Be it in preserving the food items or cooling your drinking water for the summer, the refrigerator is one among the only household things that run around the clock. Often the refrigerator maintenance is neglected until the problem is severe. This negligence may often result in foodborne illness and waste of energy. Here are some do's and don'ts to help keep your refrigerator running smoothly for as long as possible.
Do's
Space
The first thing to keep in mind is to maintain several inch gaps between the wall and the fridge, both on the sideways and the top. The reason being that the heat eliminated by the fridge needs room to escape in order to run smoothly and avoid overheating.
Clean your condenser coils
Located at the back of your fridge, this section is where the fridge releases out the heat. Since it is often neglected, it results in the accumulation of dust particles which blocks the condenser coils, making it hard to function efficiently. Make sure to clean the condenser coils at least twice in a year.
Keep it Stuffed
Refrigerators need a lot of stuff inside to absorb the heat and maintain low temperatures, the reason being that every time you open the door, hot air enters the fridge. Storing ample food and water helps absorb the warm air that enters. It is also recommended to store a few jugs of water.
Call in a technician
Refrigerators do not breakdown overnight. There might be a lot of reasons the fridge might breakdown, be it low maintenance or the fluctuations which may result in improper functioning of the fridge. In most instances, there will be a series of warnings such as making a loud noise or leakages or any other indication. In such cases, it is best to call in a technician before it causes any further damage.
It is important to make sure that the refrigerator is located at one fixed place. Ensuring that it is not moved every now and then. This may loosen the grips and gaskets. If you are not sure about buying a fridge, you can always get a fridge on rent to avoid confusion. By doing so, you can try out a variety of fridge models and also, eliminate the burden of running after to claim the warranty.
Don'ts
Do not open the Door Often:
Everyone opens the refrigerator door to take out the stuff. Sometimes we even open the door and start searching for something. We all have done that. Every time we open the door, cold air escapes and the warm air enter the fridge, hence the compressor has to take an extra load to maintain the cold temperature, which may result in compressor breakdown earlier than expected.
Do not overuse the refrigerator space:
The cool air inside the fridge needs to circulate to every corner of the fridge. In case the fridge is over packed there won't be any space for the air to circulate efficiently, which may result in food and other products losing their freshness quickly. Hence it is necessary to keep some free space in the refrigerator.
Like all other electronic appliances, taking proper care of the refrigerator is a must in order to avoid unnecessary expenditures. Similar rules apply while maintaining a washing machine as well. Completely packing a washing machine with clothes may result in overloading and the effect the spin. In case the space in the machine is less, it's time to replace the machine with a bigger one, or you can simply get a washing machine on rent if you are not looking to buy a new one. Renting of appliances is feasible and less risky as well. It also avoids the hassle of installations. An added advantage of renting stuff is that you can try out a variety of different products before you decide to settle down for one.
