We were given an old Kenmore upright freezer. Maybe 10-12 yrs old.
Freezes fine, but the door is sticking. The magnetic seals are intact
and in good shape - by sticking, I mean the door locks tight. When we
shut the door, a suction is created and its so strong its impossible to
open the door again. After 7-8 minutes or so we can open it again. When
we shut the door we can actually see the top of the freezer 'cave in' a
little as this suction happens. I know this isn't normal, so what can
we do?

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We were given an old Kenmore upright freezer. Maybe 10-12 yrs old.
Freezes fine, but the door is sticking. The magnetic seals are intact
and in good shape - by sticking, I mean the door locks tight. When we
shut the door, a suction is created and its so strong its impossible to
open the door again. After 7-8 minutes or so we can open it again. When
we shut the door we can actually see the top of the freezer 'cave in' a
little as this suction happens. I know this isn't normal, so what can
we do?

Check the bottom of the freezer for a plastic drain with a piston in it.
Make sure that something sticky hasn't stuck it.

wrote:
We were given an old Kenmore upright freezer. Maybe 10-12 yrs old.
Freezes fine, but the door is sticking. The magnetic seals are intact
and in good shape - by sticking, I mean the door locks tight. When we
shut the door, a suction is created and its so strong its impossible
to open the door again. After 7-8 minutes or so we can open it again.
When we shut the door we can actually see the top of the freezer
'cave in' a little as this suction happens. I know this isn't normal,
so what can we do?

When you open the door, warm air rushes in. When you close the door, the
warm air cools, creating a vacuum. A big vacuum. Time must then pass to
allow sufficient outside air to enter to equalize the air pressure.

1. You've got really good door seals, and
2. Whatever vent the freezer uses to allow pressure equalization is clogged,
possibly by ice.

Try defrosting (even if a frost-free machine).

Alternatively, tape a toothpick across the door seal. Just enough to create
a new vent. Live with the whistling.

wrote:
We were given an old Kenmore upright freezer. Maybe 10-12 yrs old.
Freezes fine, but the door is sticking. The magnetic seals are intact
and in good shape - by sticking, I mean the door locks tight. When we
shut the door, a suction is created and its so strong its impossible to
open the door again. After 7-8 minutes or so we can open it again. When
we shut the door we can actually see the top of the freezer 'cave in' a
little as this suction happens. I know this isn't normal, so what can
we do?


got the same thing in a not too old Kenmore bottom freezer fridge; both
the top (fridge) door and the bottom (freezer) door get vacuum sealed
when you shut them, not impossible to open but pretty hard. I always
assumed it was somehow shutting the door pushes out a little more air
than "equilibrium", either because of the inertia from the air when it
gets moving, or because of some inward flex in the door when it's
closing that expands back out when it's stopped? Since it leaks away
after a few minutes, it can't be something that happens gradually after
the door shuts.

Hey - good advice from you guys!

The freezer was installed only a wek ago so there is no frost build up,
but I will definately check the drain hole for gook.

Thanks!

HeyBub wrote:
wrote:
We were given an old Kenmore upright freezer. Maybe 10-12 yrs old.
Freezes fine, but the door is sticking. The magnetic seals are intact
and in good shape - by sticking, I mean the door locks tight. When we
shut the door, a suction is created and its so strong its impossible
to open the door again. After 7-8 minutes or so we can open it again.
When we shut the door we can actually see the top of the freezer
'cave in' a little as this suction happens. I know this isn't normal,
so what can we do?

When you open the door, warm air rushes in. When you close the door, the
warm air cools, creating a vacuum. A big vacuum. Time must then pass to
allow sufficient outside air to enter to equalize the air pressure.

Wrong time constant. That would have the door easy to open immediately
after closing and getting progressively harder to open over a few
minutes. The poster seems to be saying the opposite. Which is the same
as what my fridge shows.


1. You've got really good door seals, and
2. Whatever vent the freezer uses to allow pressure equalization is clogged,
possibly by ice.

Try defrosting (even if a frost-free machine).

Alternatively, tape a toothpick across the door seal. Just enough to create
a new vent. Live with the whistling.