Frost free
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- Certain bibcocks (sillcocks) are also known as frost frees.
A frost free (also called Auto-defrost or no-frost) refrigerator or freezer incorporates technology to keep the unit from icing up.
The mechanism on a refrigerator involves letting the cooling element heat up for a short period melting any ice that has formed upon it and having it drain through a collecting duct at the back of the unit.
Inside the freezer, dry air is circulated around the cabinet using fans. The cooling elements are separated from the main cabinet space, allowing them to be heated for short periods to dispose of any ice forming.
Some newer fridge/freezer models have built-in electronics that monitor how many times each door is opened and could also average the door open time which will automatically adjust defrost scheduling.
Advantages of frost free: no need to manually defrost the ice buildup, food packaging is easier to see because it's clear of frost and most frozen foods don't stick together.
Disadvantages of frost free: more energy is need to operate a frost free freezer, compared to a non-frost free model. The temperature of the freezer contents rises during the defrosting cycles.
On hot humid days condensation will sometime form around the refrigerator doors. This is normal if the kitchen is not air conditioned.
