We have all been there: it's a hot summer's day, you've been busy doing outdoor activities and you come home to replenish your energy with a freshly cooked meal, only to realise your fridge has broken down and your food has gone off.
In fact, summertime is when your fridge is most likely to stop working due to overheating.
Thankfully, there are ways to prevent this nightmare from happening again.
Read More: The two most expensive appliances to run in your kitchen - and neither is the oven
According to Currys kitchen appliance expert Tom Daly, there are four key things you must remember when it comes to driving down energy costs and maintaining a fully-functioning fridge freezer.
1) Keep the interior organised & allow space for air circulation: air needs to flow around the internal compartments of your fridge freezer, so it is best practice not to pack items too tightly as cool air cannot evenly distribute around them. Daly also advises allowing a few inches of space around the outside of the fridge freezer in order to expel heat effectively.
2) Control temperature settings: temperature settings need to be adjusted as summer heat increases. Food items should be stored in a fridge at <5 degrees Celsius and in a freezer at -18 degrees Celsius for optimal food preservation, as recommended by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
3) Replace old seals: in order to stop cool air escaping the fridge freezer, there must be sturdy door gaskets in place (the lining that goes around your fridge doors to keep air flow inside). Loss of cool air will lead to a rise in temperature and a potential appliance malfunction.
4) Defrost regularly: remove any accumulated ice when it reaches around 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thickness to protect cooling efficiency. Always transfer perishable items to a temporary storage location while the fridge freezer is defrosting.
What should you do if you are unfortunate enough to suffer the fate of a broken fridge freezer during the summer months? Do not fret as there are some key things to think about when considering a replacement.
Daly stresses the importance of size: "whether you’re a growing family or a sole home occupier, you’ll need to consider how much food you need to stock in your fridge freezer."
He suggests a more expensive modern frost-free alternative which "gives you more space and means you avoid the dreaded manual defrost chore" but whose expense is "offset by the money you’ll save on energy bills".
Lastly, Daly recommends an awareness of the energy rating of your potential replacement: "the current energy rating scheme ranges from A to G, with the most efficient fridge freezer being rated A with American Fridge Freezers C".
Currys are currently running a limited time only offer for half price installation & delivery on all refrigeration €500 or more.
