One of the worst times of the year to have your refrigerator and freezer break down is in the summertime. Food can quickly spoil in the summer heat if either of these units break down. If they break down, it is not like you can just put the food out in the snow and keep it cold; you have to invest in coolers and lots of ice to save your food. You can prevent summer breakdowns of these two important appliances by following the five tips below.
#1 Keep Your Appliances Cool
The first thing you need to do is check and see what temperature you have your refrigerator and freezer set to. In order to achieve maximum efficiency with both of these appliances, they need to be set at the right temperature.
You'll want to keep your refrigerator above freezing, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range is the sweet spot for keeping your food cold and your refrigerator operating as effectively as possible. You should keep your freezer right around 0 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure everything inside of it stays solidly frozen.
If your refrigerator and freezer are not designed to tell you the specific temperature inside, purchase a digital thermometer so you can accurately check the temperature and get the environment just right inside both units.
#2 Keep Your Appliances Full
It may feel counterintuitive, but keeping both your refrigerator and freezer full will actually help reduce energy consumption and reduce the strain on your units. Try to aim for keeping both units at least 3/4 full. If you don't have enough food to keep your units that full, you can always trick them into feeling full by putting jugs of water in your freezer and fridge. The water will retain the cold and help reduce energy consumption.
#3 Be Quick When Using Them
Every time you open and close your freezer and fridge, you let all the warm air from your house into your unit. This causes your freezer and fridge to have to work harder to cool down again. Reduce the strain on your fridge and freezer by only opening them when you know what you need and grabbing it as quickly as possible.
#4 Watch The Seal
Along the same lines as point three, you also need to pay attention to the seal on your fridge and freezer in order to keep the warm air out. You can test your seal and make sure that it is keeping the cold air out with just a piece of paper. Take a single piece of paper and shut it so that part of it is sticking out of your fridge and the other part is inside your fridge. Then, try to pull the paper out. You should encounter some resistance when you pull the paper out; it should not slide out easily. If you are able to easily pull it out and you don't feel any resistance, you'll want to replace the seal on your fridge or freezer.
#5 Keep It Clean
Finally, help your fridge and freezer out this summer by keeping your kitchen and your units clean. Dust and dirt can easily build up around the condenser coils and cause your fridge and freezer to work harder than they need to. Consult your owner's manual to figure out where the condenser coils are located on your unit and use a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to clean them and remove all the dirt that is clogging them up.
