Use a thermometer to monitor temps, food thawing is a problem... Check to see if fan inside is operating (with door switch pushed in manually if so equipped), inspect lower rear of inside back wall for frosting condition... A faulty defrost circuit will cause the evaporator coil to ice up, restrict air flow and in turn temperature rise... The coil will be located behind this rear wall cover, remove to expose the coil if you're not sure of icing condition... Removing the ice with a hair dryer will get you freezing again but further diagnostics will be needed to correct the problem... Post again if these conditions recur.. cheers, kooler

I found pics of your model at the searsparts website so try searching there for more data... I've found APPros prices competitive with Sears so I recommend them if and when it's determined you need new part(s)... Yep, let this unit run for a few days while monitoring temp, keep a log if necessary; try to notice if the compressor cycles off and on by the thermostat, you'll want temps in the -5 to zero °F zone for storage of seafood or ice cream... +7°F sounds normal after only 3 hours from being unplugged for hours or days... An icing condition will show symptons within days depending on moisture conditions where the freezer is located... Post back when you know more...

Okay, I checked the temp this morning, it is still -3F.

Is it possible that I may have left the door open overnight?? If so, would the lines have frozen? That next day I checked to make sure the door was closed (wife may have closed it), but the freezer never recovered.

Thanks.

Actually there are some models with built-in alarms... But then that's one more thing that can malfunction; I recall one customer's response, "Is that what's making all that racket? Just disconnect the darn thing, if everything's cold, I don't need it"...