Fridges and Fridge Freezers

Using and maintaining your Fridge/Fridge Freezer

As with all electrical appliances we recommend you read the manufacturers handbook to make sure you are running your fridge or fridge freezer correctly.

There are a few basics to make sure your fridge or fridge freezer will last for many years, without needing to replace it. Especially in the knowledge that these appliances are designed to deal with the day to day rigours of kitchen life, and are fundamentally seen as one of the most reliable of all domestic appliances.

So, the following may seem obvious, but you'll be surprised how little people carry them out.

The door: As with our dishwasher and washing machine advice, the most basic of basics, is to keep the door seals clean. Wipe them down regularly with a cloth. This will stops the build up of food and dirt and in turn mould which rots the seals and allows cold air to leak out. In fact, if you are getting frost build up I your freezer, then this will more than likely be the common cause, as the door isn't sealing properly. If you have found the seal are rotten, whilst you can get new seals direct from your manufacturer, you can contact our parts department or call 01267 756 276 to order a new one without any fuss.

Making sure you don't overcrowd the door will help to stop any damage to the door hinges. So be wise in where you put food in your fridge. We have a basic run down of the best fridge food filling guidelines later. Again our parts department stock a huge range of fridge and freezer parts and spares, so if you need a hinge, drop us a line on 01267 756 276 with the part number or fridge make model and colour.

Defrost regularly

We've spoken about door seals and the build up of frost, and how it can directly affect the working of your fridge freezer. It is important to run a regular service on your fridge freezer as par for the course.

Defrosting the freezer is a must, so don't let a big build up of ice form, as this means the appliance needs to run a lot harder to keep things cold, and therefore brings up the electricity costs and the likely hood of damaging parts.

At the back of the fridge is the cooling system, often forgotten, but a very important part of the appliance. A simple three monthly dust and vacuum will help to prolong the life of your fridge of fridge freezer, making sure the coils are kept clean and allowed to do their job.

The same applies to the drainage system; keep this clean regularly to avoid build up and possible damage to the appliance – and your floor.

Fridge temperature: You have a little responsibility to ensure the temperature in your fridge is at it should be. Your thermostat should be set to around 0ºC and 5ºC. You can check this with an independent thermometer.

Food storage: We spoke about this when protecting the door hinges from overloading. The same applies for the rest of the fridge shelves. Over filling stops the air circulating correctly, in turn the food maintaining the optimum temperature to keep it for the required time.