As a home and fridge owner, you need to have some fridge smarts on how you deal with your unit. Here are some of the things you should do as given by refrigerator repair professionals:
Buy the right appliance
Everything begins here. There is no way you are going to buy the wrong refrigerator and expect to get ideal results from it. If this is the first time you are buying the unit, you should know that refrigerators come in different styles, colors, shapes, and sizes and it’s up to you to choose the one that is ideal for you.
You will find some with fancy features that often go for high prices. Others are simple in design, but they are extremely affordable.
When you are buying a fridge, you need to think about how you are going to use it. This will guide you on the right size of appliance that you should buy.
Many people are often confused about the brand that they should buy from. While you should always aim at buying from a reputable brand, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a unit as you might be buying the brand, and not the appliance.
When it comes to the size, you need to think about the size of your family. If you are many in the house, you should go for a large unit, but if you only live a few of you, you don’t have to spend money buying a large box.
The final thing you need to pay attention to is the energy rating. Just like any other appliance, you should buy an appliance with a high energy rating.
Keep the condenser coils clean
Due to their location (at the back of the refrigerator), condenser coils tend to be forgotten during the cleaning process. Don’t do this. It’s in the condenser coils where the fridge releases a lot of heat.
When you go for a long time without cleaning the coils, dust is bound to adhere to the surface of the condenser coils making it difficult for the fridge to release the extra heat. What is the end result of this? The unit tends to overwork and within just a short time, it stops working.
When you are cleaning the refrigerator, you should always remember to clean the condenser coils in order to keep your appliance in top working condition.
While you are at it, don’t forget to also clean the gasket. The gasket is the rubber seal lining the door of the refrigerator. Its role is to keep the cold air in and warm air out.
In addition to cleaning it, also remember to inspect it for any issues it might be having. If you notice any cracks and other signs of wearing out, you should go ahead and replace it.
For you to keep the gasket working optimally, apply a thin layer of Vaseline on it. The reason for doing this is to strengthen the seal and also prevent the gasket from drying out and cracking.
Give the refrigerator enough space
Refrigerators function by removing heat from items and releasing it to the outside. For the heat to escape, it needs space. When you don’t give the unit enough space to do it, you make the fridge work harder than it should, which puts it at the risk of grinding to a halt.
For the appliance to function optimally, you should leave at least six inches of space on all sides of the fridge. This calls for you to place it a few feet from the wall and other items in the house.
Keep the refrigerator door closed all the time
Unless you are removing something from the fridge, you should leave the door closed all the time. Refrigerator experts observe that when you open the door, as much as 40% of cold air tends to escape.
The amount of heat lost increases the longer you keep the door open.
You should reduce the workload of the compressor and cut the amount of money you spend cooling the house by keeping the door closed.
Fix a problem as soon as you notice it
When you notice an issue with the refrigerator, you should fix it almost immediately. You can fix it on your own if minor, but if its major, hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional to help you out.
