One in every four American homes had two or more refrigerators in 2016.
This statistic is likely to change during this year’s census report given American’s love affair with fridges. While almost 100% of American homes have refrigeration systems, very few households understand how to take proper care of these appliances.
Refrigeration systems are also useful in medical settings and operate optimally with continued maintenance. You need to understand how to take care of these useful appliances for them to serve you longer.
Are you keen on increasing the longevity of your fridge? This complete guide on refrigerator maintenance is the only thing you need to ensure that your fridge serves you longer.
Why Is Refrigerator Maintenance Critical?
Do you want to have a guarantee that you can trust your fridge to keep the contents within the right temperature? Every fridge owner hopes that this essential appliance can serve them longer while working at optimum. However, expecting all these without scheduling frequent maintenance on the system will only lead to frustrations.
This is how to ensure you keep your fridge running for longer.
1. Check the Door Seals as Often as Possible
Seals in a refrigerator control the flow of air in and out of the system. A loose seal would give way to cool air into the refrigeration system. If your refrigeration system has unfastened seals, it’s highly likely that the fridge will waste more energy and cause the system to work harder.
So how do you ensure that the seals are always firmly in place? Frequent refrigerator maintenance is your solution. First, you need to ensure that the seals are free of residues.
You can clean your seals twice every year to ensure that you clear every form of residue. A brush and solution of baking soda mixed in water is an incredible way to do this. Your seals will be as good as new, which increases their longevity.
You then need to undertake the dollar-bill test as often as possible. You can close your fridge’s door with a dollar bill half in and half out when conducting this test. If the dollar-bill hangs in there, then you’re good to go, but if it slips out, you may need to contact an expert.
2. Clean the Condenser Coils as Often
Condenser coils enhance the efficiency of your refrigerator. But these components are also often susceptible to dust. Once dust starts accumulating around the refrigerator’s condenser coils, it hinders optimum functionality.
After every three months, you should purposely conduct scheduled checkups on your fridge’s walls to assess the coil’s status. You’ll be shocked at how soon dust settles around these areas. However, before dusting the inside, you should consider unplugging the power to ensure safety.
You can then use a blower or any other vacuuming equipment and a brush to clean the condenser coils. The location of the condenser coils varies depending on the model.
If you run a laboratory, selecting the best medical refrigerator makes the process of undertaking maintenance easy and fast. Most well built medical fridges have condenser coils that are easy to repair and maintain.
3. Clean the Drip Pan and the Drain Hole
Your refrigeration system needs to remove the accumulated condensation as often as possible. This function depends on the drain holes and the drip pans within the fridge’s system. As such, these parts must function optimally.
You can consider cleaning your drain pans and drain holes quarterly to ensure that your system operates properly. This is possible by removing debris and particles by scrubbing out the drain pans. Once you clear out all the mineral deposits from the drain holes, you will notice improvements in your fridge’s ability to remove the condensation deposits.
4. Change the Water Filters
A regular change of the water filters can enhance your fridge’s overall performance. Most refrigeration systems that have ice makers or water dispensers also have water filters. You should consider replacing your water filters every six months if you are keen on the system’s longevity.
The system needs to shell out excess water as often as possible. Refrigerators with dirty filters often shell out dirty water that can easily contaminate other contents within the fridge. But with water filter replacement every six months, you can keep your fridge clean and safe.
5. Review the Temperature
It does not hurt to review your fridge’s temperature as often as weekly. Most of the time, the temperature remains within the set range. But due to the constant need to open and close the refrigerator, the set temperature may vary.
Consider resetting the temperature to between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit for standard functionality. You should also set the freezer to 0 degrees. With the specific temperature settings, you’ll be sure that your refrigerator system is working with the utmost efficiency.
6. Level It Up
Is your fridge in a level position on the surface? Well, one of the critical refrigerator maintenance approaches relates to positioning. You need to ensure that the cooler is at level ground, side-to-side, and back-to-front.
Freezers that aren’t leveled up won’t close properly. This strains the motors and causes significant condensation inside your refrigeration system.
You should consider placing a lever on top of your fridge every month. Using a level, you should rotate your freezer until you ensure that the positioning is level. This is a simple process, but it can help keep your machine working longer.
7. Conduct Basic Maintenance Practices
You can consider various daily refrigeration tips that can help keep your fridge working at optimum. For instance, keeping an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator can help absorb odor-causing acids and help keep the fridge clean.
You can also consider maintaining an adequate amount of clearance on every side of the fridge. This will help improve the functionality of the refrigerator and ensure longevity in performance.
A Little TLC on Your Refrigeration System Can Be a Game-Changer
Most fridges breakdown before their shell life because of poor or lack of maintenance. Your fridge plays a critical role in keeping the contents within the right temperature. However, without proper and routine refrigerator maintenance, you won’t get value for your money.
You should consider engaging experts in your refrigeration maintenance endeavors. This will help keep all your contents within the required temperatures.
Check out our other posts for more insightful content.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind