How to Maintain Your Refrigerator for Maximum Efficiencyby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 18 Feb 2007 06:50 AM
Maintain your refrigerator to save money on energy. Proper maintenance will also allow you to extend the life of your refrigerator, so you won't have to spend money on an appliance replacement. We tend to think of the fridge as a useful fixture in our kitchens that will always be there when we need it. But a refrigerator is an appliance, like any other, that needs regular care to keep it running smoothly. You wouldn't let your car go for years without any maintenance would you? While a refrigerator is not quite as complicated as a car, it does require some attention now and then. Here are some simple tips to help you care for your refrigerator. One of the most important things you can do for your refrigerator is to clean it regularly. I'm not talking about cleaning out the left overs before they can become science experiments, although that is important, too. The cleaning that will make the most impact of the life of your refrigerator and its energy usage needs to be done outside of the refrigerator. Unplug it and have someone help you turn it around or move it away from the wall. Please be careful, and always have a helper. You don't want it to tip and fall on you! Brush and vacuum the coils. You will be amazed at how much dust collects here. This step should be done every six months or so. With clean coils, your fridge won't have to work so hard. Check the gaskets, those pieces of rubber that line the door or doors of your refrigerator. Here is a quick tip: Place a dollar bill against the door seal and close the door. Then pull on the dollar. If it comes out easily, then you need to replace the door gasket. You can get a new gasket from most appliance and home improvement stores. Related Articles: Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments whuebl (16) 18 Feb 2007 09:41 AMI have one of those inexpensive thermometers that I use to check my older side-by-side. It has the safety settings right on it - for 40F and 0F. So far both the freezer and the fridge part is right on the money - if your unit is much higher than that, then you either need to change the settings on it or, if you can't get it down to the right temperature, perhaps either have it serviced or think about getting a new one. Food safety is my most important concern in the kitchen!  Mary Ann Romans (26886) 19 Feb 2007 05:28 AMGreat tips whuebl! Where can we find one of those thermometers? Discuss this article
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Take care of your fridge and it won't leave you!
