The moment that the temperature reverts back to its original temperature to make the ice freeze again, the cubes will start to freeze in their molten state and do some clumping. Experiencing power failure is one of the reasons why ice crystals may start to melt. The moment that the power goes back on, the temperature in the ice maker will start to go back to its original temperature.
Another potential reason why the temperature in the freezer has turned warmer is you have left the door open for a long time. You may do this when you are trying to arrange the frozen food inside your freezer. If you would like to avoid this issue from happening, remove the half-melted ice crystals in your ice bin or empty the whole ice bin before putting it back. This will reduce the possibility of clumping. Remember to close the door of the refrigerator after every use.
I want to share my story about the time that my cubes have started sticking together. I have forgotten to close my refrigerator door and I went to go to the park for three hours. When I got back, my frozen food is not frozen anymore. My ice does not resemble ice crystals. There was no need for repair. It was just negligence on my part that caused the problem.
Defrost Cycle is Happening Too Often
It is quite normal for your freezer to do the defrost cycle every now and then but what if it is defrosting too much? It can definitely lower the temperature in your ice bin and cause the ice crystals to partially melt. They would revert back to being ice cubes again. One thing that you can do is to change the thermostat settings. If you know that the current temperature is causing too many defrost cycles, make the temperature a little bit cooler. You also need to dispose of the ice that has gotten stuck together so that you can get better ice cubes next time.
Your Refrigerator Light Stays on When Closed
It is normal for your refrigerator light to turn on whenever you open it especially when you are in a dark room. Yet, what happens when you close your refrigerator and your light is still on? The light can cause the temperature in the refrigerator or the freezer to become warmer. This can then subsequently lead to the melting of the ice cubes inside the ice bin. The best solution to this problem is to search for a professional repairman that can assess and fix the problem easily.
Your Freezer Does Not Have Enough Food
People will usually recommend that you need to have a freezer that is about 3/4 full to ensure that the temperature will still be regulated even when your freezer starts its defrost cycle. When there isn’t enough food, there will not be enough frozen items that will start to cool down which can make the temperature relatively higher. The higher temperature can make the ice cubes melt and start to freeze again once the defrost cycle is done.
If you know that you just cannot store too much food in your freezer, you may choose to increase the temperature of the thermostat as needed. This will prevent the heat from hitting the ice cubes and making the ice cubes clump together.
Monitor the Amount of Ice You Use
You may think that the ice cubes that you have in the ice bin will never go bad. They will always remain as ice cubes but the more that you store old ice cubes, the higher the chances that the new ones will melt onto the older ice cubes. You can have one big chunk of ice that you need to chisel to remove the clump. Regulate the number of ice cubes that you have in the ice bin to reduce clumping.
Conclusion
There are many potential reasons why your ice cubes have stuck together to your ice compartment. If you have not found the answer to the question, you can search for professional repairmen instead. There may be some mechanical issues that need to be addressed at the soonest possible time. They will check the ice bin and the rest of your refrigerator thoroughly. The faster the issue is fixed, the higher the chances that you will not have the problem of clumping ice again.
