The refrigerator, or fridge for short, is a kitchen appliance that is used to store foods and beverages at a temperature lower than room temperature and above the freezing point of water. Unlike what most people think when they think about how refrigerators work, the fridge doesn’t blow cold air into the food compartment, but instead lowers the temperature as it thermally insulates the compartment.

Buying Guide

Here are some basic tips on how you can make your fridge live longer:

• Don’t use it as an air conditioner. This may sound silly, but some people actually employ their refrigerators as substitute air conditioners. Air conditioner at night, refrigerator during the day. Take it from us: it isn’t doing your refrigerator any good.
• Don’t overload the defrost system. This helps relieve stress from the compressor. Hopefully the compressor lasts longer than it should, and you get more bang for your buck.
• Turn off the icemaker. Most brands have icemakers that can produce enough ice to last a family for days, so activate the icemaker feature only when you’re in dire need of some ice.
• Doors should be sealed properly at all times. Holes along the gasket allow warm air to seep into the compartment, and in turn keep the compressor working twice as hard.
• Don’t overload the refrigerator. Again, putting in unnecessary items forces the compressor to work doubly hard, as it needs to suck all that warm air inside the compartment before it can begin to slow down.

Refrigerator Etiquette

Last but not the least, teach your children some refrigerator etiquette. Decide what to get before opening the door of the fridge. Even a few seconds of just standing there with the door open can mean a lot of hard work for the compressor. Open, take, close. Don’t linger.