1) One of the questions we are asked by our “Snow Bird” clients: What should I do with my refrigerator and freezer when I leave for the season?
We don’t think it is a good idea to turn these units off for long periods of time, especially in our climate, a couple of reasons are:
A) The plastics inside the unit are designed for cold, turning the unit off and exposing them to warm or hot ambient temperatures (+85 degrees) can cause them to expand and discolor and eventually destroy the unit.
B) The components in the refrigeration system are comprised of copper and aluminum with various solder joints or bonding points. Because these are “soft” metals, they can expand & contract with temperature change, this can sometimes damage these joints and cause the refrigerant (freon) to leak out, leading to an expensive repair.
Our answer, here at DeserTech Appliance Service, is to remove all the perishables before you leave, buy some bottles or jugs of water, and place in both compartments and set the temperature control to a warmer setting. Water is somewhat dense, and once cold, it will help hold the cold to reduce the constant cycling on and off of the unit, plus if there is the unfortunate failure of the unit or a power outage while you are away, the water is contained, it doesn’t rot and create an odor, and you can drink the water when you return next season.
2) Another commonly asked question: How often should the condenser coil be vacuumed or cleaned?
Most manufacturers will recommend they be cleaned and vacuumed every 4-6 months. We do not know of many people who actually do this that frequently, but it should definitely be done in the Spring, when it starts to warm up so there is maximum air flow through the Summer months when the machine is working its hardest.
If you find this task difficult, please, give us a call, we are more than happy to schedule an appointment to come out and do the maintenance for you.
