The refrigerator is an indispensable appliance in the home, responsible for keeping food fresh, but neglected maintenance may lead to reduced efficiency or malfunction. Regular cleaning and inspection can extend the life of your refrigerator and save money on energy bills. This article will introduce the steps to maintain your refrigerator, deal with common problems and practical suggestions to help you maintain your refrigerator in optimal condition.
Why do you need to maintain your refrigerator?
- Improving efficiency: A clean condenser and sealing strip can ensure the cooling effect.
- Save on electricity bills: A refrigerator that operates efficiently uses less electricity.
- Extended lifespan: Regular maintenance can avoid parts damage and reduce repair costs.
Refrigerator maintenance steps
- Clean the condenser
The condenser is located at the back or bottom of the refrigerator and is prone to accumulation of dust. Vacuum or brush clean every 6 months to ensure proper cooling. - Check the sealing strip
Check whether the sealing strip of the refrigerator door is aged or damaged. Clean the sealing strip with a damp cloth and replace it with a new one if necessary to prevent air conditioning from leaking out. - Clean the inside
Empty the refrigerator every month and wipe the inside with warm water and baking soda to remove odors and stains. Place food back in when dry. - Check the drainage holes
Check whether the drainage holes in the freezer or refrigerator are blocked, and use thin wire to clear them to prevent water accumulation. - Adjust the temperature
Set the refrigerator compartment to 3-5°C and the freezer compartment to -18°C to ensure fresh food and save energy.
Common problems and solutions
- The refrigerator is not cold: Check whether the condenser is dirty or the refrigerant is leaking.
- Odor problem: Place activated carbon or baking soda to deodorize and clean the interior regularly.
- Excessive noise: Check whether the fan or compressor is loose and add lubricating oil if necessary.
Maintenance suggestions
- Avoid overloading: Too much food may affect the air-conditioning circulation and reduce efficiency.
- Regular defrost: Manually defrosted refrigerators need to be defrosted every season to prevent ice accumulation.
- Check the power supply: Make sure the wires are not aged to prevent the risk of short circuits.
When to seek professional assistance?
If the refrigerator is not cold or the compressor is abnormal, it is recommended to contact a professional technician. Self-disassembly may cause danger or damage.
Conclusion
Refrigerator maintenance is simple but important. Through regular cleaning and inspection, you can extend the life of the equipment and save energy bills. Check your refrigerator now to ensure fresh food and home comfort!
New knowledge on air-conditioning power consumption and Taiwan climate maintenance regulations in recent years (2025-2026 current situation)
With the high temperatures in summer breaking historical records and the adjustment of electricity price structure in recent years, the latest statistics from the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs show that air-conditioning equipment accounts for more than 47% of residential electricity consumption in summer. Many people mistakenly believe that if the air conditioner is not cold, they only need to "replenish the refrigerant." However, in fact, refrigerant is not naturally consumed during normal operation in a closed circuit. If the refrigerant is insufficient, it means that there are micro leaks in the copper pipes or joints. Simply replenishing the air conditioner will only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. Refrigerant leakage will aggravate the high temperature overload of the compressor and shorten its service life.
According to Taiwan's standard operating specifications for air-conditioning projects, it is recommended that professional technicians with a refrigeration and air-conditioning decoration technician license perform "full machine high-pressure water washing and evaporator deep sterilization" every 1 to 2 years for detached air-conditioning indoor units. Especially in the humid summer in the Shuangbei Basin, the air drum and water collection tray are easy to breed black mold and jelly-like biofilm. This is also the main reason for the sour smell in the air-conditioning outlet and the backflow of the drainage pipe. Regular maintenance can maintain CSPF (Air Conditioning Seasonal Performance Factor) level one energy efficiency level, which can save an average household 15% to 20% of air conditioning electricity bills every year.
Autonomous simple maintenance vs professional maintenance safety red line
- Homeowners can do by themselves: Remove and clean the nylon filter regularly every 2 to 3 weeks (rinse with clean water and dry in a cool place, do not expose it to the sun to avoid deformation and embrittlement); clean the air outlet blades of the indoor unit with a dry cloth; check whether there is any accumulation of debris within 50 cm around the outdoor unit that hinders heat dissipation.
- Professional technicians must be entrusted according to regulations: Refrigerant pressure testing and leakage repair welding, high-pressure cleaning of indoor unit air drums and aluminum fins with liquid chemicals, reset of the drainage slope of hidden cold water pipes in the ceiling, and 220V dedicated power circuit configuration and leakage circuit breaker replacement.
