7 Tips for Extending the Lifespan of Your Fridge

The fridge is one of the most expensive appliances in the kitchen and serves one of the most critical roles of prolonging food life and keeping everything fresh. It’s costly and big-sized and sometimes even custom-built. What should you do to maintain its workability? In this article, you will learn how to prolong the life of a refrigerator.

Steps to make sure your fridge lasts longer

1. Keep the door shut. It’s imperative to make sure that the doors of the fridge stay closed if not being used. When the door is open, your refrigerator loses the required temperature and tries to restore it by loading the internal components and the compressor.
2. Set the right temperature. Follow the manual to set the recommended temperature in your fridge to ensure your unit follows the manufacturer’s standards. Overcooling puts extra pressure on a compressor which can be a problem.
3. Keep fridge vents clean. Ensure that all ducts inside the fridge are clean and not obstructed by your food and any products. The most crucial vent is the external one right by the compressor, where the air enters the fridge. Usually, this vent can be clogged with dust and lint. Keep that area clean at all times! If the vent is clogged, it may disrupt the fresh air intake, and the compressor will quickly overheat and get damaged. Also, if your compressor is located in the back of the fridge, leave a slight gap between the unit and the wall to allow air to enter the compressor vents.
4. Keep the rubber seal clean. The rubber seal is made of a rubber gasket located around the refrigerator door. It also has magnet strips built into it. This gasket keeps the door tightly closed, so it is essential to take care of it.
5. Keep the distance. If placed near the fridge, some appliances in your kitchen may heat your unit, making it work twice as hard to maintain the required temperature. It is necessary to keep the distance between your kitchen units.
6. Do not put hot leftovers in the fridge right away. Anything that will make your fridge work harder to maintain the set temperature will reduce its life service.
7. The more food, the better. Once the fridge cools down, all the items inside it will keep it cool much more efficiently. Your food will turn into mini-cooling systems that will support the refrigerator to keep the entire system cool longer.

Author: Jacob Dillard

My name is Jacob Dillard, and I am the author of articles at Appliance Repair Expert. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by technology and spent much time reading different books and trying to repair my first CD player. Then, I graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Applied Science and Engineering. In a year, I got my first job as a technician at an appliance repair company. After years of practice and working with professionals, I decided it was time to share my knowledge and experience here at Appliance Repair Expert. I want to help you understand everything related to appliance repair, maintenance and installation in the simplest way possible. It will be fun, believe me!