10 tips for keeping your refrigerator running great
1. Check your user's manual.
Know where your user’s manual is. Do you know where your user’s manual is? You should! This is your go to place for troubleshooting, knowing what’s covered under warranty and where to order parts. Keep your manual in a plastic bag and store it on top of your refrigerator or even in the freezer.
2. Clean it regularly.
Cleaning your fridge regularly makes your food last longer and keeps it tasting great. When cleaning, make sure to get all the residue off the seals, as build up can keep your doors from closing properly.
3. Replace rubber seals.
If the rubber still isn’t sealing after a good cleaning, go ahead and replace the seals. Look in your manual or call a local repair shop to get prices.
4. Clean your condenser coils.
No one likes to clean the yuck off the coils on the back of the fridge, but you have to if you want your fridge to continue to remove heat from inside the unit. Clean them 2 times a year with a soft-bristle brush and hot, soapy water.
5. Replace the water filter.
This should be done every 6 months and can be ordered online or at your local repair shop for little cost.
6. Don’t ignore noises.
If your refrigerator sounds like it’s trying to communicate with you, its time to call the repair man. Ignoring clicking, loud buzzing only lasts so long. Cracking is most likely due to ice build-up, so check that first before calling in back up.
7. Monitor temperature.
To slow the growth of harmful bacteria, refrigerators should be kept between 37 and 41 degrees. Buy a thermometer at any hardware shop for under $10 to monitor the temperature.
8. Defrost that glacier in your freezer.
Letting ice build-up more than a half inch thick puts undue stress on your appliance. To defrost simply turn the unit off, let the ice melt, soak up the water and turn it back on.
9. Emergency Preparedness.
If the worst should happen and your refrigerator goes out or there is a power outage, don’t keep the doors open. Refrigerators and freezers can keep items cool for 24-48 hours if they are left alone.
10. Preventative checks are cheap.
Most people don’t call the repair shop until there’s an emergency, but if you call a repair man to do routine checks every two years, you could save a lot of money and stress.
These easy tips decrease the probability of your fridge going dark the night before Thanksgiving or during one of the Colorado Springs heat waves in August (it happens). If you are unsure of what’s wrong with your refrigerator, a quick phone call to an appliance repairman near you can get most questions answered much faster than hours searching for one online.
See related article: Refrigerator Repair Tips
