5 Things to Know About Your Refrigerator

Your refrigerator sits in your kitchen and quietly works around-the-clock to help keep your food cold and fresh, but how often do you think about it when you aren't using it? Here are five things to keep in mind about your home's most important appliance.

1. It is your only appliance that runs 24/7.

Your home has many appliances – stoves, dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, and clothes dryers to name a few; but none of them work harder than your refrigerator. The refrigerator is the only appliance in your house that runs around the clock, working to keep your food fresh and your drinks cold and refreshing.

2. Like your car, it needs some basic maintenance.

Because your refrigerator never gets a break, it is important that you do some routine maintenance work in order to keep it running efficiently for a long time. The average lifespan of a refrigerator is about 10-15 years, but many won't last this long due to poor maintenance. Some things you can do to extend your fridge's lifespan include vacuuming the condenser coils every six months and periodically examining the gasket for air leaks.

3. There is such a thing as “too much”.

You may have heard that keeping your refrigerator full will help your food last longer because it better retains its temperature when the door is opened. This is true – to an extent. However, there is a such think as overstocking your refrigerator, which hinders air circulation and leads to warm spots. To achieve optimal food freshness, keep your refrigerator full, but not stuffed.

4. It is a bacteria hotspot.

If you regularly buy raw meat and fresh produce, your refrigerator is constantly exposed to an enormous amount of germs and bacteria. To help prevent cross-contamination, keep all uncooked meat, fish and poultry on the bottom shelf – this will prevent it from dripping onto and infecting foods below it. You should also clean your refrigerator every 1-2 months using this method.

5. Some spots are colder than others.

While you may think your refrigerator is one big, consistent box of coldness, this is actually not true. Certain spots in your refrigerator tend to be colder than others. Since warm air rises, keep foods resistant to spoiling (such as ready-to-eat foods, juices, and soda) on the top shelves and sensitive foods such as raw meats and dairy towards the bottom. The door is the warmest area of the refrigerator, so avoid storing your milk here.

If your refrigerator ever breaks down, you might be able to repair it for a fraction of the cost of a new model. Speedy Subzero has provided fast, reliable refrigerator repairs to New York residents for more than 75 years. We provide emergency support on nights and weekends and offer one-hour service to Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. To schedule an in-home repair, call us today at 866-782-9376.