Is Your Fridge On Its Way to An Early Demise?
We’re here to educate and inform, so you can’t say, “I didn’t know.” All appliances have an anticipated lifecycle, but with good care and regular maintenance, you can do your best ot get the full lifecycle out of your fridge.
This time of year, with Thanksgiving, parties, and Christmas all back to back, your fridge can get quite a workout. Make sure you aren’t practicing any of these bad habits to ensure you don’t cause your fridge to quit on you sooner than it should.
You’re Cramming It Too Full
You do a big grocery run to stock up, but when you get home, you’ve got to fit it all in! Packed in tight makes it difficult for air to circulate and keep food cold. The motor, thus, is working harder, leading to excess wear and tear, and ultimately earlier demise.
You’re Not Cleaning the Refrigerator’s Condenser Coils
It may just be dust, but dust accumulates on those condenser coils. Dirty coils lead to a clogged condenser, again causing that fridge to work harder than it should, using more electricity, causing more wear, and ultimately quitting on you earlier than expected. Make cleaning those coils part of your regular cleaning habit.
You’re Not Cleaning the Fridge Itself
Crumbs, spills, and debris that accumulate in the gasket of the fridge’s door will eventually tear and the break the seal of your refrigerator door. THen the cold air escapes, not keeping your food chilled, making that fridge work harder, and eventually dying an early and entirely preventable death. Once a week, simply wipe down that gasket to ensure a clean and secure close.
When was the Last Time You Changed the Water Filter?
Does your fridge make ice? Dispensed either inside the freezer or on the door, a worn or broken water filter makes it harder for the fridge to do its job. First the ice dispenser goes, then the fridge itself just stops cooling. All of which can easily be avoided by simply changing that filter periodically (check the owner’s manual for your make & model.)
What’s that Noise?
Don’t ignore it! If your fridge is running excessively, making weird noises, is particularly loud, or otherwise behaving abnormally, give us a call. Better to have us in to take a look and solve a minor problem, then to ignore it, wait for the fridge to give out, and have to replace it. Minor maintenance now can save you big repair headaches down the line.
Are you guilty of any of these bad behaviors? If you find you are experiencing any of these issues, give Appliance Doctor a call asap. Better to nip problems in the bud before your appliance fails when you really need it!