When it comes to owning a home there are always some unexpected expenses. Some of the more expensive expenses that homeowners rarely plan for are appliance replacements. Most homeowners hope that their appliances last as long as the manufacturer warranty states. However, when you have to replace your refrigerator you will want to make sure that your food doesn’t spoil. The best way to ensure that your food doesn’t spoil is by understanding how to cool your refrigerator. How long does a new refrigerator take to get cold? Depending on the style of the refrigerator determines how long it will take to get cold.
Let’s take a look below at what all of this means for your refrigerator.
What Are The Differences
Depending on the type of refrigerator that you are looking to cool, will determine how quickly you can get the task accomplished. There are so many varying types and models of refrigerators. Each refrigerator has a different cooling time. Let’s take a look:
- Mini Fridge – depending on the brand should not take more than 4 hours.
- Top-freezer fridge – depending on the brand will take 4 hours to 24 hours.
- French door fridge – depending on the brand will take 2 hours to 24 hours.
- Side-by-side fridge – depending on the brand will take 2 hours to 24 hours.
- Bottom freezer fridge – depending on the brand will take 2 hours to 24 hours.
The bottom line is that each brand of the refrigerator varies in its cool-down time.
How Would I Know
Always keep in mind that some parameters are involved when cooling down your refrigerator. If you want to make sure that it is cooled down quickly, you will have to understand a few things. Let’s take a look below at what those factors might be.
- Size of the fridge – the bigger the fridge, the longer it will take to cool. Most large refrigerators will take up to 24 hours to properly cool down.
- Storage location – if you store a fridge in your garage it will likely take a while to cool down. In addition, keep your ac on a cooler temperature in the home as you install the new fridge in your kitchen.
- Room temps – if you store the refrigerator in an outdoor kitchen, garage, or location not cooled by your home’s AC unit, will likely keep the refrigerator running hot. You may have to invest in some fans or insulation with vents in order to keep the area cooler. The ideal temperature is when the room temperature is colder than it normally would be on a warm day.
- Old age – the older the fridge is, the longer it will take to cool. Parts might not be working properly and thus need replacement. Keep an eye on blocked air vents, damaged door seals, your condenser fan failing, and possibly a compressor needing to be replaced.
- Empty – keep your refrigerator full of food. Always remember that a refrigerator that is full, runs more efficiently. Put food into the fridge to speed up the cooling process. The less free air space the less likely warm air has a chance to circulate.
- Keep a record of door openings – if you are a homeowner that constantly opens the door to the fridge, then you can expect that it will not stay cold very long. Every time you open the door the cold air escapes.
How Do I Cool It Faster
Believe it or not, there are a few ways that you can attempt to cool the refrigerator faster. Let’s review what those possibilities might be.
- Fridge location – keep the fridge away from the wall. The fridge’s heat needs to go somewhere, so if the refrigerator is touching the wall, it will not have anywhere to go.
- Ice placement – go ahead and put some ice in the freezer. The ice will give off more cold temps and cool the fridge a lot faster.
- Keep it shut – make sure that the doors are remaining closed. The more you open the fridge doors, the more cold air escapes. Keep it shut while you are cooling it down.
- Cool the kitchen – lower your ac temps so that the home is cooler on a hot day. If you are installing a new fridge in high humidity and warm afternoon, you will want to keep the kitchen as cold as possible, in order to expedite the cooling process.
- Chill the food – if you keep everything in the fridge cold, then it will help your fridge cool faster. Putting warm food into a refrigerator that is already empty and has dry air in it will slow the process. You don’t want the fridge to work overtime just to cool the food and the refrigerator itself.
See below for the video regarding fixing a refrigerator not cooling fast enough.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you know how to cool your refrigerator the fastest, make sure that you have the correct circuit power for the fridge. Understanding if you need a dedicated circuit for your new fridge is important. Not having the right amount of power will delay the cooling of your fridge.
Next, if you ever come home from a long day at work and start to hear a funny noise coming from your refrigerator, you might be looking to replace a compressor or the entire unit. Before you go off and start spending money on a new refrigerator get to know why your refrigerator is making noise.
Lastly, if you have determined that your noisy fridge is due to a compressor, you would want to know how to reset the compressor. It is possible that you do not need to replace the compressor, but rather reset it. The more you can understand this about your refrigerator the more money you can save.
When Do I Call A Professional
If you aren’t sure what to do about your refrigerator’s slow cooling time, reach out to a professionally licensed handyman. He or she can ensure that the refrigerator compressor is working properly and the newly installed refrigerator is correctly installed. Reach out to your local home inspection company to assist with locating a reputable handyman.
Conclusion
When it comes to home maintenance you will want to make sure that you hire a professionally licensed general contractor or handyman. Also, be sure to get a number of quotes before worrying about a refrigerator installation or servicing. Reach out to your local home inspection team to ensure that your new refrigerator installation is done properly. Call Boggs Inspection Services to get a home inspection of your other appliances and electrical setup, completed in the Lacey, WA, and surrounding areas.
