Our refrigerators are constantly at work keeping our food cold and elongating the lifespan of our foods, but we rarely give them proper care and maintenance. To keep the refrigerator running effectively, here are some tips to consider. They can also help in the reduction of unexpected repair costs, electricity bills and also help save some money.
Separate Your Appliances
If you have space in your kitchen area, put the refrigerator as far away as possible from the cooker/oven. The heat that is generated from the cooker/oven will make the refrigerator work much harder to maintain the cool temperature, increasing the electricity bill.
Take The Refrigerator’s Temperature
Some recent refrigerators come with an in-built thermometer. If your refrigerator doesn’t have one, check the temperature with a thermometer. Set the refrigerator temperature between 4° C and -18° C. Keeping the temperature colder is not a great idea. Not only will the electricity bill increase, but the compressor will also wear out. This is due to the compressor running longer to keep the fridge colder.
Defrost Regularly
Refrigerators that don’t have the automatic defrost feature use less energy than other refrigerators but must be manually defrosted to increase efficiency. Try as often as possible to manually defrost whenever the ice becomes 1/3 inch thick.
Clean The Condenser Coils
The refrigerator’s condenser coils release heat making the compressor run. When accumulative dirt gathers around the coils, the system overheats, the compressor breaks down and the refrigerator can’t keep food cold. Most condenser coils are found at the back of the refrigerator. Use a brush to clean the coils every few months to keep the refrigerator in great shape.
Clean The Door Gaskets (Seal)
It’s important to keep the door gaskets clean. If they aren’t kept clean, they can stick to the refrigerator and cause tears. If the gaskets are torn, cold air escapes. This makes the refrigerator work harder and can cause other problems. Use warm water and mild soap on a sponge or old toothbrush to gently scrub any dirt off the door gasket.
Use A Fridge Guard
A fridge guard protects your appliance by disconnecting the power when it goes below an unacceptable level. Additionally, there is a delay when power returns to normal. This will ensure that the appliance is not switched on-off repeatedly during fluctuations nor is it subjected to a massive surge normally experienced when power returns after power cuts.
Practice Smart Habits
These tips will help you give your refrigerator an easier time:
- Open your refrigerator less frequently.
- Don’t leave the refrigerator door open for extended periods of time.
- Let hot foods cool before moving them to the refrigerator.
- Cover foods.
- Label leftovers.