Refrigerators can start giving trouble with age due to normal wear and tear, but sometimes even almost new refrigerators can give problems. Misuse of refrigerators is a major reason for refrigerator failure. Technology has made refrigerators more sophisticated, but still, it does little in preventing malfunctions due to misuse. Responsible use of refrigerators can help to avoid failures in most cases unless there is something grossly wrong with the equipment.

Overuse is one of the reasons for refrigerators failing to live up to the expectations but then for people living in hot climates, it is hard to ensure optimal use.  During the summer months, the refrigerator is the most used equipment at home and commercial establishments.  The food and restaurant business rely significantly on the smooth functioning of refrigerators and households just cannot do without it.

According to the experts, it is not hard to prevent refrigerator misuse only if we know about the best practices. It consists of periodically checking the appliance to ensure that it remains clean even from the outside not to talk about maintaining a clean and cool storage facility inside. Here are some ways to take care of your refrigerator by avoiding its misuse.

Kitchen Home

Cleaning the condenser coils

The condenser of refrigerators helps to exchange heat, and for its proper functioning, you must keep the condenser coils clean and free from dust and debris accumulation. Too much dust and debris accumulation reduce the heat exchanging capability of the condenser and the temperature regulation inside the fridge become erratic. It can spoil the food kept inside. Dust the coil at the bottom or back of the fridge regularly to avoid the problem.

Avoid overloading the fridge

Stuffing the fridge too much can impact the cooling effect negatively because, for effective cooling, the air inside the refrigerator must flow smoothly all around. Too much food stacked inside reduces the passage of airflow by blocking the cool air vent and hinders air circulation thereby warming the fridge above recommended levels.  Clean the fridge regularly and stack items by ensuring that there is enough space for air movement without blocking the cool air vent.

Check for leakages

The gasket on the fridge door can become hard and loose with time and even turn brittle and crack thereby preventing proper door closure which is essential for maintaining the right temperature inside. Warm air from outside enters the fridge, and cool air from inside escapes outside that puts too much load on the compressor. At first, you will experience poor cooling, and if the problem persists, the compressor might give away at some time due to overloading and cause bigger problems. Check the gasket at intervals and if you observe any damage, call a professional technician to change it.

To avoid problems from a failed refrigerator at times when you need it the most, ensure that you do not misuse it and arrange for a regular inspection to help in early problem detection and set it right before it can catch you on the wrong foot.