Buzz
During scorching summer days, refrigerator capacity in households is often fully utilized, resulting in more frequent frost and ice buildup.
1. Tips for Quick Defrosting and Ice Removal in Your Freezer
During scorching summer days, the refrigerator capacity in households is often fully utilized, resulting in more frequent frost and ice buildup.
Some Handy Tips Before Defrosting Your Refrigerator:
– To expedite airflow and accelerate the melting of ice, you can use a fan to direct air directly into the refrigerator compartment.
– To impart a special fragrance and effectively eliminate long-standing odors, you can use a bit of vanilla or baking soda.
– Pay attention to the rubber seals on the refrigerator door and avoid tearing them.
– Do you know how to limit frost buildup in the refrigerator? A handy tip is to use cooking oil to coat the interior of the refrigerator; the greasy layer acts as a lubricant and effectively prevents ice buildup.
– Most importantly, remember to disconnect the power before cleaning and defrosting the refrigerator.
Step 1: The refrigerator must be unplugged before defrosting. This ensures safety for both you and the appliance.
Step 2: Remove food from the refrigerator.
Step 3: Prepare absorbent materials for water leakage caused by melting ice.
Step 4: Open all possible doors of the refrigerator. You can pour hot water into the refrigerator to speed up ice melting, or use a fan to blow air into the refrigerator.
After a period of use, the freezer compartment will accumulate a thick layer of ice and frost.
Step 5: Clean the rubber door seals with warm water, thoroughly wash the ice tray and food trays.
Step 6: After all the ice has melted, wipe the refrigerator clean and wait for it to dry.
Step 7: Plug in the refrigerator and wait until it reaches the desired temperature before storing food. Close the refrigerator door and tidy up the surroundings.
Tips for Using the Refrigerator to Save Electricity and Extend Lifespan
Reposition your refrigerator for optimal airflow and cooling efficiency
According to refrigeration experts, it's advisable to place your refrigerator in a well-ventilated area, avoiding cramped corners. Leave at least 10cm of space between the back and side walls to ensure proper heat dissipation. Elevating the fridge about 5cm above the ground helps air circulation and prevents moisture buildup. Excessive ambient temperature can hinder cooling efficiency, leading to increased power consumption.
Set the temperature appropriately
When storing only a few items, adjusting the cooling level to medium or low can save electricity. Consumers should use a thermometer to check the fridge's temperature; 7–8ºC is optimal for the refrigerated compartment, eliminating the need for maximum cooling. For the freezer compartment, -18ºC is sufficient instead of -22ºC.
Proper food storage to save energy
To conserve energy, avoid overloading the refrigerator and leave gaps between items to facilitate air circulation, reducing energy consumption. Hot foods (such as hot water, hot rice, or hot dishes) should cool completely before being placed in the fridge to prevent rapid temperature increases and excessive energy usage. Additionally, metal containers are preferable to plastic ones due to their superior cooling conductivity, shortening the cooling time and saving energy.
Moreover, it's essential to minimize the space occupied by perishables in the refrigerated compartment. Using styrofoam pieces to fill the empty spaces helps reduce the cooling area, resulting in lower energy consumption, as styrofoam hardly absorbs any cold.
Place some ice in the fridge's cool zone to assist in maintaining low temperatures for frozen foods. This reduces the workload on the refrigeration unit, leading to better energy efficiency.
Regularly clean the refrigerator to save energy
It's crucial to clean the refrigerator every 1-2 months to prevent bacteria and mold growth. Thoroughly wiping the rubber seals around the fridge door helps maintain their durability and sealing properties, preventing excessive cold air loss and ensuring stable fridge operation and energy savings.
Regular maintenance, including removing dirt and dust from the condenser coil, evaporator coil, filter screen, and draining the water tray produced during the cooling process, improves heat exchange efficiency, makes the refrigerator operate faster, and consumes less energy. However, when cleaning the fridge, ensure the power source is completely disconnected for safety.
Additionally, besides routine fridge cleaning, it's advisable to check the refrigerant gas level annually and replenish it promptly if depleted. Otherwise, it could lead to increased energy consumption, malfunction, and reduced fridge lifespan.
Limit switching on/off and opening the fridge door to save energy
To save energy while using the fridge, limit unplugging it from the power source and frequent on/off cycles, as each startup consumes a significant amount of electricity. If the fridge remains unused for an extended period, unplug it but ensure to clean out its contents, clean the interior, let it dry, and cover it with a dust-proof material before closing the door. Moreover, minimize prolonged and frequent opening of the fridge door, as it accelerates the exchange of cold air with the warmer external air, raising the internal temperature. This prolongs the operation time of the cooling unit, increases energy consumption, and reduces the fridge's lifespan over time.
