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Do you think that it is enough to buy a refrigerator, put it in the kitchen, load food and that’s it – the equipment will work for many years? This is not entirely true: you need not only to deliver and install, but also follow the rules for operating the refrigerator for its durable and uninterrupted operation. Learn how to use this electrical appliance correctly to avoid problems in the future.
Transportation
The refrigerator can only be transported vertically, i.e. standing up. An inclination of more than 40 degrees is unacceptable, and even more so laying on its side.
What does it threaten? If the angle of inclination of the equipment during transportation is greater, then the oil from the motor-compressor may flow into the circuit. By turning it on, you run the risk of a breakdown from the first hours – a blockage of the capillary pipeline. In this case, dirty repairs and unnecessary expenses are ahead, because the service center will most likely refuse to guarantee repairs after incorrect transportation.
What should I do if the cabinet does not fit vertically into the car and the tilt angle is higher than 40 degrees? In this case, make sure that the position of the compressor tube is vertical. You can find this tube on the motor: it is marked with a special marking on the factory packaging. In this case, oil will still get into the circuit, but only in the part where the pressure is lowest. When starting, freon will not entail oil, and it will flow back into the engine.
How to properly place equipment
Proper installation of a new household refrigerator involves complete isolation from heaters and radiators. Install it in a cool and well ventilated area. Also do not place near gas stoves and electric stoves. Also, experts do not recommend placing it near the southern windows, through which direct sunlight will penetrate the body daily. Oddly enough, the best place to install is with a draft.
If the temperature of the kitchen room increases due to the “warm” floors, pick up a place in an inactive area. Or consider in advance when equipping such a floor that electrical appliances will be installed on it.
What threatens the constant presence of the refrigerator in warm areas? This will cause the compressor to run continuously due to the constant circulation of warm air around the casing. Uninterrupted operation of the motor will significantly reduce the life of both itself and the electrical appliance.
Installation
Before you release the loaders and install the refrigerator, check the package, re-read the warranty card and check the operation. Only after making sure that all the components are available, that the guarantee is filled out correctly and that the equipment is in good working order, let the representatives of the store go. If something went wrong, make claims on the spot and in fact, otherwise it will be difficult to prove something later.
Installation requirements:
- Room humidity should not exceed 80%. If there is nothing to measure humidity, pay attention to the walls, floor and ceiling of the kitchen – if you notice condensation, the humidity is too high.
- Provide adequate ventilation. If you find problems, contact the Housing Office to clean the ventilation ducts.
- Выберите the coolest place on the kitchen.
Pay attention to the climate class indicated on the information sticker. More about climate classes and conditions for installing a refrigerator according to them, read in a separate publication.
Are you planning to install 2 refrigerators at once or put a freezer next to it? Do not place them close to each other – ensure a distance of at least 2 cm.
Also observe the rules for connecting to the mains:
- Correlate the parameters of the equipment with the parameters of the electrical network. If it works with a voltage of 220 V, connect to a two-phase power supply, 380 V to a three-phase one.
- Connect to a grounded outlet to ensure safe operation. Not prevent installation of difavtomat to protect equipment from power surges.
- Do not use extension cords, carriers and adapters – the connection is only allowed to a fixed socket in the wall.
Camera cleaning
Care is needed for a refrigerator of any brand: Atlant, Veko, Nord, LG, Bosch and others. Moreover, you need to take care of both the old ones and the newly bought ones. Interior surfaces can be cleaned with a mild baking soda solution or non-abrasive detergent chemicals. Read more in the article “How to wash the refrigerator».
Important! After washing, you need to ventilate the equipment with the door open for at least 24 hours.
Do not neglect outdoor cleaning as well, but be careful: the coating should not be rubbed with brushes and brushes, as well as aggressive detergents. Wet the sponge in a soda solution, process handles, plastic parts, seals, walls and other areas. Wash stainless steel surfaces especially carefully: it is best to buy a special tool for treating stainless steel surfaces so as not to damage them.
Even if you bought a refrigerator with technology No Frost, this does not mean that it will not have to be removed. Light damp cleaning is recommended to be done monthly. Your diligence will protect the cameras from odors and pollution.
Can fragrances and fresheners be used? See for yourself: if you are satisfied with the chemical smell of food, you can hang “Christmas trees” in the cells. But it is better to pay attention to special absorbents that will eliminate unpleasant “aromas” and will not mask them due to chemical components.
Attention! As soon as you notice that the chamber smells unpleasant, sort out the food. Finding nothing rotten and spoiled, check the drain hole. If the drain pipe is clogged, it needs to be cleaned.
Learn more about how to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator, read in a separate review.
Cleaning the rear wall is needed not so much for hygienic reasons as for the sake of economy. Cleaning the condenser (the metal grill on the back of the cabinet) will save you from wasting electricity. You can collect dust from the grate with a sponge, a damp cloth or a vacuum cleaner with a fine nozzle.
Important! Be careful not to damage parts. Before handling the case, disconnect the electrical appliance from the electricity.
How to properly defrost a refrigerator
We wrote about this in detail in the publications “How to defrost a refrigerator” and “How to defrost a No Frost fridge“. But in three words we will describe the important points:
- In order not to defrost the equipment too often, check the integrity of the seal and door tightness. The more tightly it is closed, the less ice will freeze on the walls of the chambers.
- Defrost your freezer at least once every 3-4 months. The model with No Frost also needs to be defrosted – at least 1-2 times a year.
- Leave the technique for 24 hours – no less, give it thaw naturally.
- Don’t break the ice and snow coat with sharp objects so as not to damage the evaporator and other important parts.
- Do not speed up the process with a hair dryer or fan heater. If you need to defrost the chambers really urgently, put a heating pad in them or set a bowl of hot water.
- When defrosting get food out of the cellsso they don’t get spoiled.
- Lay out rags or place containers under the body to prevent water from dripping onto the floor.
- Do not fill the shelves with products completely after defrosting, otherwise the motor will not be able to handle the load. Load the shelves in portions, allow time for each batch to cool.
How to load and store products
Follow the recommendations to preserve the taste and appearance of the products and not harm the appliance itself:
- Do not overload shelves with warm food.
- Arrange and lay out everything in such a way that there is space between objects. This is necessary for the free circulation of cold air flows between the shelves.
- Do not lean pots and containers close to the back wall, so as not to cause clogging of the drain hole.
Important! Condensation, flowing into the drain tube, can “capture” food particles with it, which will create a blockage.
- Send well-washed and fresh foods for freezing.
- Seal foods tightly in freezer bags or plastic containers before freezing.
- If the main chamber also has No Frost, pack absolutely everything carefully to prevent chapping. The same goes for food with a strong odor.
- Use the “fresh zone” to store perishable products. Learn more about what is a cool zone, read in a separate article.
- Use special trays and shelves marked with pictures. So, there are special trays for eggs. Also often in the doors there are drawers for butter, cheese and other things.
- Store fruits and vegetables in the lower plastic boxes.
- Do not store strong drinks in the chambers unless special shelves are provided for the vertical arrangement of bottles.
Important! Wine and champagne should not be stored in the refrigerator – it can only be cooled there before serving.
We considered the topic of food storage more extensively in the review “Proper storage of food in the refrigerator“. From it you will learn at what temperature to preserve the taste and attractiveness of food.
How to extend the “life” of the refrigerator
Any brand – “Minsk”, “Stinol”, “Biryusa” or “Indesit”, “Samsung”, “Hotpoint Ariston”, “Whirlpool”, “Liebher” – can and should work out the years allotted to it. This is quite possible if you follow all the manufacturer’s instructions and strictly follow the operating instructions. The operating conditions of a two-chamber refrigerator for 1 or 2 compressors do not differ.
In conclusion, we note a few rules that must be strictly observed:
- You can’t use equipment at sub-zero temperatures – send it to the balcony or take it out for the winter to an unheated cottage.
- You can not carry out independent repairs if you do not have professional skills and experience.
- You can and should notice any malfunctions in the operation of the equipment (or error codes) and report them to the service center in order to receive repairs under warranty, or to a proven master.
We wish long-term operation of refrigeration equipment and the absence of any problems with it!