Prepare your fridges for the hottest weather possible

Prepare Your Fridges for The Hottest Weather Possible

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Summer heatwaves are not just uncomfortable for you but they are a great challenge to your fridge as well. When the outside temperature stays above 30°C for days, even a well-running appliance can start to struggle. Indeed, in summer requests for fridge repair are the most frequent compared to seasons.
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In this post, we will discuss when and how to prepare your fridges for the hottest weather possible.

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When you really need to prepare your fridge for heatwaves

Realities for fridges located indoors

If you have well-running air conditioning right in the kitchen or other room where your fridge is located, there is no need to bother about any special preparation. To clarify, your AC will keep your indoor climate fridge-friendly even in the hottest weather.

Still, even in this case, we recommend checking your fridge health:

• Good fridge repair engineers often get overbooked in a summer season
• It can be hard to get urgent fridge repairs during or right after summer heatwaves

​However, if your fridge is located in the room that has no AC to cool it properly, a 35°C heatwave will put extra load to the unit. So, in this case, it is wise to arrange proper preparations for your fridges to survive the hottest weather.

Realities for fridges located outdoors

If your fridge is located outdoors, make sure the unit is specifically rated for outdoor use. A standard fridge rated for 32°C max will fail when the temperature rises to 35°C or higher. For example, commercial, street food, and domestic outdoor fridges are typically rated for 43°C – with extra insulation and other engineering solutions.
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So, if your fridge is located outdoors, check its climate class to understand whether it can survive the summer heat or not:

• N-rated (Normal): 32°C max – standard home fridge, which is safe only in air-conditioned or naturally cool kitchens
• ST-rated (Subtropical): 38°C max – much better for London heatwaves but risk still exists
• T-rated (Tropical): 43°C max – the best choice for garages, outbuildings or outdoor use

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How to prepare your fridge for heatwaves

Ensure proper maintenance

For example, once temperatures rise, a leaking seal can ruin your fridge by creating extra load and spoil your goods. Also, dust buildup reduces heat dumping by up to 40%. With clean coils, your fridge will enjoy greater chances to keep its performance at its top and stay ready for the summer heat.
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So, to prepare your fridge for the summer heat, arrange its proper maintenance:

• Test and replace door seals in advance
• Clean the condenser coils

Create airflow space

Check the clearance right now. In hot weather, trapped heat has nowhere to go and puts extra load to the unit. So, prepare that airflow space to give you fridge a room to breathe. Move cabinets, shift clutter, pull your fridge away from the wall to create a 10-cm clearance around your unit.

Adjust temperatures

At least one day before the first hot day, lower your fridge to 2–3°C and freezer to –18°C. Lowering temperature increases the compressor load for the first few hours and doing it during the heatwave makes the compressor overwork. A proper pre-set gives you a buffer. Besides, pre-cooled fridge resists outside heat longer and better.
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So, if you have a fridge in your garage or conservatory, check its rating. If it is not ST or T class, move it indoors before summer heatwaves. For any fridge that stays in a room without air conditioning, arrange proper maintenance, create breathing space, and adjust temperatures.