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A broken refrigerator isn’t a laughing matter. This is one of the most valuable appliances in any home as it assists in keeping food fresh and cold. It’s the appliance that determines whether your food is safe to eat or unsafe for your body.
There are numerous reasons why your fridge is not functioning properly. Repairing some of these issues depends on several things. First, you should make sure that it’s plugged well in the socket, and that the circuit breaker has not tripped. You can correct these issues without any replacements or repair. If the coils are clogged with air or dust, cleaning them will solve the problem. However, it comes a time when you will need to decide whether to repair or replace your broken fridge.
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So, What You Should You Look Out For?
The Age
The average lifespan of a fridge is 10 – 20 years, depending on the model. If you’ve owned your fridge for many years, then the cost of repair will be high. If your fridge is less than 7 years old, consider repairing it first. However, you should consider replacing it if it’s more than 14 years old.
If your fridge is between 7 and 14 years old, you need to put additional factors into consideration, like the model, as well as energy efficiency.
Model of the Refrigerator
Certain refrigerator models are more costly and challenging to repair compared to others. For instance, a built-in fridge will not cost you much to repair. Side-by-side fridges, on the other hand, should be replaced, especially if they’ve been in use for over five years.
For faulty bottom freezers, they should be repaired if they get broken within 7 years. However, they should be replaced if they get broken after 7 years of use.
Energy Efficiency
It’s important to note that your fridge costs you money at the end of every month in terms of utility bills. When you add repair costs to these bills, the cost will definitely spike. You might end up spending unnecessarily on high utility bills.
If the fridge is over 10 years old, consider replacing it. Older refrigerators normally consume twice the power of a new fridge. Therefore, you will need to invest in a modern refrigerator, with Energy Star rating as it will assist you to reduce your utility bills. This is a plus for the environment and your wallet.
Ways to Prevent Your Fridge From Breaking Down
Repairing or replacing your fridge can make you spend on money that you hadn’t planned to. That’s why it’s important to observe some best practices in order to prolong the lifespan of your fridge. Here are some recommendations from Hartman’s Appliance Repair:
- Avoid overloading the fridge – the more stuff you store in your refrigerator, the more its compressor will work to keep the items cold and fresh. For the fridge to operate efficiently, make sure that air circulates around the items inside. Always make sure that there is a small distance between the items on the shelves. Moreover, ensure that the interior air vents are not blocked.
- Reduce the number of times that you open the fridge – whenever you open the fridge, the interior temperature rises, and this makes the compressor to overwork for it to stabilize the interior temperature.
- Always clean the door gaskets for them to sell properly – when sticky foods build-up on the gasket, you’ll notice that you must pull the door harder to open. Eventually, this can cause the gasket to wear. Clean the gaskets regularly with a clean warm cloth, and you will notice that this will save you both utility and repair bills.
- Vacuum the coils on the rear or bottom of the refrigerator – this improves the efficiency of the fridge and saves you money in the long run.
- Always discard expired and rotten foods – this prevents contamination and also keeps the refrigerator clean and fresh.
