How to Triple the Lifespan of a Refrigerator

Posted on by selene

Refrigerators are very common household appliances that stand in one corner of the kitchen and do their work without making a sound. But just like any other electrical appliance, these also require maintenance and repairs. Though refrigerators don’t create many problems on their own but if they do, it can cost a lot of money to get them repaired.

The ancestors of modern-day refrigerators worked on a similar principle but were quite different in the structural organization. During the earlier times, all the refrigerators used to have their condensers on top of the refrigerator compartment. This allowed adequate airflow to help keep the condenser coils cool and efficient.

But this also made the refrigerators look not so pretty as they do now. As the refrigerator industry evolved, manufacturers started placing the condenser coils at the bottom or at the back of the refrigerator.

This was a very convenient location for the condenser coils but also a problematic one as the airflow in this region of the refrigerator is generally very limited. This creates one major problem. The hot air tends to rise up and flow around the refrigerator increasing its temperature which becomes worse when the condenser fan doesn’t work properly as the condenser coils are completely dependent on the fan for heat exchange. This also increases the accumulation of dust in the condenser region and the fan blades.

How to increase the lifespan of the refrigerator –

Repair costs for a refrigerator can go pretty high depending upon the damage, but all the repairs can be actually avoided in the first place if regular maintenance is done. The most expensive and important part of any refrigerator is the condenser. Keeping the condenser in good shape is the sole reason for doing regular maintenance of your refrigerator.

The general problems that might occur with any refrigerator condenser are overheating issues. These issues are generally caused by inadequate airflow around the condenser coils resulting in overheating and in some cases complete failure of the coils.

If no maintenance is performed most of the bottom condenser refrigerators will work fine for a few years but once the coils get jammed with dust and debris, the whole refrigerator will start causing trouble. If yearly maintenance is performed, cleaning all the areas surrounding the condenser coils and fan, and removing any debris from clogged areas, the lifespan of the refrigerator can be increased by a significant margin

Reaching all the areas of the condenser can be a bit tricky as it is situated in a not very convenient location, but you can use a coil cleaning brush generally available in a hardware store for under $10. These brushes are about 15-18 inches long with wide enough bristles to clear the condenser coils thoroughly. Moreover, after cleaning the coils with the brush, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck out any remaining dust and debris.

Cleaning the condenser has positive effects on the functioning of the refrigerator as the condenser works without any obstruction, releasing heat efficiently and thus requires less energy.

A major part of the efficiency of the refrigerator is played by the interior components. The internal compartment of the refrigerator is kept insulated from the atmospheric temperature which is ensured by a rubber gasket attached to the inner side of the refrigerator door. This gasket prevents any exchange of heat between inner and outer surfaces of the refrigerator. If your gasket is broken or has small cracks in it, then it can cause major issues in the performance of the refrigerator. Sometimes, the gasket is in good condition but it doesn’t shut down as tightly as it used to.

To test if your gasket shuts down and creates an insulated environment or not, just take a dollar bill and try to move it around the gasket while the refrigerator door is shut. If the bill slides freely over the gasket then the gasket is faulty and needs to replaced. If you have slight cracks or tears on the gasket you can use a silicone filler to fill up the cracks and punctures. But make sure that the cracks are small and manageable as larger the cracks, the harder it gets to repair the gasket.

One more thing that you can do to increase the lifespan of your refrigerator is to never use any sharp object to pick ice from the interior coil. Using sharp objects may puncture the coil resulting in permanent damage to the coil which can only be fixed by replacing the entire coil. This can significantly increase repair costs.

Also, make sure that your heat drain pipes are clean and free of any kind of dust and debris. Clogged pipes can decrease the efficiency of the even the best refrigerators in india, increasing the power consumption as the refrigerator needs to work harder to make up for the loss in efficiency.…

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Things you should not load in a dishwasher

Posted on by selene

You load your dishwasher with utensils and they come out clean from it. Be careful with what you should load and which dish should not be put in that can destroy your dishwasher. Refer to the list below

1. Sharp Things – Putting knives and other sharp objects are prohibited from loading in the dishwasher. It can damage your hands while trying to load in or taking them out once they are cleaned. It is always recommended to wash such things by hand.

2. Non-stick pots and pans – Unless you have clear instructions from the manufacturer that the dishwasher is safe for washing utensils with non-stick coating, you should load them in the dishwasher. The process of dishwashing used by a washer can destroy the non-stick coating and it will ruin your dish.

3. The metallic decoration used in Chinese clay – There are dishwashers invented which allows china dishware as well, but if there are metallic decorations done on the dishes then they should be washed in the dishwasher. Since it may damage the decoration. You will have to be careful if you are cleaning china products in the dishwasher since it may get chipped off when it comes in contact with other utensils put in together.

4. Milk glasses – There are pop semi-opaque milk glasses available in the market and if they are cleaned in the dishwasher then the chances are quite high that the white colour will turn yellow soon. Use hands to wash such items and keep them new for long.

5. Pressure cooker lids – Cooker lids should not be washed in the dishwasher since the detergent or food particles can get clogged in the safety valve. Consider washing them with soap and warm water by hand. Also, don’t put the top back on the cooker when it is still wet since it may get jammed and the pot can go waste.

6. Aluminium cookware – The hot water in the dishwasher can harm the surface of the aluminium cookware whereas the detergent can also dull its shine. Apart from the damaged finish, they may also mark other dishes that are put in along with them. Be sure to have a look at the instructions first as to which kind of utensils are best cleaned in it.

7. Things with paper labels – Dishwashers can remove or loosen the paper labels that are present in bottles and jars. These labels can get clogged in the dishwasher itself or can stick to other utensils creating a mess all over.

8. Many plastic utensils – Don’t use any kind of plastic items in the dishwasher unless it is mentioned that the item is dishwasher safe. The plastic dishes should always be kept in the top rack since the heat present below can melt them.

Keep your dishes clean and your dishwasher in working condition by taking proper care and following the instructions regarding its usage. Using it appropriately and according to the instructions will clean your dishes efficiently and less time taken.…

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How does a microwave oven cook your food?

Posted on by selene

Almost every single house have atleast one microwave oven. It is one of the most useful appliance for the kitchen and the people. You can warm your food, make easy recipes to get rid away of small hunger. It is very efficient and saves time also. It is also easy to maintain and use it. But, do you ever wondered how it works and what is the science behind it. In this, you will find the basic mechanism behind the work of microwave oven and we will also tell you about what extent the radiation of oven is harmful for our skin.

Oven

Way of working of a microwave oven.

According to Chad Mueller, assistant professor of chemistry at Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, the microwave oven emits microwave which penetrate the food and hit the molecule of water inside it. The molecule of water then absorbs this radiation and starts vibrating so hard that it generates heat. This heat cook your food. There are trillion trillions of water molecule present in your wood which gives enough heat to cook your food.

As microwave heat up your food and surroundings it also can heat up your skin or body. In fact, people stationed at big microwave towers in cold climates used to stand in front of the microwave generators in order to warm themselves.

But, this can be harmful for our body specially for those parts who cannot conduct the heat and are not able to transfer it to other parts for example, eyes. Many people, specially those who works with oven throughout the day, complaints about the headaches several times a day sometimes whole day. This is also a side effects of getting in contact with the microwave radiation.

Why the microwave radiations targets water molecules.

A water molecule is formed when two hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom combined together. This molecule have shaped like upside down “Y”. The two hydrogen atoms are present at one end while the oxygen atom is present at the other end. This separation of positive and negative charge makes a dipole.

When it gets in contact with an electric field they allign themselves in the same direction. But, microwave are electric field which alternates rapidly. This makes water molecule to vibrate rapidly. Soon, every single water molecule starts vibrating vigorously. This vi rational energy converts into heat energy and them heat up your foid resulting into a cooked food.

According to David E. Hintenlang, associate professor nuclear and radiological engineering at the University of Florida at Gainesville, the microwave can also affect your cells and tissues the same way as it affects foods. Leakage, is the main reason behind the radiation hitting your skin and affecting them. But, nowadays manufacturers are giving more attention in this issue and making oven which does not have leakage at all. So, always buy a safe microwave oven and cook safely by ensuring that the door is locked.…

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Here’s what happens inside your washing machine while it cleans

Posted on by selene

All of us know that once we put our dirty clothes inside the washing machine, it gets cleaned. But have you ever noticed that what happens to your dirty clothes when you put it inside the washing machine and close the door.
Nobody tries to know this, so in this article we will be talking about what happens to your dirty clothes inside a washing machine and how does it becomes so clean.

Previously, we used to see that every washing machine tub is filled with water and it used to move clothes in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. But, today everything is changes. Even the smaller washing machine now comes with laundry clean system which used to consume less water and makes clothes shine like new always. Therefore, the approach has changed too.

So, once you select your washing type and presses enter, here’s what happens to your dirty clothes:

Slow spinning of tub

Once you put clothes in any automatic washing machine, it starts spinning at a slow speed. It happens because at this time it determines the load of the clothes that is kept inside. It may also take a few spinning of the tub to determine the load.

Flow of water inside the tub

The moment your washing machine realizes the load; it starts releasing suitable amount of water inside the tub.

Mixing of detergent

Now every washing machine comes with a water dispenser tub. So, water pours into the tub and mixes the detergent into the water tub. But you can also put detergent directly into the tub, if you need to control the amount of detergent to put for the amount of clothes that you have put inside.

Pausing of machine

Machines pauses for a little amount of time to mix detergent into the tub. It’s because the molecules of detergent are attracted to the oils as well as water on the other side. So, the molecules of a detergent attract the dirt on one side and since it is attracted by water too, so it takes out dirt and mixes with water, making your clothes clean.
The tub moves in two and fro motion and upward and downward motion which forces the dirt present in your clothes to come out of your clothes.

Draining of water

In this cycle, the dirty water is taken out of the clothes and drained outside the machine from the outlet pipe.

Filling of fresh water

This is the rinse cycle, where fresh water comes into your machine tub and rinse your clothes. We often use cold water to rinse but some of the machine do offer warm water which makes it easy to handle clothes when we take it out from the machine.

Dirt and water rinses out. However, you can find several washers which over few more cycles to rinse each and every drop of water and detergent out from your clothes.
Drying of clothes

Now, the drying part starts and the machine starts spinning at an rpm of 800 to 1600. The more speed does your tub rpm is the less time it takes to dry your clothes.…

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