Save Your Refrigerators Life

[BlackGun]

Government study says the average life of all refrigerators is 5 years. They are made of less quality and not like old style units but here is a way to prolong the life.

1. Remove the very bottom plastic cover at the front of the door. It should either have a couple screws or simple pop off.

2. Obtain some very high pressure air or a nitrogen tank with a blow nozzle.

3. Blow out the coils which extend sometimes to the very back of the refrigerator. It will take pressure over 125 psi to get completely thru the coils.

4. Repeat this 4 times a year. Extend the life of the refrigerator at least 5 to 10 more years.

5. Never install a ice maker line with plastic or teflon tubing. Use copper or braided lines. This will prevent water damage one day when you least expect it. Its a $10.00 solution to a future major problem.

Preventative maintenance will go a long way towards future unexpected purchases.

 

[jjwestbrook]

great advice

 

[Mirac]

That's good advice to clean the condenser coil... But I'd pull the refer out and go thru the paperboard at the bottom rear .
You could also get to the fan and clean the blades off from the dead dust bunnys. You should actually get your eyes on them instead of just spraying air thru the front willynilly.

 

[Mikew]

My refrigerator was 10 years old when we bought the house 27 years ago.

Just sayen'

And what I'm saying is technology and materials have come a long long way in the last 30 years so refrigerators and everything else should last 10 times longer not 3 times less.

 

[backwoodsshooter]

I’m still trying to figure out how to blow 125psi of air through the bottom. I don’t have a compressor that gets over 90 psi

 

[ronn47]

And don't forget the water filter!!!
We rented a house when we first moved to Fort Mill 15+ years ago and went away for the weekend.
Filter plugged and dumped water about an inch deep on the hardwood floors and carpet.
Home owner had insurance that covered the new flooring.
But we had to live there thru the demo and re-flooring

 

[Button Pusher]

You can get a brush for the fridge, makes it easy to clean it , use shop vacuum for the dust,
I cleaned my side by side 22cf twice a year, had it 26 years and still worked 100% but replaced it with
a new 25cf side by side, saves me money each month more efficient.
Got $50 from Duke to trade it in three years ago.

 

[ThinkTankFullOfSharks]

I pull ours out once a month and clean the internals with a vac and air. Purrs like a kitten. Knock on wood.

 

[BlackGun]

I’m still trying to figure out how to blow 125psi of air through the bottom. I don’t have a compressor that gets over 90 psi

Mine goes to 125. I couldn't get it done at 100psi. I have nitrogen tanks at 2100psi I use most of the time and crank it to 250psi. My wife gets pissed each time I do it but it was $2500.00 and she can deal with it.

The ice dispenser quit and I didn't have time to work on it for a month. One day she called and said she was looking for a new frig. I got right on it.

 

[Sneakymedic]

I killed one with pet hair. German Shedder (Shephard) will do it. Gotta keep it clean under there best you can.

 

[Mike V]

Mine goes to 125. I couldn't get it done at 100psi. I have nitrogen tanks at 2100psi I use most of the time and crank it to 250psi. My wife gets pissed each time I do it but it was $2500.00 and she can deal with it.

The ice dispenser quit and I didn't have time to work on it for a month. One day she called and said she was looking for a new frig. I got right on it.

Do it when you change your a.c. filter. Pull the frig out, take the back off the bottom, put the filter across the back, and blow air from the front. Filter keeps dust from flying all over. Also, get one of those 2 foot air wands from harbor freight for $4. Use it to reach all the way to the back. Works great .

 

[fishgutzy]

Regarding #5. Plumbers recommend the plastic because copper cracks when moving the fridge in and out for service.
So of the two, Copper and braid, Braid is better.
Two expensive parts went on out Samsung fridge during my last China trip. Luckily they have lifetime warranty for those parts. Only had to pay labor. My wife loves the Samsung counter depth fridge.

 

[BlackGun]

Do it when you change your a.c. filter. Pull the frig out, take the back off the bottom, put the filter across the back, and blow air from the front. Filter keeps dust from flying all over. Also, get one of those 2 foot air wands from harbor freight for $4. Use it to reach all the way to the back. Works great .

Good suggestion.

 

[mattfra]

Great info! Our 24cf Frigidaire is now 14 years old. I've replaced broken doorbins, touched up the front freezer door paint, and worked on the fridge side door hinges. Every couple months I bring in the shop vac and my air compressor line (150 psi) and blow coils out. Vacuum what I can reach under there.
Keeps on trucking. I hate buying refrigerators.

 

[lowcountry]

Adding this to this weekend's project list.

It will give me something to do as I am draining sediment and crap out of the water heater.

 

[Jeppo]

Did a deeper than usual cleaning a couple weeks ago; the first time in 20 years. For the first time I used canned air to blow out what I could reach from the coils. Shocking what came out. Also removed the fan and the blades were caked with stuff. The result was a significant reduction in sound when the system is running. Guess that's a good thing.