Refrigerator rules
4 potentially fatal mistakes while using a fridge
In this article we are going to tell you about refrigerator rules and common operation mistakes that, if ignored, might significantly reduce the lifetime of your fridge.
Putting too much food
Every compressor has its own capacity, which means it can cool down and freeze the limited amount of products.
For example, if the daily freezing weight of your fridge is 6 lbs, then putting 12 lbs of raw meat (at room temperature) in the freezer will keep the compressor busy at the full load for 2 days. That said, the daily capacity is measured at perfect conditions, which means a new piece of equipment with zero load. So actually, this value will be a bit lower.
If you want to avoid continuous work with increased wear, find out the capacity of your fridge and try to put the food in the fridge equally (preferably with some margin to the rated value).
No maintenance
Regular and timely maintenance is the recipe for the long-term operation of any equipment, especially a fridge.
Here are a few elements you should always look after and take care of:
- Condenser. The back and side grilles responsible for cooling the refrigerant gradually accumulate dust. If there is too much of it, the heat exchange process will slow down. In this case, in order to provide the desirable temperature the compressor will have to circulate the refrigerant longer and faster.
- Seals (gaskets). The rubber seal gets less elastic and creased over time, and it also accumulates dirt. In case of poor surface contact, the cold air will go outside, and vice versa. This will result in higher load on the compressor.
- Drainage. Fridge models with the drip system have a drain trap at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment to collect the melted condensate. If this trap gets clogged, the moisture will accumulate in the compartment over time. It doesn’t increase the load on the system, but it affects the storage quality — bacteria and mold will grow in the water, and the food will get spoiled faster.
- Evaporators. Fridges without No Frost system tend to have a problem with frost formation. It builds up and forms ice that hinders food cooling.
Wrong installation place
Most of the modern fridges belong to universal climate classes N-T and SN-T, which means they work within the temperature range from 60.8 °F to 109.4 °F and from 50 °F to 109.4 respectively. These are acceptable conditions for any apartment or house, but even despite such a wide range the equipment might be subjected to high load.
This may easily happen if the fridge is installed:
- On the heated floor;
- Close to the walls or kitchen items;
- Under the sunlight;
- On a balcony, in a basement, or any other cold unheated room.
Low and medium-price models can’t boast of quality insulation, so heating up of the walls may result in heating of the air inside compartments and higher load on the compressor.
As for low temperatures, it is actually harmful to the equipment and doesn’t help cooling. The lubricant in the friction parts of the compressor gets thicker, and the refrigerant takes much more time to change from one state to the other, which reduces the cooling efficiency.
Improper food storage
Drip system fridges are finicky about positioning the food in the refrigerator compartment — it must not be touching the back wall. Otherwise, it will negatively affect the heat exchange, so the back "crying" wall will be covered with ice in the contact areas, and it will not be able to melt completely while defrosting.
No Frost models also have their own peculiarities. In this case, it is very important to pay attention to the type of food stored in the refrigerator compartment. The moist from juicy fruit and vegetables, raw meat, and other wet food quickly vaporizes under active air flows.
As a result, the moist accumulates on the evaporator. If this element is controlled with a timer, but not a sensor, at some point you will notice that your fridge makes more noise or works longer (depending on the compressor type). It’s recommended to store all wet products in bags or containers.
For the same reason, you shouldn’t put hot food in the fridge.
Bottom Line
A fridge is not that finicky piece of equipment. However, it’s still recommended to follow the basic operation rules. If you want your fridge to last as long as possible, you should pay attention to the installation place, stored food, and regular maintenance.