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Refrigerators respond to summer weather the same
way people do: They go the extra mile to keep cool.
It's especially important to maintain your refrigerator
during the year's warmest months. Here's how:
- Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold.
Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40 degrees
for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator
and 5 degrees for the freezer. If you have a separate
freezer for long-term storage, keep it at 0 degrees.
- To check the refrigerator's temperature, place
an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in
the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24
hours. To check the freezer temperature, place
a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it
after 24 hours.
- Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators
and freezers; frost buildup decreases the energy
efficiency of the unit. Don't allow frost to build
up more than one-quarter of an inch.
- Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight.
Test them by closing the door over a piece of
paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half
out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper
out easily, the latch may need adjusting or the
seal may need replacing.
- If it's time to buy a new refrigerator, look
for one with automatic moisture control. These
models prevent moisture accumulation on the cabinet
exterior without adding a heater. This is different
than so-called "anti-sweat" heaters,
which consume 5 percent to 10 percent more energy
than models without that feature.
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