A working fridge is a vital household item. Keep your refrigerator operating efficiently and effectively by cleaning its condenser coils at least one time a year. Depending upon the location of the coils, dirt, dust, and pet hair may gather around and on the coils, preventing the fridge from releasing heat. In turn, the compressor must work harder and operate longer, using more energy and shortening the life of your refrigerator. You’ll have to have some tools and around 30 minutes to clean your coils. Cleaning the refrigerator’s coils on an occasional basis is going to certainly beat the need to purchase a new refrigerator.
Tools You Will Require
Two tools which are going to make coil cleaning simpler are a vacuum that has a crevice, as well as a brush attachment, and condenser coil cleaning brush. Its brush is bendable and designed to fit in snug spaces. It is possible to invest in one on the internet or from any local hardware store. In addition, this brush may be utilized to clean air conditioner and dehumidifier coils.
Find the Coils
Condenser coils can be found either on the refrigerator’s backside or across the bottom at the front. The coils condense and cool the refrigerant which cycles through them with the assistance of the compressor. As they are situated at the bottom of the refrigerator, pet hair, dust, and dirt may form around the coils, making them unable to effectively cool the refrigerator.
Coils that are located at the back of your fridge are less likely to become clogged with pet hair and dirt, yet still have to be cleaned.
Unplug your Refrigerator!
Before you do anything, unplug your fridge from the wall or you can turn it off at its circuit breaker. You should never work on an electrical device which is plugged in.
Shut the Water Off
If the fridge has an ice or water maker, shut off your water supply as the power is off.
When should you clean your condenser coils?
Typically, there isn’t any need for regular condenser cleaning within the usual home operating environment. But, if the environment in your home is especially dusty or greasy, or there’s substantial pet traffic inside the house, the condenser ought to be cleaned every 2 – 3 months in order to ensure maximum efficiency.
In Summary
It’ll take a bit of effort and time to clean the coils of your refrigerator, yet it’s time that is well spent. The average fridge uses around 15% of a home’s overall electric. A fridge that has dirty coils may use as much as 25% more energy as it has to run longer and work harder to keep the inside cold. In order to avoid excessive energy consumption and an expensive repair or replacement, get in the habit of cleaning the fridge coils on a routine basis.
For more information on our outstanding appliance repair, feel free to contact Mike’s Quality Services today!