Best Practices to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Refrigerator

A refrigerator is the most commonly used appliance in everyone’s kitchen that often runs 24×7 to keep the food fresh. Since it’s one of the hardest-working home appliances, it’s safe to say that your refrigerator can run into different technical issues and may not deliver the desired optimal performance. Of course, if we are talking about a critical fault such as overheating or slower cooling, it would be better to call a refrigerator repair expert and let him examine the entire unit. 

But, if you want to avoid such unexpected scenarios, there are a few daily maintenance tips that’ll help you avoid different technical issues and keep the refrigerator as efficient as possible. These maintenance practices will also increase the overall lifespan of your refrigerator and you won’t have to replace the unit for several years. 

So, without wasting another second, let’s quickly get started. 

1. Keep It Clean

One of the best ways to ensure that your refrigerator works efficiently is to make it a habit to clean it once in every 2-3 months. Make sure to remove all the food items from the fridge and wipe all its shelves with a wet cloth soaked in detergent. If there are any hard stains, you can use vinegar to wipe them off. This will ensure that your refrigerator keeps the food fresh and doesn’t develop a weird smell either. 

2. Install New Rubber Seals

If your refrigerator has stopped providing the same cooling as earlier, there’s a huge probability that the rubber seals on the door have experienced damage. Also known as the gasket, these rubber seals restrict warm air to pass through and protect food from going stale. 

This means if you don’t replace a damaged gasket immediately, the refrigerator may even encounter a critical problem and cost more money to repair. So, as soon as you notice any signs of wear and tear on the rubber seals, make sure to replace them at the earliest. You can either do this on your own or call a refrigerator repair expert to precisely install the new seals. 

3. Don’t Leave the Door Open for Too Long

Irrespective of the refrigerator type you own, it’s never a wise strategy to keep its door open for too long. When you open the refrigerator’s door, cold air starts escaping instantly and in return, the unit needs more energy to maintain the required temperature. 

This can have a direct impact on your electricity bill and also reduce the lifespan of the refrigerator. So, to avoid such instances, make sure to not keep the door open for too long. In fact, it would be better if you decide what you want to take out prior to opening the door. 

4. Defrost the Freezer Regularly

The modern-day refrigerators have a default mechanism to defrost the freezer, which means you won’t have to manually press the defrost button. However, if you’re using an older model that doesn’t have the said mechanism, make sure to manually defrost the freezer from time to time. 

The general thumb rule says that you should defrost the freezer as soon as the ice starts accumulating inside and becomes ¼ inch thick. This will protect you from hefty refrigerator repair costs and you’ll face fewer problems with the unit. 

5. Clean Condenser Coils

The condenser coils at the back of a refrigerator are installed to remove warmth from the inside and maintain a consistent temperature inside. However, with time, these coils start accumulating dirt, which may affect their overall efficiency and also cause the unit to overheat rapidly. 

So, if you don’t want to encounter such scenarios, always make sure to wipe off the dust from these coils and keep them as tidy as possible. Before cleaning, however, don’t forget to disconnect the refrigerator from the socket. 

6. Upgrade to an Energy-Efficient Model

If you’ve been using an old refrigerator (more than 15 years old), it’ll be less likely to deliver the desired performance, even if you follow all the maintenance tips. In fact, using a relatively older model usually can take a huge impact on your wallet as it’ll require frequent repairs. 

So, if you’ve been using such a refrigerator, try upgrading it to a newer and more energy-efficient unit.  In most homes, the electricity bill is dominated by the cost of running the refrigerator and air conditioner, making it all the more necessary to invest in energy-efficient models and shop around for a low electricity rate from providers like Pulse Power Texas. While it may be a bit expensive in the beginning, an energy-efficient model will ensure that you won’t have to hire refrigerator repair experts more frequently. 

Conclusion

By following these six easy steps, you can stay assured that your refrigerator won’t require frequent repairs and continue working efficiently without any hassle. As surprising as it may sound, these small tricks will reduce its energy consumption and you won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on electricity bills either. And, in case your refrigerator is too old to repair or maintain, don’t hesitate to replace it as it’ll prove to be more cost-effective in the long run.