Mercifully the rainy season has come to an end and summer has arrived in the Calgary area. While all of us are breathing a sigh of relief that warmer weather is finally here, your refrigerator and freezer are not. In fact, summer is “high season” for refrigerator repairs. But with a little bit of extra care, you can keep your refrigerator and freezer from “cooking” this summer.
Helping Your Fridge & Freezer Beat the Heat
> Check for cracks or breaks in the seals around the doors of your fridge and freezer that can be allowing cold air to escape.
> Every time you open your fridge door cold air escapes. Your unit has to work extra hard to cool the air down again. Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible.
> Allow hot foods to cool down before storing them in your fridge or freezer.
> Cover food before storing it in your fridge or freezer. (Apart from causing odour, uncovered food also creates a phenomenon known as “food dust”. This food dust can make its way to the freezer and has the potential to clog the defrost drain.
> Maintain a good distance between the back of your refrigerator and the wall. There must be some air circulation around condenser coils so that heat can dissipate. It is also important to vacuum off lint build-up from around the coils. (You can purchase a refrigerator and freezer condenser coil cleaning brush from appliance repair shops to help clean them as well.)
> If your kitchen is configured to allow it, position your refrigerator away from your
range/oven/stove as much as possible.
> If your unit has a water filter, the filter will need to be replaced every 6 to 12 months depending on usage. Old or plugged filters limit water flow and have the potential to cause a build-up in pressure rupturing your water line. (I think you’d agree we have had more than enough flooding in the Calgary area!)
> Remove the base covering and clean it. Vacuum off the compressor area with the crevice tool/brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. (A compressor is usually the most expensive repair on a refrigerator so be kind to your refrigerator’s compressor.)
> Freezers are most efficient and maintain their temperature best when full but not so full that items are packed together really tightly.
Don’t be caught in a heat wave with your refrigerator or freezer out of commission. If you aren’t able to take care of summer maintenance yourself, Gord’s Appliance is available to provide this service at a reasonable price.
Maybe you have some additional beat-the-heat summer maintenance tips for fridges and freezers. Your input is always welcome here.