I went to remove a boxed food item from the freezer and discovered it was stuck to the liner. After removing it all I see there is a good sized melted hole in the liner. Can anyone tell me what would have caused this. The landlord looked at it and she immediately asked me what I put on it, assuming I burnt it which I did not. The refrigerator is a 22 year old Norge with the freezer being a top mount. I just covered it with foil and do not put anything on it anymore, the freezer still works and keeps stuff frozen but apparently I am responsible for it and it's not even my appliance! Thanks for any help.

Well, a frost free freezer has heater elements in the freezer compartment walls. That's the only obvious possibility. If those heaters burned out they might have done such damage, but I would expect you should see frost building up in the freezer over the next few weeks. On the other hand, if they didn't burn out, but have developed a real hot spot and are still working, you might have a fire hazard. Hopefully someone here will have a more definitive answer.

Hi,

Refrigerator make, model?
Can you post a pic of the damage?

jeff.

Take the landlord to small claims court. A 22 year old fridge, and you are responsible? Baloney.

Norge
Model # NNT177K

There will also be an B/M # like NNT177K-AC23A

That -looks- like the hole is on the freezer floor...if yes the defrost heater has done that...for what ever reason the defrost heater is staying on too long and has burnt through.

Heater is under the freezer floor near the middle...




Definetly would not appear to be your issue!

jeff.

There is no way the landlord can make you pay for it.
Maybe if appliances are up to the tenant to bring in and that one just happened to be there they can not cover the cost of the repair, but they can't force you to pay for it.
Does the lease specify if appliances are included?

I've seen that problem with Norge/Maytag fridges before. The problem is the foil liner underneath the freezer floor shifts back a few inches somehow (from shifting food? evap fan airflow? who knows...) and this exposes the plastic freezer floor to the heat from the defrost heater.

There may be nothing wrong with the defrost system itself.


Regardless, it's not your problem. Your landlord has to repair or replace the fridge.