How Cleaning Refrigerator Condenser Coils Can Reduce Your Electricity Bills

Do you think your high electricity bill is because of your refrigerator? You don’t have to go broke just because you skipped a bit of cleaning. However, that’s exactly what might happen. Cleaning refrigerator condenser coils regularly can save you money and more.

Cleaning Refrigerator Condenser Coils: 4 Signs to Check

You must place your fridge a few inches away from the walls. Why? Because condenser coils are at the back. They absorb heat from inside the refrigerator and blow it out. So, you must give hot air space.

Naturally, the coils gather dust and debris from the air and eventually clog. You may notice these dirty condenser coil symptoms:

Refrigerator Doesn’t Cool

Refrigerators usually have low cooling in the doors compared to the box area. However, you may notice a temperature drop in the box, too. Your food may not be getting as cold as you want. 

Or, the things at the back of the fridge may be freezing. It means the coils are not working properly.

Freezer Smells

It is bad news. Fridge odor means the compressor is struggling to work. In turn, that means the coils are not absorbing the heat properly.

If you don’t pay attention quickly, your food might go bad. Cleaning refrigerator condenser coils mostly resolves this issue.

More Defrost Cycles

It happens so the evaporator coils don’t build too much ice. 

If the freezer condenser coils are dirty, they cannot release heat. So, your unit must work more to maintain its temperature. 

More work tells the defrost system to go off more often than it should. It tries to melt the ice that has probably not built up.

Weird Noises

You may hear buzzing from the back of your refrigerator. That is the sound of the condenser fan motor.

Dirty condenser coils make the fan work harder because the heat inside the fridge is not released completely. So, the noise… and a possible hike in electric bills.

How Do Your Bills Reduce After Cleaning Refrigerator Condenser Coils?

By saving energy. 

You don’t have to clean them whenever you clean your freezer. However, you must not forget them entirely. Here is how you can save bucks by cleaning dirty condenser coils:

Better Performance

Clogged refrigerator coils force your unit to work more and use more electricity. As a result, your bills may spike. 

They will use less energy to absorb, cool, and release hot air if you clean them.

Better performance → Reduced bills

Longer Appliance Life

If you keep the coils clean, you may not need to replace your fridge or freezer for a long time. It is amazing how far a few extra swipes can go, right?

On the other hand, the fridge’s compressor can overheat if you let them gather dirt. Besides huge bills, you may have to spend on repairing it…or buying a new appliance.

Improved Cooling

Are you wondering why the things at the back freeze and the things at the front stay warm? This uneven temperature happens because of clogged refrigerator coils, too. They cannot absorb heat properly.

Again, cleaning them will keep the temperature cool inside the fridge. 

Improved Cooling → Fewer repairs → Money saved

Low Food Waste

No nasty smells, either. Poor refrigerator performance can make your milk sour and your kale black and soggy. 

Clean coils → Good cooling → Low food waste → Less unnecessary expenses

How to Clean Them Thoroughly?

It is a simple process. However, do not use a damp cloth or brush at any point:

• Disconnect the refrigerator plug from the socket. Remove the toe guard if the coils are under the fridge.
• Use a hand-held vacuum to clean around the coils.
• Clean meticulously. You should use coils-specific long-handled brushes.
• Vacuum one more time to catch the remaining dirt.
• Close the toe guard (if you have one) and restart the appliance.

Pro tip: Clean them every 2-3 months so that they can perform better.

Conclusion 

Cleaning refrigerator condenser coils every 2-3 months can save you money. Your appliance will use less electricity, have a long life, and need fewer repairs. Otherwise, your fridge’s compressor may become overheated and need replacement. You must use specific brushes to dry clean them if you want lower electricity bills.