5 things you need to know about your refrigerator

• Clean your coils!!! The coils under your refrigerator accumulate dust and dirt, making your refrigerator work harder. This can jack up your electricity bill. Clean your coils with a coil brush.


• If you have a refrigerator that is less then 20 years old you can add an icemaker on if you don’t already have one.


• As the defrost timer gets old, the motor that runs the defrost timer can begin to make noises as well. If the timer motor is making a loud sound, then you should replace the entire timer.


• Using bleach or ammonia products to clean is not a good idea because the plastic parts inside the refrigerator can be damaged by them. Cleaning products with lemon scent are also not recommended as the odor from it can stay in the refrigerator for a very long time and may cause your foods to smell like lemons.


• If your compressor is not shutting off when the temperature inside the refrigerator is cold enough, you may have a bad thermostat. You may also have the temperature set too high in the refrigerator. Try adjusting the thermostat to a lower temperature. If this turns the compressor off, you had it set too high. With the help of a refrigerator thermometer, you can find a more ideal setting that will keep your food cold, but not so cold that the compressor is always running. If raising the temperature setting doesn't help, it may be a problem with the thermostat and you will need to replace it.