If you invest in a quality kitchen appliance, you want it to last with few or no repairs. This goes double for your fridge since downtime for it means you won’t be able to store perishables at home. To help ensure your fridge lasts for a long time, we’ve prepared 6 tips to prevent refrigerator repairs for your perusal!
Select a suitable appliance from the start
It may seem like a silly piece of advice to give. However, finding the perfect refrigerator for your needs is essential. If you just buy a cheap, mediocre solution, then more often than not, you will need to do a lot of repairs regularly. Investing in a good appliance is never a waste since you can expect to use it for years. If you really want to prevent refrigerator repairs, the appliance you own must be able to work for a long time without just breaking down on its own. Even if you do everything right and follow every possible tip we have to offer, it will not matter if the refrigerator has an inherent flaw. In that case, it is only a matter of time before you need to replace an expensive part. Which may actually force you to just buy a new fridge.
Clean the freezer vents regularly to prevent refrigerator repairs
Keeping the vents of your refrigerator clean and unobstructed is key to preventing refrigerator issues. The reason for this is the importance of proper air circulation within your fridge. It needs to be able to efficiently cycle the cold air inside it to keep everything placed inside cool. This means that, even if you refuse to do any other cleaning inside your fridge, you need to at least wipe down the vents once every other week. Also, be careful not to place anything right up against the vents. Give them some room in order to be able to do their jobs properly. Air circulation is essential because it lets your fridge work at its optimal efficiency. If they are dirty or blocked, your fridge needs to work a lot more intensively to keep the food cool. Which can cause all sorts of breakdowns.
Clean the exterior of your refrigerator well
Many people tend to disregard the importance of cleaning the outside of their fridge. The only time they do it is when they are doing spring cleaning or organizing a move. When trying to learn how to prepare an appliance for a move, it is always recommended to keep it clean and dry, after all. And yet, they forget that this is not the only time their fridge needs to be perfectly clean to work optimally! Particularly important are the “coils,” which you can find either at the bottom or in the back of your fridge. They are an integral part of the fridge’s cooling system, and they need to be in top condition for it to work efficiently. If they are not, you face similar issues you would with clogged and dirty vents. Your fridge needs to work intensely in order to do its job, which causes breakdowns.
Do not place hot food inside your fridge
Okay, all of us have to admit to placing warm food inside the fridge at least once or twice. After all, waiting for something to cool down entirely before stashing it away can be difficult if you are in a rush. And yet, if you want to prevent refrigerator repairs, this is an essential thing to do. Placing hot or even just warm food inside your refrigerator causes several adverse effects. First, the warmth of it obviously causes the inside to heat up. In turn, this means your fridge needs to consume more electricity and work more intensely to reach your set temperature again. It also causes condensation to build up quickly. This can spoil your food and, more importantly, get into the vents and other vital bits of machinery. You’ll likely run across signs you need to replace your refrigerator entirely if you keep doing this.
Properly pack the food before placing it in the fridge
There is another crucial thing to keep in mind if you want to keep your refrigerator in good condition: always properly pack your food. You see, if you leave your food uncovered in the fridge, it will suffer due to two reasons. First, the moisture from the food will make it a lot more difficult to keep its temperature down since it will spread into the air. This will make your fridge consume more power and work harder, just like in the previous few covered cases. Then, if you keep putting uncovered food in the fridge, the long-term exposure to moisture will contribute to the frequent forming of condensation. And this, along with the moisture from the food, will eventually cause mold to start growing in your fridge. This would obviously be bad both for your health and the working of your fridge.
Check and clean the door seal regularly
The final of our tips to prevent refrigerator repairs is to always pay attention to your fridge’s door seal. This bit of rubber may not seem important. However, since it is the only thing preventing outside air from seeping into your fridge while the door is closed, its condition is essential to the long-term state of the appliance. When your fridge is open and exposed to warm air, it works in overdrive to try, and fail, to keep the food cool. The same thing happens when the door seal is damaged. In addition, the clash of the warm outside air and the coolness of your fridge causes a lot of condensation buildup—the harmful consequences of which we’ve already covered. If you do not want to look for a new refrigerator sooner rather than later despite frequent repairs, clean and maintain the door seal well!
Final comment
Now that you’ve got our 6 tips to prevent refrigerator repairs under your belt, you’ll be able to keep your fridge running smoothly for a long time to come! Just remember to always follow them and avoid the temptation to slack in your maintenance!
