Walk-In Freezer Running Warm in Waco TX: Restricted Expansion Valve Screen

June 23, 2026 — Waco, TX

When a commercial walk-in freezer drifts warm, the first assumption is usually a failing compressor or a low refrigerant charge. But a box that is running and simply not getting cold enough often points somewhere quieter — a restriction in the refrigerant flow itself. On a recent Waco-area service call, lead technician Clay found a walk-in freezer sitting around 16°F, far above where a freezer should hold, and traced the problem to a clogged screen at the expansion valve.

What “Running Warm” Means on a Freezer

A walk-in freezer that has crept up to 16°F is a real problem, even if it does not look dramatic. Most commercial freezers are designed to hold product at or below 0°F, so 16°F sits well inside the danger zone for frozen inventory:

• Frozen product begins to soften and partially thaw, risking quality and food-safety violations.
• Refreezing thawed product degrades texture and can create liability for a commercial kitchen.
• The system runs nearly nonstop trying — and failing — to reach setpoint, driving up energy use.

The telling detail in this case was that the equipment was clearly working. The compressor and condenser were running. That usually rules out the most obvious electrical failures and points toward something interfering with how refrigerant moves through the system.

The Culprit: A Clogged Expansion Valve Screen

The thermostatic expansion valve (TEV) meters refrigerant into the evaporator coil. Most of these valves have a small inlet screen or strainer that protects the valve from debris circulating in the system. When that screen clogs, it chokes the flow of refrigerant the evaporator needs to pull the box down to temperature.

On this freezer, Clay found debris collected on the expansion valve screen, restricting flow and starving the evaporator. A starved coil cannot absorb enough heat, so the box drifts warm even while the compressor keeps running. Clearing the debris from the screen restored proper flow through the valve, and the system was able to start pulling the freezer back down toward temperature.

Walk-in freezer running but not getting cold? Call 254-272-2714. Texian Cold runs commercial refrigeration service across the Heart of Texas, and a warm freezer is the kind of call we move on fast — before product is at risk.

Why Debris Ends Up at the Valve

A clogged expansion valve screen is usually a symptom of something circulating inside the system. Over the life of a commercial refrigeration unit, small amounts of contamination can work loose and travel with the refrigerant until they collect at the first restriction point — often the valve screen. Common sources include:

• Residual debris or particulate left from past repairs or component wear.
• Breakdown of internal components over years of runtime.
• Moisture or contamination that was never fully removed from the system.

Because the screen sits at a critical metering point, even a partial blockage shows up as lost capacity. That is why a freezer can keep running, keep drawing power, and still never reach temperature.

Catching It Before Inventory Is at Risk

The frustrating thing about a slow restriction is that it rarely announces itself. The box creeps warm gradually, and by the time someone notices product softening, the freezer may have been out of range for hours. Routine preventative maintenance is the best defense — checking superheat, inspecting valves and screens, and catching flow restrictions before they turn into a warm box full of thawing inventory.

For operators running walk-in coolers and freezers across Central Texas, the lesson is simple: when a box runs but will not cool, do not assume the worst about the compressor. Sometimes the fix is as straightforward as clearing a restriction the system has quietly built up. Texian Cold services walk-in coolers and freezers of every commercial brand, and is factory authorized for Norlake and Master-Bilt equipment.

Refrigeration trouble in the Heart of Texas? Call Texian Cold at 254-272-2714 for fast, same-day commercial service. We serve Waco, Hillsboro, Whitney, Temple, Gatesville, Mexia, Clifton, Meridian, Groesbeck — and surrounding Central Texas communities.