Knowing a reputable appliance repair person (such as one from Prompt Appliance Services, Inc.) in your community can make you feel at ease in the event of a breakdown with your refrigerator. While you'll sometimes run into unexpected fridge issues that require professional intervention, it's often possible to keep this appliance humming along healthily for years with a handful of simple maintenance jobs. Maintaining your fridge is about more than just regular vacuuming the condenser coils to remove the dust that accumulates. By making these three important tasks a priority, you can often prevent avoidable issues that leave you scrambling as the temperature in the fridge rises.
Keep It As Full As Possible
It's discouraging to open your fridge to see that it's mostly empty, especially when you're hungry -- but a fridge that lacks contents forces the condenser motor to work harder to achieve the desired temperature every time you open the door. Over time, this excess running of the motor can lead to a burnout. Keeping the fridge as full as possible helps the interior of the unit maintain a low temperature that's largely resistant to the door being opened. Each item you store in the fridge is cold, which means that a burst of warm air that enters the unit once you open the door has little effect. If your fridge contents are dwindling and you don't have a supermarket visit scheduled in the near future, place a handful of bottles of water onto a shelf to help the fridge stay cool.
Ensure It's Level
If the floor of your home is slightly slanted or the fridge's feet aren't set up correctly, the entire unit can sit at an angle. You might not even notice that the fridge is askew, but anything other than a perfectly horizontal position means that some of the seals around the door might not be holding tightly. This allows warm air to entire the unit, which will force the condenser motor to run more than it needs to. Check the level of the fridge by placing a level across the top of it; if the angle is off, adjust one or more of the feet according to the owner's manual.
Don't Stack Food Against The Vents
Look carefully and you'll notice a series of vents located throughout the inside of your fridge. These vents are designed to allow air to circulate freely and piling food against them can compromise the appliance's ability to run properly, which can reduce its lifespan. Always be vigilant about where you place foods inside the unit and make sure to allow open space in front of each vent.
