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Home Decor · August 23, 2019

How to Avoid Refrigerator Problems and Damages

Refrigerator plays a vital role in the maintenance of the quality of food that we make or store in our kitchen. It works on the principle of a cycling refrigerant using two pairs of coils. The coils of the condenser release the collected heat from the food items and keep them fresh.

With the working principle of all the refrigerators being same, what they differ in is the way they defrost.

Types of Defrost Techniques

Manual Defrost

The oldest and simplest is the manual defrost. As the name suggests, these refrigerators defrost when they are manually turned off. This causes the ice to melt and dripping of the water into the fridge.

Cycle Defrost

Cycle defrost refrigerators consist of an evaporator plate in the fridge section that heats up after every cycle to eliminate the frost from building up. Even in this, the freezer is defrosted manually by dialing onto the defrost mode.

Most models use a tube into a drip tray below the refrigerator to let the water flow into it by a channel located at the back of the fridge.

Frost-Free Refrigerator

These are the refrigerators that are widely used today. They use a heater to melt the ice onto the coils of the evaporator. The heater turns on by a timer and gets shut by an automatic process.

In this model, an evaporator fan is used to spread the cold air. Many units of this type have an open space underneath to draw the water on the underneath try.

5 Tips to avoid Refrigerator Problems and Damages

  1. Maintaining Proper Temperature inside the Refrigerator:

It is always advised to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator in a range between 37– 40 degree Fahrenheit. The proper temperature controls the growth of unwanted bacteria in food items stored in the fridge and prevent the food items from getting iced.

Adding on it also prevents parts of your freezer; turning into frost of getting layers of ice over them. Dropping of temperature might lead to leakage problems as well.

So have a well-maintained temperature for your refrigerator to avoid spoilage or over the freezing of food.

  1. Getting the Refrigerator Condenser Coils Cleaned

The condenser coils of the fridge are located behind or under the unit. Most of the times that unwanted hair and dust get collected in this area.

They play a vital role in the process of refrigeration and demand periodic cleaning to let the refrigerator function properly. Facts also suggest that clean condenser coils save 10 percent of your electricity bill.

It is often advised by many technicians to keep this particular area of the refrigerator well maintained and clean. Dirty or dust prone condenser coils could lead to damage in the unit.

  1. Properly Sealing the Door after use

At times it is seen that people tend to leave the doors of their refrigerator unsealed or open in a hurry. This move can overheat the compressor which is responsible for cooling the walls of the fridge.

An overheated compressor will not be able to produce the desired cooling in the refrigerator and can even lead to a complete failure of the appliance.

Moreover, a compressor is the most expensive fridge repair component.

It is recommended to clean the gaskets or the door seals of the refrigerator to prevent the cold air from getting escaped. Vaseline or lukewarm water can be used to clean them properly.

  1. Ensuring Proper Air Flow around the Refrigerator

It is necessary to ensure the proper flow of air in the outer surroundings of the refrigerator.

Don’t build your refrigerator in a tight-fitted cabinet, where there is no cross-ventilation. This will reduce the life span of the appliance as it will not get space to get the heat to remove out of it.

  1. Avoid Overloading your Refrigerator

Refrigerators are one of the long-lasting electrical appliances in comparison to AC’s and dishwashers, with a very little of the maintenance involved.

But due to the course of time, it is often seen that refrigerators tend to lose their properties. Normally a refrigerator is said to last for about Twelve to Fifteen years but can encounter issues with ice dispensers, control boards, and even motors.

Such damages can be controlled by limiting the load over the doors, shelves, and bins of the refrigerator.

Many times, it is observed that people overload the refrigerator with more than the desired amount of food products and liquids. It damages the hinges and the refrigerator seal, preventing the door from getting closed or sealed properly.

It can be a costly damage repair for you because the replacement of the refrigerator will cost you quite good money.

Final Words

The above-mentioned steps prevent the refrigerator problems and ensure it a long life.

Quality checks need to be made to ensure proper functioning of the refrigerator. Along with that judicious usage techniques and proper cleaning methods will be an added advantage.