5 Tips and Tricks to Extend the Lifespan of Your Fridge
Your fridge is among the most essential parts of your home. It keeps your drinks and favorite desserts cold and helps preserve your food. With this, it’s probably safe to say that aside from your entertainment center, much of your enjoyment while at home comes from a well-functioning refrigerator.
Because of these reasons and more, fridges have become a necessary investment for many. Moreover, they are usually the most expensive appliance in a home.
If you have invested in a high-performance refrigerator, you naturally want it to run efficiently and last longer. To help you out, we’ve listed down some smart tips and tricks that will help you extend your precious fridge’s lifespan.
1. Keep It Away From Heat Sources
The primary function of your refrigerator is to keep itself cool. However, when put in places near heat sources such as your stove, dishwasher, or oven, it tends to work its motor harder than usual. When this happens, your energy consumption will rise and your fridge will wear out sooner.
If possible, place it in the garage or to a basement instead, wherever the temperature is cooler. However, if you need it within the kitchen, it’s alright to keep it inside as long as you place it away from possible sources of heat, as well as direct sunlight.
2. Don’t Use the Top as Storage
Putting cans, storage containers, cereal boxes, and other items on the space above your fridge block heat escaping from it. Again, when this happens, the compressor works harder than it’s supposed to keep the inside cool. In serious cases, it could lead to overheating as well.
Considering this, it’s best to relocate the heavy items mentioned above and leave only small decorative items on top.
3. Maintain Your Refrigerator
This is one of the most straightforward ways to make your fridge last long.
You have to vacuum the condenser coils located on the back or bottom of your unit to remove the dust, pet hair, food particles, and other debris that might have accumulated in it. It’s essential that you do this at least 2-3 times a year as these coils are necessary for pushing the heat out. When they’re free from gunk or grease, they’ll be able to perform more efficiently.
4. Don’t Overstuff It
Aside from looking at where it’s placed, what’s on top of it, and how often it’s cleaned, you should also look at what you put inside it.
Overstuffing your fridge and inserting as many items as possible into the unit is going to make it work harder to maintain a low temperature. Moreover, the items are most likely to be blocking vents and preventing the color air from circulating, which can damage your refrigeration system.
If you are guilty of doing this, it’s best to take a look at all of the items inside your unit now and determine whether or not they have to be refrigerated or not.
5. Cool Down Foods Before Placing Them Inside
Although fridges are meant to cool down your food and drinks, they’re not meant to work with smoking hot ones. If you place warm foods or liquids inside the fridge or freezer, the compressor will have to work even harder to cool them off.
Place your food on the counter and allow it to cool for a short while first before putting them inside your fridge.
Conclusion
In order to keep your refrigerator running, you must play an active role in maintaining it and making sure it is used properly. Be mindful of where it is placed, how often it is cleaned, and how it is used, and you will surely have a fridge that you will not have to replace any time soon!
If you’re on the search for more tips and advice on maintaining your refrigerator such as how often should a refrigerator cycle on and off and more, you’re at the right place! Pixel Fridge is your ultimate resource for anything and everything about refrigerators. Check out our website for more tips, reviews, and recommendations.