The Ultimate DIY Refrigerator Maintenance Guide

Here’s a common scenario in most households: you buy a refrigerator, and that’s it. It runs 24×7 to cool your food, and you don’t even spend some minutes maintaining its condition. In the meantime, although a bottom or top mount refrigerator does not wear out quickly, simple care tips can minimise its wear and tear, leading to increased efficiency. And this rise in efficiency will eventually save your energy bills.

So, to enjoy practical benefits and prevent unwanted fridge breakdowns, ensure you follow these handy tips.

Refrigerator Maintenance Checklist

Refrigerators will always be popular gadgets in the market. In fact, the global refrigerator sector is estimated to rise at a rate of 6.3% by 2026, and hence, you can always opt for new models as per your preference. But with DIY maintenance, you can extract the best output from your current units. So here are simple tips for your perusal:

1. Cleaning of the Coils

You can observe thin coils at the bottom back of your unit, and cleaning these coils isn’t a lengthy process. All you need is to remove the screws on the plate and dismantle the coils.

Thereafter, using a brush or vacuum cleaner can remove dust, dirt, or other contaminants. This maintenance tip improves the efficiency of your refrigerator, and the best aspect is that you can perform this cleaning once every year.

2. Inspection of the Gasket

Your fridge’s gasket is a sealing part that prevents cold air escape. As such, a damaged or cracked gasket can fail to perform its primary function. As a result, the unit requires more energy to maintain the cold temperature. So, what can you do to rectify this issue? 

You can buy a fridge seal from your hardware store and replace the cracked gasket, and that’s it. Also, it would help if you clean the gasket with warm water every week.

3. Regular Defrosting

If you have a top mount refrigerator with a single door, the ice can accumulate in the freezer. And this unnecessary ice storage leads to a wastage of energy. So, ensure you defrost your unit at regular intervals. And all you need to do is push the defrost button and let the fridge take care of the activity.

4. Paying Attention to Freezer Vents

There are air vents in freezers of frost-free refrigerators, and these vents allow proper air circulation in the unit. So, make sure you don’t block their path by placing food packets in the freezer. As such, adequate space will allow the retention of cold air throughout the unit. And all you need is to keep the food items organised.

5. Covering Food Items

Finally, proper maintenance of your refrigerator includes the prevention of moisture build-up. For this purpose, try storing vegetables, fruits, and other items in a plastic covering or jars. Meanwhile, this is ideal because the temperature transfer is constant due to these coverings. But if you don’t have these, an aluminium foil or plastic can work as suitable options.

In most cases, proper cleaning of your refrigerator avoids significant breakdowns. And as you can notice, these maintenance tips are simple to follow. So, you won’t face any hassle with this DIY fridge care.

You can always pay close attention to other fridge parts like the temperature gauge, light, and compressor. Additionally, regular cleaning and replacement of these parts will prolong the life of your electrical unit. And lastly, ensure you buy a refrigerator that suits your family’s requirements and is easy to maintain.