1. Stock Up and Store Wisely
Take advantage of sales or plan your grocery shopping trips so your fridge and freezer compartments stay as full as possible. If you’re not a home cook and rarely store much, consider downsizing to a smaller refrigerator. Keeping the refrigerator at least 50-70% full can reduce energy costs and lower the wear and tear on the compressor and other parts of the appliance. Avoid overfilling the fridge or freezer compartment and arrange everything so nothing’s blocking the main vents at the top back of most models.
2. Clean the Condensing Coils
The back and bottom of a refrigerator can collect a frightening amount of dust, debris, and hair over the course of a few years. This material settles primarily on the condensing coils. The refrigerant in these coils creates the cooling effect you need in the refrigerator, so letting them become dirty reduces their efficiency. You’ll spend more each month to keep your fridge and freezer the same temperature, which also increases the wear and tear on other parts. Use a vacuum brush tool to remove material on an annual basis at least, or every few months if you have pets.
3. Treat the Gaskets with Care
Even the cleanest, newest, most efficient refrigerator will let food spoil and cost a lot to run if the gaskets around the doors become damaged. Check them every month or so and watch how well the material fits against the refrigerator as you open and close the day. Clean them regularly with mild soap and water to remove food and other residues that could interfere with the seal. These gaskets are relatively easy to replace, so go ahead and swap them out if you feel cold air leaking out from anywhere around the door.
4. Control Heat and Moisture
Many people think of the refrigerator as a cooling chamber, but it’s not designed for that use. Putting a container of hot food in the cold compartment causes it to heat up rapidly, potentially damaging the foods around it and making the compressor work harder than normal to compensate. The problem worsens if you add an uncovered dish full of moisture. The combination of heat and moisture makes the refrigerator damp and hot, doubling the workload for the cooling system. Even cold wet dishes should be covered since the dry air in the compartment encourages water loss.
5. Remember the Annual Tune-Up
There are many small adjustments and maintenance chores that can keep your refrigerator running like new. Yet the majority of them are best handled by a professional due to the risks of electrical shock or refrigerant loss. Make sure you’re having an appliance service technician inspect and tune-up your refrigerator at least once a year to continue enjoying icy frozen desserts and cool crisp lettuce.
As always, if you need a part for your refrigerator, All Appliance Parts has you covered with two locations. We are also open half days on Saturdays at our Sarasota location to help you get your appliances running like new.
