An appliance-savvy homeowner recently took to TikTok with simple advice on extending the life of your refrigerator. The hack? Simply clean the cooling coils regularly.
The scoop
Refrigerator coils — also called condenser coils — are part of the system that helps your fridge stay cool. These coils, located on the back of the home appliance, are covered by a grille, releasing hot air as it cools the system, according to KitchenAid.
But this process can cause massive amounts of compacted dust to collect on the coils — and that dust insulates them and makes their work harder. As Long explains in his TikTok, cleaning these coils is a key way to keep your refrigerator in top shape.
In his video, Long demonstrates the fast and easy way to remove dust from your system's cooling coils.
To clean the coils, you'll have to move your fridge away from the wall and unplug the appliance. Then, remove the protective grille to get to the coils. Long advises using a vacuum with a brush attachment to clean the gathered dust. Put the protective grille back on and you're done.
How it's working
This simple maintenance may not take much effort, but it makes a big difference in keeping your refrigerator in working order. And that makes a notable environmental difference.
"This is going to extend the life of your fridge, give you better energy efficiency, and reduce potential repair costs," Long explains in the video.
Your refrigerator — unfortunately but also necessarily — contains large amounts of plastic, coolants, and hazardous materials to make it operate. While all refrigerators should be recycled once they are no longer functioning according to the EPA, extending the life of your fridge by keeping its coils in working order is a key way to use the massive home appliance — and its components — to the fullest.
This maintenance also improves the appliance's energy efficiency, helping to lower its major environmental impact. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, food refrigeration accounted for about 6% of the world's energy consumption in 2016. Improving your fridge's efficiency ensures you are doing your part to lower the amount of energy and polluting fuel your refrigerator consumes.
What people are saying
Many commenters thanked Long for the tip, saying they would check their fridge for dust buildup. Others mentioned that newer fridges have a large panel on the back that prevents access to the coils — but also prevents dust build-up like the grime shown in Long's demonstration.
🗣️ How often do you check your AC ducts?
🔘 Once a year 👼
🔘 Once every 3-5 years 📆
🔘 Once every 10 years 🕰️
🔘 I didn't know I was supposed to 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Whether you try this tip may depend on your fridge's model and make. But it's worth wiggling the appliance out from the wall to look at what you're dealing with.
"I did mine last week," one commenter wrote. "It works."
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