The Frozen Fridge: Taking Care of Your Refrigerator

In this time of age, appliances play a significant role in our everyday lives. Most people rely on machines to do most of their chores. Can you imagine how tiring it’ll get if you wash your clothes and clean the entire house without the help of appliances? You’ll surely sweat buckets of sweat even before you finish a single task.

Undeniably, a refrigerator is an important appliance that everyone should always have in their homes. From keeping food frozen to keeping perishables fresh for consuming, a fridge is a trusty thing to keep. A fridge keeps food shortage to a minimum and ensures that you have a steady supply of fresh food all year long.

However, machines as capable as they are will break down eventually. With proper maintenance and care, your fridge will run smoothly for a long time. Here are some things that you should know about your trusty fridge:

5 Common Defects of Refrigerator

The refrigerator is one of the most important appliances at home. It is vital to keep it in good condition as it stores edible goods and potable water. It retains the freshness of our food for future consumption. Here are some common problems that you might encounter.

Faulty Miniature Circuit Breaker

An MCB or a miniature circuit breaker is a built-in failsafe that protects an electrical circuit from short circuits or overload. When an MCB doesn’t work, it may cause severe damage such as fire and bodily injuries. Loose electrical connections cause defects of breakers. In this case, see to it that the wire is always connected tightly to avoid a major problem.

Defective Compressor

The compressor is the heart of the refrigerator. Damage done to the compressor is mainly because of dirty coils, blocked suction lines, incorrect suction lines, low refrigerant charge, and contaminants in the system.

If the compressor is defective, a refrigerator can’t function anymore. In case you have trouble with this kind of issue, don’t try to fix it on your own. Always call a repair professional for possible measures.

Faulty Thermostat

A thermostat is responsible for controlling the temperature inside your fridge. When you have a faulty thermostat, a lot of problems can happen. One of the possible outcomes of having a broken thermostat is that your food easily gets spoiled or your goods become too frozen.

A faulty thermostat also lets your fridge work twice as hard which means it’ll consume much energy. When this situation happens, you can expect your electric bills to skyrocket.

Defective Start Capacitor

The start capacitor gives increased voltage to the compressor. When the thermostat sends a signal to the start capacitor, the compressor will start. That’s the time the refrigeration cycle will begin. If the start capacitor is broken or has trouble starting up, the compressor will not start, and the refrigerator will not function well.

Taking care of  your Fridge

To prevent any damage to your refrigerator, you need to take care of it well. Search for the do’s and don’ts to using your fridge. Doing proper maintenance will cost you less than spending money to buy an entirely new fridge. Here are some things to consider when it comes to proper maintenance:

• Keep the condenser coils cool and clean. Clean the coils every six months.
• Use appropriate temperature settings
• Keep your door gaskets clean and functional
• It’s better if you’ll keep your refrigerator full for better efficiency
• Replace the bulbs if necessary
• Clean the interior of your fridge weekly
• Remove unwanted smell with the use of activated charcoal
• Clean the drip pan and drain hole
• Change the water filter  regularly and replace it every six months
• Keep the door closed when the fridge isn’t in use

Takeaway

There are a lot of things that can damage your fridge. When your fridge gets broken, it’s most probably because of poor maintenance and usage. Most online sites such as Mike’s Quality Appliance Repair, maintain that you always call a professional to fix your problems with your fridge.

Of course, to avoid any damage to your fridge, always do regular checks and use your fridge properly. When you maintain all the tips mentioned above, you can be sure that your fridge will function well for a long time.