Set the right temperature.
Keep your refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at 0*.
- Be Prepared.
If you should lose power, keep the doors closed and use foods from the pantry. An unopened refrigerator should keep food safe for four hours and a freezer will maintain its temperature for 48 hours if full and 24 if half full.
- Fill it up.
Refrigerators need “thermal mass” meaning keep them full to maintain low temperatures. Cool foods and drinks will help absorb warm air that enters when you open the door. You could also fill it up with a few jugs of water.
- Keep the coils clean.
Twice a year you should pull out your refrigerator from the wall and clean the condenser coils. Sometimes these coils are behind the grill on the bottom front. These coils will not work properly if they are covered in dust. Vacuum with the brush attachment.
- Check the door seals.
A loose seal will allow for cool air to leak out, wasting energy and causing your fridge to work harder than it needs to. Clean all food residue from seals at least twice a year using a toothbrush and a solution of baking soda and water. Then try placing a dollar bill in the door so that half is in and half is out. If it slips out easily, you may need to have the door seals checked by a pro.