Fridge Freezer Maintenance Tips

With all of the food that’s going in and out of your fridge freezer, food residue and mould can build up if you’re not careful. But that’s not all, we often forget just how demanding it is for this appliance to be on all the time, power-wise. So, with this in mind, it’s worth running some simple checks every now and again to make sure you avoid any unnecessary fridge freezer repairs and keep it running smoothly.

Interior clean

Cleaning the interior of your fridge freezer will help guard against the buildup of mould. This is a fairly straightforward task. Just wipe the inside of the cabinet and panels with a warm, soapy wipe, then dry it with a cloth. 

Another tip: be sure to keep any food in your fridge covered. This will keep smells contained, prevent the transfer of flavours and also guard against the discolouration of any plastic parts in your fridge.

Check your door seals

Your door seals play an important role in keeping the interior of your fridge freezer at the correct temperature and your food fresh, so it’s worth making sure they’re well maintained. If they are damaged, your appliance will have to work harder to ensure the temperature is maintained.

You can check the seals for any rips or tears by performing a visual inspection, or running your finger along them. If you notice any damage, you need to make sure you get these replaced.

A simple temperature check

Running the fridge at the right temperature is important if you want to make sure you are not overworking it, or not keeping your food fresh. Most manufacturers recommend choosing a setting between +2°C and +4°C, which can be done by adjusting the dial inside your fridge.

For your freezer, you want to choose a temperature of around -18°C.

Look for water/ice build-up

If you notice that there is a buildup of water or ice anywhere in your fridge freezer, this could indicate that the drain hole is being blocked by something. 

If you think this is the case, there are two ways that you can go about fixing it: 1) use a pipe cleaner to remove any dirt or grime, or 2) purchase a refrigerator defrost hose cleaning tool. 

To access the hole, you will need to remove the panel at the back of your appliance with a screwdriver. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you can always call Pacifica!

Condenser coils

To ensure that your fridge freezer doesn’t overheat and fail, be sure to clean the condenser coils regularly, an easy way to do this is to simply clean use a vacuum cleaner. We recommend using the narrow nozzle for greater precision.

Defrosting

To ensure that your appliance is running optimally, you’ll want to defrost your freezer every now and again. 

First, make sure there is no food in your freezer. Once it has been consumed or stored elsewhere, switch off your appliance and place a shallow basin or bucket at the foot of your freezer. Once the ice has thawed, give the interior a thorough clean before switching it back on.

Of course, if you own a frostless freezer, one of the benefits is you won’t have to do this at all!

If you’ve been maintaining your fridge freezer properly but it has still failed on you, we understand just how frustrating that can be. But don’t worry – we’re here to help. 

Pacifica are an experienced appliance repair company with fully-trained and CRB-vetted technicians. We can work all over the UK and always provide a professional, reliable service. So, if your fridge is on the blink – don’t stress – just give us a call.