Caring For Your Refrigerator's Compressor

While you may think of your refrigerator as a magical box that keeps your food cold, the truth is that it is a well-oiled machine must constantly operate in order to do its job. Like any machine, your refrigerator is built up of several different components which must work together in order to complete the refrigeration cycle over and over again throughout the day.

Perhaps none of these components is more important than the compressor. The compressor is the heart of your refrigerator, similar to the engine of a car. Like a car engine, a refrigerator compressor consists of a piston and a crankshaft. As the piston moves up and down the cylinder, it moves refrigerant through the unit, which is essential to keeping a cool temperature.

The key to keeping your refrigerator running efficiently is by maintaining a healthy compressor. The compressor is the most expensive piece of your refrigerator; if it breaks down, you will likely need to hit the appliance store and buy a brand new model.

Use these tips to keep your compressor in good health for years to come:

• Allow for proper ventilation. The refrigerator works by removing heat from the inside. This heat must have a place to go, so your refrigerator releases it through vents in the back. If your refrigerator is placed too closely to the wall or its condenser coils are coated in dust, it hurts the efficiency of the refrigerator and forces the compressor to work harder. Allow for adequate ventilation by keeping at least four inches of space on all sides of your refrigerator and vacuuming the condenser coils every six months.
• Keep your refrigerator away from heat sources. This includes heat-generating appliances such as your stove, and even out of direct sunlight if your kitchen provides the flexibility to do so. These things can warm up your refrigerator, which is working to keep cold. The added heat results in extra work for the compressor to maintain a cool temperature.
• Minimize opening of the refrigerator door. Every time you open your refrigerator door, cold air escapes and warm air enters. Standing in front of an open refrigerator blankly staring for food to eat (we've all done it) can release a fridge-full of cold air. When making a recipe that calls for multiple refrigerated items, try to remove everything from your refrigerator in one trip to minimize the amount of time that the door is opened.

If your refrigerator is malfunctioning, it could be due to a variety of reasons. New York residents can call on Speedy Subzero for fast, reliable repairs that can be completed for a fraction of the cost of a new refrigerator. We are on-call 24/7/365 and can provide one-hour emergency service, call us any time at 866-782-9376 for more information.

How Auto-Defrost Refrigerators Work

Out of all the crazy features that new refrigerators have (like the ability to hook up to your home's WiFi), few are more useful than auto-defrost.

As your refrigerator runs, a layer of ice can accumulate in the freezer section. If you have a manual defrost refrigerator, this icy build up can continue to grow and eat away at your freezer space. To get rid of this accumulation, you will either have to use a hair dryer or unplug your refrigerator and wait for it to melt – and you will need to find a place to store your food in the meantime.

Fortunately, the convenience of the auto-defrost feature means that this is no longer necessary for those who opt to pay a little more money. Every 8-12 hours (depending on the refrigerator), the inside of your freezer will heat up just enough to melt any ice which has formed on the inner wall. The water that is produced runs through a drain tube and empties into the drip pan, which is located underneath the refrigerator. Here, it quickly evaporates due to the heat from the compressor, and the cycle starts all over.

Some of the benefits of an automatically defrosting refrigerator include:

• Save the time and hassle of manually defrosting.
• Freezers with thick layers of ice consume more energy than auto-defrost models.
• Your freezer's full storage space is available.

If you own an auto-defrost refrigerator which isn't properly working, Speedy Subzero can get you up-and-running in no time. We offer one-hour emergency service to Long Island and New York City, as well as certain areas of Connecticut and New Jersey. Our expert technicians can repair any make or model of refrigerator or freezer, so call us anytime at 866-782-9376 to schedule a same-day appointment.

What You Need to Know About Safe Food Storage

Do you often find your food expiring well before the printed date? It could have something to do with the way you are storing it. Whether you're using the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer, your food is susceptible to bacteria and spoiling.

To keep your food as fresh for as long as possible and avoid foodborne illnesses, keep the following things in mind:

• Set your appliances to the proper temperature. Your refrigerator should be kept between 35-38° F. Any colder and your orange juice might turn into an orange slushie; any warmer and bacteria growth rates begin to spike. Freezers should ideally be kept at around 0° F.
• Refrigerate items as soon as possible. Whether you're leaving the grocery store or a restaurant with leftovers, make an effort to get home as fast as possible to refrigerate your food. After two hours out of the refrigerator (one hour in hot conditions), refrigerated items such as meat and dairy generally become unsafe to eat.
• Check labels for storage directions. More items than you realize may call for refrigeration, especially after opening. If you neglected to refrigerate something that needed it, it is best to just throw it out.
• Eat your leftovers within 72 hours. Most leftovers, especially those with some kind of meat in them, are only good for 3-4 days after cooking. If you suspect your food may have spoiled, smell it – many foods give off an unappetizing scent after they expire. And remember: when in doubt, throw it out.

If your food won't stay fresh no matter what you do, your refrigerator may be malfunctioning. If you live in New York, Speedy Subzero can repair your refrigerator for a fraction of the cost of replacing it. We offer 24/7 service and same-day appointments, so call us today at 866-782-9376.

How Do Refrigerators Work?

 

Refrigerators are a modern luxury – they work around the clock to keep our food fresh and our beverages refreshing. Even though we use ours several times each day, the refrigerator is as under-appreciated as it gets. If you are interested in learning more about the science of household refrigeration, Speedy Subzero has put together this short guide explaining how refrigerators work, with some help from Buzzle.

Before you learn about how your refrigerator works, it is necessary to understand two scientific principles:

1. Gas cools down as it expands.
2. When two surfaces of different temperatures come in contact, the warmer surface cools down and the cooler surface warms up.

Knowing these two points, we can now illustrate how the household refrigerator keeps your food cold.

1. The refrigerant inside your refrigerator's tubes, currently in a gaseous state, passes through the compressor. This causes its temperature to rise.
2. The refrigerant moves through internal pipes and loses some of its heat through exhaust fins in the back of the unit.
3. The refrigerant reaches the condenser where its temperature is reduced and it turns into a liquid.
4. The liquid refrigerant flows through the expansion valve, causing some of the liquid to evaporate and expand, further lowering the temperature.
5. As the refrigerant continues to make its way through your refrigerator, it absorbs the heat from your food (remember principle #2) and turns back into a gas.
6. The gas is sucked back in to the compressor where the cycle starts all over.

At Speedy Subzero, our expert technicians know refrigerators inside and out. We know what each component is responsible for, how they work together, and most importantly, how to fix them when they malfunction. If you live in New York and suspect your refrigerator is broken, call us any time for a same-day appointment at 866-782-9376.

Why You Shouldn't Constantly Open Your Refrigerator Door

If you are like millions of Americans, you are always looking for ways to cut costs – especially on your electricity bill. In an attempt to reduce your energy consumption, you may have already tried things like unplugging all of your unused devices or drying your laundry on a clothesline, but there is an easier way which you aren't considering: limiting the amount of times you open your refrigerator's door.

Your refrigerator is the most-used appliance in your home – it runs around-the-clock and is used dozens of times throughout the day. Every time you open your refrigerator door, cold air escapes and warm air enters. This causes the compressor, which is trying to maintain a cool temperature, to go into overdrive, raising your electricity bill and shortening your refrigerator's lifespan. In fact, opening the door can account for nearly 10% of the appliance's total energy consumption, according to Good Housekeeping.

If you are looking for some ways to minimize how long you keep your refrigerator door open, try using the following tips:

• When preparing a meal that calls for multiple ingredients, get them all out of your refrigerator in one trip instead of repeatedly going back for one thing at a time.
• Know where everything in your refrigerator is located so you can get in and out as quickly as possible.
• Avoid standing in front of your open refrigerator and blankly staring for long periods of time – we all do it!

For more expert tips about refrigerators, energy efficiency, and the kitchen, connect with Speedy Subzero online – we are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

How to Clean Your Refrigerator’s Drip Pan

Photo courtesy of WikiHow

An important, yet little-known component of your refrigerator is the drip pan. If you own an auto-defrosting refrigerator, excess water from your freezer flows through the drain pipe as it defrosts and empties into the drip pan. Most of this water quickly evaporates, but sometimes it will sit and provide a place for bacteria to develop. If you notice unpleasant odors coming from your refrigerator, or the thought of bacteria growing under your fridge bothers you, here is how to clean your drip pan:

1. Unplug the refrigerator from the wall
2. Locate your refrigerator’s drip pan. On most models, it is located on the bottom of the unit, behind the toe kick plate. If you are having difficulty locating yours, refer to your refrigerator’s owners manual.
3. Remove the toe kick plate from the bottom of your refrigerator.
4. Put on rubber gloves and slide out the drain pan. Do it slowly, if there is a lot of water, it could splash.
5. Wash the pan under hot water using a scrubbing brush and dish detergent. Scrub until all visible grime is gone.
6. Completely dry off the drip pan and place it back under the refrigerator. Replace the kick plate and plug the refrigerator back into the outlet.

If you notice any leakage, loud noises, or other signs that your refrigerator may be malfunctioning, get it fixed fast by Speedy Subzero. Serving Long Island and New York for more than 75 years, we provide fast refrigerator repairs at an affordable price. Our lines are open 24/7 in case of emergency, and one-hour service is available: call 866-782-9376 to schedule a visit.