The freezer unit on my fridge was making an obnoxiously loud buzzing noise coming from the fan area, so I removed the back panel/styrofoam and was greeted by a wall of ice, which the fan's blades were scraping against. I currently have the freezer open and empty, but what would make it ice over so quickly? It's only been plugged in since April 1, this year. The condenser itself and all the electronic components are frozen over. Any ideas on how to prevent this from happening again? Also, the unit doesn't stay very cold. At all. Any help appreciated.

It's caused by condensation freezing to the coils from excessive humidity. The freezer won't get cold because the ice blocks the airflow across the coils.

I figured that was the case. I melted all the ice out with a blowdryer, I'm assuming I'll have to do this occasionally. We don't have central air, just the window units, so the house does get rather humid. Could I possibly prevent this by taking off the foam seal and making a silicone one?

The seal has nothing to do with it. Every time you open the door, the chamber fills with humid air. You could try placing a desiccant in the freezer. Silica gel or calcium chloride will work well.

The seal has nothing to do with it. Every time you open the door, the chamber fills with humid air. You could try placing a desiccant in the freezer. Silica gel or calcium chloride will work well.

It would help if the fan blew faster so any condensation that would form would just blow off.

FUN FACT: I learned that when desiccant packs stop working you can bake them at temperatures higher than the boiling point of water and it will remove the moisture trapped in.

The seal has nothing to do with it. Every time you open the door, the chamber fills with humid air. You could try placing a desiccant in the freezer. Silica gel or calcium chloride will work well.

Is your website down or has it moved again?

It's down. I don't know when it's going to be up again either. Sorry.

Maybe this is obvious but you can adjust your freezer thermostat settings as well. I work in a restaurant and we deal with mulish coolers often . . . Get a good thermometer and once all the ice is off the condenser and the freezer is working properly see where the temp stands. You dont need to maintain it at less than 28 F for sure so if it's reading less than that change the setting accordingly. Go higher if you feel frisky. See if you can find a balance that keeps things frozen but doesnt encourage buildup on the condenser.