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You are here: Home / Lifestyle / How To Clean Refrigerator Coils And Extend Life Expectancy Of A Refrigerator

How To Clean Refrigerator Coils And Extend Life Expectancy Of A Refrigerator

September 14, 2019 by Scarlet

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Refrigerators are quite an investment, and paying for repairs can be too so I want to share with you a hew tips for how to extend the life expectancy of a refrigerator. It just so happens that both refrigerator maintenance tips and energy saving tips for you refrigerator will work to extend the life of refrigerator. Pretty cool! Here are instructions for how to clean refrigerator coils and keep your refrigerator in tip top shape.

Extend Life Expectancy Of A Refrigerator With These Tips

extend the life of your refrigerator

Energy Saving Tips For Refrigerator

Whether you are using a new Energy Star energy efficient refrigerator or older model, there are some things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your refrigerator even more.

Refrigerator placement can actually have a large impact on its energy efficiency.  The refrigerator should have room on all sides (between walls, cabinets and counters) for air flow.  This will allow your refrigerator to operate more efficiently and prevent premature burnout of the motor.  The refrigerator should not be placed next to the stove, dishwasher or other sources of heat (such as direct sunlight) as this would cause the refrigerator to work harder than it needs to and waste energy.

Plan ahead and know what you want to get out of the refrigerator before you open the door.  Keep your refrigerator organized, with a drawer for fruit, a drawer for vegetables, an area for beverages and meat, etc.  This will help you be able to reduce the amount of time you keep your refrigerator door open and reduce the amount of energy it will take to cool the refrigerator back down to proper temperature when you shut the door.

For food safety, set your fridge temperature to be between 36-40 degrees.  Set your freezer temperature to be between 0-5 degrees.  Keeping it any colder than these settings uses a significant amount of energy with no gain.

Proper refrigerator maintenance and cleaning the refrigerator coils will also improve the energy efficiency of your refrigerator.  This should be done at least once a year. More on this below.

Refrigerator Maintenance Tips

A need for repairs is more than likely to happen somewhere down the road. However, what you want to do is extend the efficiency of your refrigerator through proper maintenance so that it works longer with less need to replace parts.

There is one essential task you may do to extend the life of your refrigerator, and that is to take the time and clean the refrigerator condenser coils once a year. If there was an ideal Handyman guide, cleaning your refrigerator’s condenser would be right there at the time.

how to clean refrigerator coils
See how nasty refrigerator condenser coils get and caked with dust and fur if you don’t clean them regularly?

How To Clean Refrigerator Coils

Before you start cleaning your condenser coils, you’re going to need to locate them. The condenser is located in different areas, depending on the make and model of your refrigerator. It is going to be in one of three places: on the back of the fridge, underneath the fridge (just behind the grille), or right on top of the fridge.

Once you locate your refrigerator coils, it is imperative that you unplug the refrigerator to avoid any likelihood of electric shock. This goes for any time you clean or attempt to execute any type of maintenance of your refrigerator. The following are the ways to clean your condenser, depending on whether it’s located on the back, underneath, or on top of the fridge.

Cleaning the Condenser Coils on the Back or Underneath The Front Grill

  • Cut power first. Make certain the refrigerator is unplugged or the circuit breaker is off.
  • Take off the base grille (if applicable).
  • Take a coil brush to wipe away any dirt, hair, pet fur, dust, or anything else from the coils.
  • Thoroughly vacuum or sweep all of the dirt and debris on the floor.
  • Place the base grille back (if applicable).

Cleaning the Condenser Coils on the Top

  • Be sure to unplug the refrigerator. Or turn off its circuit breaker.
  • Take off the grille panel on the top.
  • It’s suggested you wear a long-sleeved shirt and work gloves because of the sharp condenser fins.
  • Find the condenser, which is towards the back of the refrigerator, on the right behind the compressor.
  • Use a soft bristle brush to reach through the mid-section of the compartment, and loosen up the dirt and debris.
  • Vacuum the area with a proper brush attachment (preferably a long, narrow nozzle) to pick up the dirt.

If you have any pets, especially ones that shed, or if your refrigerator is located in a dust-infested area, like a garage, you may want to consider cleaning the condenser more often. Now, if your refrigerator wasn’t as cold as before, it will be after cleaning the condenser; however, you might have to reset the refrigerator for the machine to balance out. In addition, since the refrigerator compressor is clean, it will run more efficiently, saving you electricity and money on your electric bill.

If your refrigerator is old and inefficient, you can explore some of the new energy-efficient options at The Good Guys fridges.

Conclusion

Refrigerator maintenance and cleaning the fridge coils are important for several reasons. Dust and dirt on the coils can reduce the efficiency of the refrigerator, making it work harder to maintain cool temperatures and increasing energy consumption. You want to avoid a buildup of debris that can cause the compressor to overheat, potentially leading to premature failure of the fridge. Furthermore, dirty coils can harbor bacteria and mold, which can affect the cleanliness of the air inside the refrigerator and potentially contaminate food.

I hope you found these instructions for how to clean refrigerator coils helpful. These energy savings tips for refrigerators can go along way. The proper maintenance of your refrigerator will extend the life of your refrigerator before it starts to need repairs. Cleaning your condenser is an essential part of maintaining your refrigerator, so make sure you take the time to do it once a year. With proper maintenance of your fridge, you’ll keep your food fresh, your electric bill low, and your wallet happy.

Related Posts:

How To Make Your Bedroom More Eco-Friendly

10 Ways To Go Green With Little Effort Required!

How To Lower Electricity Bill: 20 Ways

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christy Garrett @ Uplifting Families says

    September 14, 2013 at 4:39 pm

    Thank you for sharing this. This is something that I really need to do.

  2. vivek singh says

    November 12, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    Great information thanks for sharing it. This will definitely helps to add extra life to our refrigerator. I am using a frost free refrigerator for my daily uses. I will follow these steps to maintain my refrigerator.

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Thanks for reading Family Focus Blog, a parenting and lifestyle blog that provides tips, advice, and inspiration for families. It covers a wide range of topics, including parenting tips, family-friendly recipes, eco-friendly living, family travel, home decor, and family activities. The blog was created in 2010 by Nashville mom blogger, Scarlet Paolicchi. She shares her personal experiences and practical advice for raising children and maintaining a balanced family life. Scarlet Paolicchi is the author of four books, available through her affiliate link on Amazon.

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