Tips for prolonging the life of your refrigerator

You may be used to doing regular check ups to keep your car running smoothly, but did you know your appliances can benefit from regular maintenance too?

Your refrigerator is a prime example. The average replacement cost in the US for a refrigerator is $1,088 and the average repair cost is $209. To save money and prevent repair and replacement needs, here are a few maintenance tips:

1.Check your door seals
Clean the seals of your refrigerator door twice a year.  A combination of baking soda, water and a clean toothbrush works best for this task.  Clean the seals lightly, and dry thoroughly. This can help boost your seals’ ability to keep the cold air in and warm air out. This saves your fridge from having to work harder to maintain the desired temperature of 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit and 0 degrees in the freezer.

2. Clean your coils
Mark you calendars for this task twice a year.  After you clean the door seals, lightly vacuum around the coils.  It’s up to your whether you want to tackle this task yourself or hire someone to do it.  Either way it is money or time well spent.

And, for a little extra dose of fridge facts—did you know a fridge runs better when it is full?  Science calls it thermal mass. If you have an empty refrigerator, adding bottles of water can provide the necessary mass to help it run better.

If you’re looking for even more protection for your refrigerator, be sure to opt for refrigerator coverage within your home warranty plan. This will help offset wear and tear expenses.