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Maintaining your Refrigerator

Hereat ArchAngel we've seen just about everything... literally everythingin folk's fridges but I found this shot on the net and couldn't resistposting! I know there have been times when I knew I opened my fridgesomething might walk out and eat me... all kinds of things grow inrefridgerators, especially if you don't properly maintain them!Maintenance isn't just keeping them clean..... to properly maintainyour refridgerator requires several things:

Clean the inside of the refrigerator regularly with a solution of baking soda and water, even if it doesn't seem to need it. This kind of care will also prevent odors from being absorbed.aclose check on the temperature... and that doesn't mean just look atthe dials. From time to time stick a thermometer in there and get atrue reading. Freezers should be kept at 0F (minus 18C) or lower andrefrigerators should be at 40F (5C) or lower, but not so cold as tofreeze. When taking the temperature be sure to place it between objectsand not up against the wall as this gives an inaccurate reading. Readthe thermometer in the morning or after the door has been shut forseveral hours. It is a good idea to do this at least once monthly. Thatway you can make note if you are beginning to have issues.Thisleads to the next maintenance issue. Is your door seal intact? Youdon't want to waste money and electricity by having to consistentlycool your fridge. This is also a go "green" issue. To test this usethis dollar bill test. Place aa dollar bill or a piece of paper between the seal and the refrigeratorand close the door. Now pull the paper out. You should feel tension asyou pull. Retest along the entire door seal.How closeis your refrigerator spaced in relation to the wall? There should beadequate room for ventilation and heat control. Also, how close is itin relation to the stove? I never cease to be amazed at the layout ofsome kitchens! Who ever thought of putting the stove... an obvious heatsource... next to the refridgerator? - If you are one of the poor soulsto have your kitchen thus laid out, please do what you can to have yourkitchen lay out changed and if you cannot make sure there is at leastfour inches between your stove and fridge. A typical refrigerator hasto pull air at floor level across the coils if they are located on thebottom of the unit (some have coils buried in the sides) and across thefractional horsepower compressor at the rear. Hot air is going toeffect the performance (and consequently) the life span of therefrigerator. If it has to run all the time it will shorten the life ofyour compressor. So, I suggest not placing these two appliances side byside and if you are forced to do so especially make sure your door sealis in good condition. The less pressure put on yoru compressor, thelonger your refrigerator will run, and save you money from having topurchase another.This is important: Vacuum the back of therefrigerator and underneath it. Remove the front grill and clean it aswell. You must keep the air free flowing to keep the appliance runningproperly but also to prevent fires.

Empty the water panfrom time to time if you find water in it. Make sure it is clean andfree of food/objects and place it back under the refrigerator.Haveyour local appliance repair man check your appliances one yearly forproblems that may exist. We do a 10 point check on freezers andrefrigerators to include: REFRIGERATOR/ FREEZER

” Clean condenser.

” Check and properly adjust thermostat and air dampers.

” Check automatic defrost cycle.

” Check door seals for air leaks.

” Clean defrost evaporation pan.

” Check defrost drain for blockage and leaks.

” Level cabinet.

” Check ice dispenser (if applicable) for proper operation.

” Check water dispenser (if applicable) for proper water flow.

” Inspect electrical system.

Ifound this buying smart guide on California's Energy Website and findit very informational and could not have better written it myself.....loads of info!

Buying Smart

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/refrigerators.html

Refrigerators

Refrigeratorscome with an EnergyGuide label that tells you in kilowatt-hours (kWh)how much electricity a particular model uses in a year. The smaller thenumber, the less energy the refrigerator uses and the less it will costyou to operate.

Before you go shopping, explorethe Energy Star� product database. It lists high efficiencyrefrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers that exceedappliance efficiency standards - making it easier for you to decidewhich models to look for when you go shopping.

Also check with your local utility company to see if they are offering rebates on energy efficient models.

Refrigeratorswith the freezer on either the bottom or top are the most efficient.Bottom freezer models use approximately 16 percent less energy thanside-by-side models and top freezer models use about 13 percent lessthan side-by-side.

Through-the-door icemakers and waterdispensers are convenient and reduce the need to open the door, whichhelps maintain a more constant temperature; however, these convenientitems will increase your refrigerator's energy use by 14 to 20 percent.

Mini-doors give you easy access to items most often used. The main door is opened less often, which saves energy.

Toolarge a refrigerator may waste space and energy. One that's too smallcan mean extra trips to the grocery store. Your best bet is to decidewhich size fits your needs, then compare the EnergyGuide label on eachso you can purchase the most energy efficient make and model.

Amanual defrost refrigerator uses half the energy of an automaticdefrost model but must be defrosted regularly to stay energy efficient.

Refrigeratorswith anti-sweat heaters consume five percent to 10 percent more energy.Look for models with an "energy saver" switch that lets you turn down -or off - the heating coils (which prevent condensation).

Freezers

Chestfreezers are usually more efficient than upright freezers. Chestfreezers are better insulated and cold air doesn't spill out when thedoor is opened.

Automatic defrost freezers can consume 40 percent more electricity than similar manual defrost models.