Maintaining Your Refrigerator During the Summer Months

Maintaining your refrigerator during the summer months is incredibly important to avoid repair or maintenance costs. Who doesn't love summer? Between barbecues, fireworks, sunny days at the pool, and bonfires, summertime is often jam packed with activities. But with all that fun in the sun, it’s easy to forget or neglect your important home appliances, including your refrigerator. Learn how to maintain your refrigerator so you can enjoy your summer.

Your fridge works harder during the summertime to keep your fresh produce and beverages cold, so now is the perfect time to give them a little TLC to ensure they last for years to come. Summer is a very impactful season due to extreme heat and constant cooling. We have some tips to help you keep your fridge running as smoothly as possible for as long as possible.

Here’s a look at the summer maintenance checklist to keep your refrigerator running efficiently throughout the warmer months. Refer back to this checklist to make sure you are constantly maintaining your refrigerator during the summer months.

Refrigerator Maintenance Tips

1. Clean the coils

Your refrigerator’s coils tend to get dirty quickly, collecting hair, dust, food, and other debris and can lead to blocked airflow and negatively impact the appliance’s efficiency. First, unplug the appliance and move it away from the wall. You can locate the coils at the bottom of your fridge. We recommend using a brush to clean the coils and remove excess grime. You’ll also want to vacuum up any debris. It’s best to clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils at least twice a year. Keep in mind, however, that you may need to clean more if you have pets.

2. Inspect the gasket.

Your refrigerator’s gasket should be well sealed in order to keep the cold air and maintain the proper temperature. This not only makes your fridge work harder, but you’ll also likely have high utility bills. Check the gasket for cracks, deterioration, and other wear and tear. If you notice any issues, make sure to replace it or call an appliance repair company. To keep the gasket working well, clean it frequently with warm soapy water. 

3. Make sure it’s leveled. 

An unleveled refrigerator will have it working overtime, leading to temperature fluctuation, frost build-up, and difficulty aligning or sealing doors properly. We suggest using an air-bubble level to determine if it’s leveled or not. If not, you’ll need to rotate the legs clockwise to raise the fridge or counterclockwise to lower it. For refrigerators with height-adjustable rollers, look for an adjustment screw near the top of the roller.

4. Change the filter. 

Depending on the make and model of your fridge, you’ll need to change the filter to keep your ice maker and water dispenser clean at least twice a year. A good rule of thumb is to keep the spare filters in your home, this way you can avoid issues when it comes to changing out filters or delaying the change.

Call in the Appliance Repair Pros at iFiX in Utah!

At iFiX, we treat your home as if it was our own. We know the same headaches and frustrations of waiting for a service company to arrive. Our technicians are honest, reliable, and dependable. We work hard to provide our customers with the best appliance repair experience possible. If you’ve given your home appliances TLC and they’re still malfunctioning, give iFiX a call today for all your appliance repair needs this spring.

If this spring appliance checklist helped you extend the life of your appliances, please share it or leave a comment below! Make sure to check out our other articles that you might enjoy on our blog.