Keeping your refrigerator working well is not complicated but does need regular care, especially at the start of each new season. Regular maintenance helps extend the appliance's life, ensures energy efficiency, and prevents unexpected repairs. With seasonal upkeep, you can ensure that your food remains fresh and safe. Here are practical tips to help you get through each season with your refrigerator running well all year.
Seasonal Refrigerator Maintenance Tips for Every Home
Seasonal Refrigerator Maintenance Tips for Every Home
Spring Cleaning: Deep Clean the Interior
You need to clean your refrigerator right with the arrival of spring season. First, remove every single food item from there and throw away whatever is expired. Now comes the turn of the shelf or the drawer. Take the ones out and wash them nicely by making a water solution at a warm temperature and small drops of mild dish soap in it. Wipe the walls and doors of its inner part with the solution likewise and focus on any stains because bacteria or mold might appear again. Dry all surfaces before placing the shelves back and stocking your items.
It should not be left outside for too long to avoid getting spoiled if it is a perishable product. Of course, one can have some items kept in the cooler as one continues cleaning other aspects of the refrigerator. If it's a refrigerator, which may take hours to clean out, then storing a few of them in a cooler is ideal.
Summer Efficiency Check: Inspect and Clean Coils
In summer, the refrigerators work overtime to cool everything, especially when temperatures are high. It is during this time that one can inspect and clean the condenser coils, which play a very important role in removing heat from the fridge. Dirty coils make your refrigerator work harder, increasing energy consumption and shortening its lifespan.
Remove dust and debris from coils by simply unplugging your refrigerator and locating the coils-mostly at the back or bottom-and vacuuming or brushing carefully with a coil brush. Cleaning your coils could make it more efficient in helping cut down on your energy bills, but will keep the components of your refrigerator in good condition.
Fall Tune-Up: Replace the Water Filter
If your refrigerator has a water dispenser or an ice maker, fall is the perfect time to replace the water filter. With time, the water filter will collect contaminants that clog up the filter and reduce water flow and the quality of the water dispensed. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the filter every six months, but if your household uses the dispenser heavily, you may need to do it more often.
Identify the proper change of the filter in your refrigerator by referring to your owner's manual. You might find filters inside your fridge door or in your refrigerator's base grille, where they are usually kept. When the filter is clean, your quality water is assured, as it enhances the efficiency of running operations in your ice maker and water dispenser.
Winter Preparations: Check the Door Seals
As the season gets colder, now is the right time to check your refrigerator's door seal (gaskets). If the door seals are worn or damaged, it allows cooled air to leak from your fridge, thus forcing your fridge to work even harder at maintaining its internal temperature with increased energy use and food spoiling.
To test your seals, close the door on a piece of paper and try to pull the paper out. If this slides out, the gasket may need to be replaced. Sometimes, it is just a matter of cleaning the seals with warm, soapy water, and using a sponge can help the seals stick a little better. For more permanent repairs, you might use a seal conditioner for refrigerator gaskets.
The End:
Need a refrigerator maintenance service for your home? We provide prompt service and emergency support 24/7 that is dedicated to extending the life of your equipment and keeping your downtime to a minimum. Complete simple steps each season could make you more efficient, increase the appliances' lifespan, and enable your food to stay fresher for long.