Move brings new refrigerator, tips for maintenance

By Sharon Dowell

Published: August 20, 2008

A few weeks ago, my family bid adios to the faithful refrigerator that had anchored our kitchen for almost 24 years. It had been through at least a half-dozen moves and, as happens over time, the seal around the door had started to crack and break. And for the past two years, the inside light would only come on for a few moments every now and then.

We bought the white refrigerator — it was about 19 cubic feet — from JC Penney, when that department store still sold large appliances. I recall the day it was delivered and how clean and shiny it was. Over the years, its design became dated, with the freezer door on top and a wood-grain design on the handles. Yet it ran perfectly and continued to keep our food at optimum quality. We couldn't justify replacing it just because it no longer looked new.

As we prepared to move recently, it was finally time to part with our trusty refrigerator. We sold it for just a few dollars to someone else who needed it immediately. Before the sale, my daughter was explaining how the light seldom worked inside, but as she opened the door, the light magically came on and stayed on through the sale!

We're now settled in our new home and have an even more efficient 20 cubic feet French door model that's black, with a floating glass front and tapered stainless steel handles. It has two other features I've never enjoyed before — an icemaker in the freezer compartment at the bottom and fresh filtered water button inside. Welcome to the 21st century, at long last! I love, love, love my new fridge. After searching through dozens of store models on display floors, I know I made the best choice for our needs. I only hope it lasts as long as our previous refrigerator.

Oklahoma's summers are very hard on old — and new — refrigerators. James Geddes with the local Mr. Appliance repair franchise says regular maintenance is the way to keep a refrigerator in tip-top shape year-round, especially when dust, dirt and frequent openings and closings can make the appliance work harder during the summer heat.

"Most people don't think about having regular maintenance done until it's too late,” Geddes said. "Refrigerators can overheat from dirty coils and break down during the summer.”

He offers several tips for avoiding a summer meltdown with your refrigerator:

•Clean the condenser coils at least twice a year and always check them at the beginning of the summer. To clean, unplug the unit and pull it away from the wall, then clean the coils with a brush and vacuum away remaining debris. Dirty coils can cause the refrigerator to stop cooling properly, which strains the refrigerator and can shorten its lifespan.

•Clean the door seals with warm soapy water to keep them from getting dirty and brittle. And don't forget to use warm soapy water on the shelves and compartments several times a year, too.

•Keep the refrigerator full. The less that's in your refrigerator, the harder it has to work to keep cool, which puts strain on the unit and your energy bill.

•If your refrigerator does break down, call a repair expert immediately, then avoid opening the doors until it has been repaired, to keep the food inside as cool as possible.

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