Elite Upkeep - January 2025 Pro-Active Approach to Home Care - Fridges & Freezers -

Your refrigerator and freezer work extremely hard to maintain a consistent temperature in the hot climate of Curacao, constantly battling against rising temperatures inside your home. As your kitchen gets warmer, so does the circulating air surrounding the fridge, forcing it to work harder to cool the interior. Proper care is critical to ensure efficient operation, food is kept fresh, and to make sure you avoid costly repairs.

The Problem: As the ambient temperature increases, the fridge compressor is forced to work harder.  That means increased energy consumption and a greater load on the condenser coils and motor.

The Risk: Unless managed, the additional load placed on the fridge could result in overheating, reduced cooling efficiency and a total system failure leading to expensive repairs or even replacement.

Maintenance Tips to Mitigate a Breakdown

Clean Condenser Coils Regularly

Responsible for dissipating heat, these coils are forced to operate in overdrive when covered in dust or dirt. That ultimately weakens their potential to distribute heat which results in the overworking of the compressor. This only gets worse as temperatures rise. Coils should be cleaned at a minimum every 6 months with a brush or vacuum. It’s said that dirty coils can reduce efficiency by up to 30%. 

***Never use water to clean the coils as it will damage the electrical components of the fridge.

Ensure Proper Ventilation of the Fridge

Space around the refrigerator is crucial for air circulation. It’s best to keep any fridge away from direct sunlight and any other heat-emitting appliance.  Try to keep the fridge at least a couple inches from the wall and make sure air can easily flow around it. The more airflow there is, the better the compressor will be at cooling, resulting in less energy use. 

Check Door Seals

Door seals keep the cold air in. Cracks or tears in seals or even dirt on them can result in leakage and the pulling in of warm air leading to an overworked appliance.  A regular cleaning with soap and warm water ensures a debris-free seal and a little bit of Vaseline applied to the seal can help condition it.

***Try closing the fridge door on a piece of paper.  If you can pull the paper out easily, consider replacing the gasket.

Seasonal Temperature Adjustments

The warmer it is outside, the colder you want to set your fridge. Ideally, your fridge temperature should be between 1°C and 4°C, while your freezer should be at -18°C.

Packing your Fridge

The more you stuff into your fridge, the greater the likelihood of limiting airflow, a direct result of blocking vents.  The warmer it is outside, ideally, the less you pack into the fridge. Not necessarily practical! 

*** Do your best to maintain air circulation by limiting the number of items you push against the back wall and do your best to keep items used most often near the front. The less time the door is open, the less cold air loss you’ll experience. 

Defrosting Your Freezer

An accumulation of frost in the freezer or any issues with food not freezing means it’s time to defrost your freezer. Simply the result of frost building up on the evaporator coils, this is ultimately from the accumulation of moisture.  In the heat of Curacao, this can easily be the result of repeatedly leaving the freezer open for too long.  It could also however, be an indication of blocked vents, an overcrowded freezer, a bad door seal, dirty condenser coils, or in the worst case a refrigerant leak or a faulty thermostat.  Defrosting your freezer should be done at least annually but with the heat here in Curacao, a quarterly defrost will serve you well.