Are you going to be away from home for work? Or going on a vacation? How long are you going to be away from home? If it’s more than a week, then probably it’s for the best to switch off all the electronic appliances in your home before leaving!
When you’re away from home, it is best to turn off anything that doesn’t need to be running in order to save power and also avoid any mishap happening! Now, that includes your refrigerator too.
But there are a few things and contingencies you must follow before cutting the power supply and unplugging your refrigerator!
Pointers to reckon before unplugging your refrigerator :
The thing about a refrigerator is that you can’t just unplug and go like a washing machine or a dishwasher. A refrigerator traps moisture inside, so when you empty out your fridge and unplug it, the moisture inside will make your fridge smell in a few weeks, possibly leading to malfunction or mold infestation.
Essentially there are a few things to consider before thinking about having your refrigerator off for a long time. They are as follows :
Unplug the refrigerator after emptying & drying
Of course, you can turn off your refrigerator for a long time or as long as you’re gone. But make sure you empty all the contents in the fridge. Then wipe them out with a nice & clean towel.
Make sure there isn’t a fraction of moisture, and it’s completely dry. Throw in a couple of silica gel packets inside your fridge to keep them dry.
Pull the drawer a little out and leave your fridge partially open so it will get some air circulation. On the contrary, you can also hang a towel on top of the fridge to prop the door open.
Turning off ice maker/dispenser/water supply
Kindly make sure you empty out the ice dispenser water supply completely because if they’re not cut off completely, there might be a probable dripping of water leading to mold or stale water from the dispenser.
Keep a jug of water in your fridge to save energy
If you cannot empty your fridge and you are still left with perishable food items or something else, then unplugging your fridge wouldn’t be the best idea.
Whereas you can keep a jug of water in your fridge, which will maintain the temperature for longer, and the fridge will work fine and only when the temperature goes down, thus saving power and cost!
Surrounding temperature plays a vital role
When the surrounding temperature goes beyond 60°F, the refrigerator will cool less effectively. In that case, you need to switch off the temperature control unit and read the user manual for vacation or when you will not use your refrigerator for a long time.
Fridges come with a vacation power-saving mode inbuilt in them to save power and cost when you’re away from home.
Tips to remember:
- Turn off your refrigerator, water dispenser, water supply and defrost your freezer beforehand.
- Empty your fridge and use baking soda to clean your refrigerator.
- Place silica gel or baking soda inside the fridge compartment to keep it dry.
- Unplug the cord from the receptacle and leave the door propped open.
Final Takeaway
We’ve come to our final verdict here. Leaving your refrigerator unplugged and turned off will save you a lot of money and power. But if you’ve made plans at the last moment and are leaving your house for a long time, it’s best if you leave it running to avoid any malfunction.
You can leave your fridge turned off for months as far as you follow all the pointers mentioned above, so when you finally return home, you will have a squeaky-clean fridge that looks new and ready to start working.