When to Defrost a Refrigerator?
Every time you open the refrigerator door, the air within the room enters the freezer. It then condenses forming water vapor, which in turn freezes to form ice sheets. Too much frost may prevent the door from closing and develop other damages.
As such, your freezer may not work as expected, and that could lead to food spoilage. Therefore, you need to perform regular maintenance of your appliance. But when should you defrost your fridge?
When the Ice is ¼ or ½-inch Thick
There is no exact time to do the defrosting because it is dependent on how you use your fridge. It is also subject to the type of refrigerator you are using. The best way to determine when to defrost is by checking the thickness of the ice sheets.
Where will you find these sheets of ice? Well, it could be anywhere in the freezer. But it is usually within the compartments as this is where the water droplets settle and freeze.
You may experience this problem at least once every year. Therefore, make sure to check the build-up of ice regularly.
If your freezer compartments are almost empty, then it will require more maintenance sessions than when you have it fully-packed.
When the Fridge Doesn’t Reach the Desired Temperature
Another way to determine when to defrost your refrigerator is by monitoring its performance.
Have you ever complained that your food spoiled earlier than expected? This happens when the fridge is not generating the desired temperatures.
A fridge working at a higher temperature than expected will not deliver the best results. There are several reasons why your refrigerator would behave this way, and the most common one is frosting.
This ice slows the operation of your fridge. As such, it takes longer to reach a specific temperature or doesn’t achieve it at all.
The repercussion is food spoilage, and this could mess with your plans and also bring a lot of losses.
When Your Electrical Bill Skyrockets
As earlier stated, a build-up of ice in your fridge slows down your appliance. Therefore, the refrigerator might work overtime and run for several hours.
Although you might not realize it immediately, this has a severe impact on your bills. You might end up paying more for your electricity than before, yet it is something you can quickly fix.
Store your food somewhere else temporarily and defrost your fridge.
Conclusion
Malfunctioning of your fridge could be due to a build-up of ice in the compartments. This sheet of ice can be quite damaging and needs to be removed as soon as possible.
Among the main things that indicate the need for defrosting include food spoilage and your electrical bills. Also, always remember to do a thorough check regularly to see if there is any sheet of ice building up. Defrost your refrigerator as regularly as possible.
