A failing freezer is a timed problem. A full chest freezer holds safe temperature for roughly 48 hours unopened, an upright for about 24. Tell us it’s a freezer when you call and we’ll prioritise the window.
What we charge
| Repair | Flat rate | Parts included | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermostat / cold control | $195 | Yes | 45 min |
| Defrost system — heater or timer | $255 | Yes | 60–90 min |
| Evaporator fan motor (upright) | $239 | Yes | 60 min |
| Door gasket / lid seal | $179 | Yes | 45 min |
| Start relay and overload | $189 | Yes | 45 min |
| Sealed system or compressor | $720–$1,050 | Yes — EPA 608 required | 3–5 hrs |
Before you call, do this
Do not open it. Every opening costs you hours of safe holding time. Instead: check the plug and the breaker, check whether the condenser coils at the back or underneath are packed with dust, and put a thermometer in without moving anything. If it’s still under 0°F you have time. If it’s climbing past 10°F, start planning to move the contents.
The garage freezer problem
Most of the freezers we’re called to in Pasco County live in a garage, and a lot of them aren’t rated for it. Manufacturers publish ambient temperature ranges — GE rates its garage-ready units for 38°F to 110°F and states plainly that it does not recommend non-garage-ready units outside that band. A closed Florida garage in August is at or over the top of that range. A unit that holds fine in winter and struggles every July is usually not broken; it’s operating outside its specification.
If that’s your situation we’ll tell you, because no part we fit will change it. The fixes are ventilation, relocating the unit, or replacing it with a genuinely garage-rated model — and none of those is a service call.
Chest freezers are worth repairing longer than you’d think
A chest freezer is a mechanically simple appliance: a compressor, a thermostat, a seal. Unlike a modern refrigerator there’s almost no electronics to fail. We routinely repair twenty-year-old chest freezers economically, because a $195 thermostat on a working compressor buys years. The exception is the sealed system — at $720 and up, that’s a replacement conversation on anything but a large commercial unit.
Common questions
How much does freezer repair cost?
From $179 for a door gasket or lid seal. A thermostat is $195, an evaporator fan motor $239 and a defrost system $255. A sealed system or compressor is $720–$1,050.
How long will food stay frozen?
24 to 48 hours in a full chest freezer if you keep the lid shut. Opening it to check is the single worst thing you can do, so leave it closed and call.
Is a chest freezer worth repairing?
Usually yes. A chest freezer is mechanically simple — a compressor, a thermostat and a seal — so most failures are cheap relative to a replacement, and the cabinets last decades.
My garage freezer struggles in summer. Is it faulty?
Often not. Many freezers are not rated for the ambient temperature of a closed Florida garage in July. We will tell you whether it is the appliance or the environment before you spend money on it.
Ready when you are
$99 diagnostic, waived in full when you approve the repair. Two-hour arrival windows with your technician named in advance.