In a perfect world, the selections made while food shopping would always be about nutritional value, flavor, and cost. For families who are currently dealing with a temperamental refrigerator, however, the selection process is becomes more difficult. Instead of being guided by what they want or like, these families find themselves avoiding the purchase of some nutritious foods, like milk and leafy greens, simply because their temperamental refrigerator causes them to spoil faster than they can be consumed.
If your family has been avoiding the purchase of any food because of a faulty fridge, here are some tips that just might help.
Clear the clutter to improve circulation
Modern refrigerators work by circulating chilled air throughout the food storage compartment. When the shelves are filled with large containers, like pizza boxes and cases of soft drinks, the air flow is restricted and uneven interior temperatures occur. Because cold air sinks, salad fixings in the crisper can freeze, while milk and dairy in the upper compartments can become too warm and begin to spoil.
If your fridge has suddenly become unreliable, start by getting rid of excess packaging and bulky containers inside. Instead of storing leftover pizza in the original box, place it inside a compact storage container or zippered bag. By reducing the amount of space each item takes up and leaving a few inches of free space between each item, air can circulate much more freely throughout the interior and help ensure more even temperatures and less food spoilage.
Install a fridge thermometer
Knowing when there is a problem will make it easier to determine how to fix it. Installing an inexpensive fridge thermometer in both the upper and lower areas of your fridge's interior will help you more easily see when temperature changes are occurring.
In some cases, making changes in behavior can be the solution. For example, if the refrigerator temperature only rises to an unacceptable level when the kids are having an after school snack, the problem may be that the door is being opened too much or being left open for too long, making it hard for the appliance to compensate. Teaching kids to open and close the door as quickly as possible may fix this type of problem.
Invest in regular appliance maintenance
Refrigerators can also suffer from temperature problems when the controls, compressors, or other components are failing. Having your appliance periodically assessed and serviced by a reputable appliance repair service contractor is an important part of making sure that it will operate efficiently and provide cost-effective, safe storage for all your favorite food purchases.
Contact a company, like American Appliance INC, for more help.
