Refrigerator Maintenance Something we all seem to neglect to some
extent…
The purpose of refrigerators, we believe, is to keep our food cold ………. No, not the case…. The purpose of the refrigerator is to remove the
heat from our foodstuffs, and the resultant
effect is what we call cold. So then technically refrigerators keep our
food cold. At colder temperatures food
is preserved for longer periods of time. The normal operating temperature of a
refrigerator is about 3.5° C. This is a mean average temperature , for
example: the maximum temp. may rise to about 5.5° C, and then fall to about 1.5°
C, so then the general mean average temp. is around 3.5° C.
Lower temperatures
may cause food to freeze; higher temperatures may lead to food spoilage. The
freezer compartment should be kept at -16.5° C. You will notice that there is
exactly 20° C
difference between the two compartments. This scenario is only true if
your refrigerator is in perfect working order.ie: the refrigerant (gas)
charge should not be compromised as in a partial gas loss.
What is the correct setting for the thermostat?.
This is a question I get asked all day and every day. All
you need to do is to make sure that the refrigerator compartment is sitting at 3.5° C. Now I am not
saying that you should rush out and buy a thermometer because there is a far
easier way. We know from school that water begins to freeze at 0 °C at sea level. Take a cup of tap water and place two
fingers deeply into the water. Your fingers will tell you that this is tap
water….. Now place this cup of water in the refrigerator overnight. Next
morning you look at the water. If it is solidly frozen, obviously the stat
(thermostat) is set too cold. Adjust warmer ie: anti-clockwise. If the water
has a thin layer of ice, still too cold… adjust warmer. If the water is so cold
that it actually bites you, this is exactly 3.5°C. Now you can go out and buy that thermometer if you don’t
believe me. This is the most suitable temp for tomatoes, lettuce,
cucumbers and most beverages.
Frequently opening and closing the refrigerator door will
cause the temperature to fluctuate, causing food to spoil faster and consuming
additional energy.
More perishable food should be stored in the coldest area of
the refrigerator close to the bottom, and less perishable food can be stored higher up.
This is because all the cold air-space lies at the bottom of the compartment
and the warmer air, higher up. Just imagine what happens each time you open the
door – all the cold air-space falls out and very soon the compressor will turn
on again to try to replace the lost cold space. Obviously more than usual
electricity is used.
Overfilling the refrigerator shelves could restrict
the flow of cold air, which could cause the temperature to rise higher than is
recommended. You should regularly clean your refrigerator in order to keep your
food fresh for as long as possible. A good time to clean your fridge would be
when you are out of food and before going shopping for fresh products. Cleaning
any spills or food that has dropped onto the shelves is very important, as
these spills could contaminate your fresh food with bacteria and cause it to
spoil faster. A well-maintained refrigerator will keep your perishable food
fresher and safer for a longer period of time, and will save you time, money
and energy.
Just a few handy hints to keep in mind. Check
your fridge temp. occasionally… It saves money.
More Later…
