We can go our whole lives without knowing relevant information about our sometimes monotonous lives. Did you know that according to a report a Swedish mathematician calculated over thousands of ways to tie a necktie? While knowing this information may seem pointless, for someone, this is news to them. For some people, even the things that they live with everyday are things they struggle to understand, whether it be a coffee maker, microwave, or a refrigerator. Sometimes you need articles like these to get the answers you need.
How long does it take for a refrigerator to get cold?
The answer can vary depending on what brand of refrigerator you have. On average, however, it takes around 12 hours for a refrigerator to cool down. Depending on what model refrigerator you have, this number could vary between 2-24 hours. It’s best to check your installation guide for the exact number. Regardless, do not put any goods into the refrigerator if before it reaches 40°F.
How long can the power be out before the food in my fridge goes bad?
According to the USDA, the United States Department of Agriculture, your fridge will only preserve your food for about four hours. In order not to quicken food spoiling, try not to open the fridge door during the power outage. In the case that the four hour threshold is crossed, throw any perishable food items away.
Perishable foods items can pertain to meat, eggs, poultry, fish, and leftovers. Some items that you may consider keeping after the power outage are multiple types of cheeses, uncut fruits, a large array of sauces/dressings, as well as uncut fresh veggies. However, if you’re uncomfortable with keeping any of the items listed as safe, when in doubt, throw it out.
How long should a refrigerator last?
The United States Department of Energy states that refrigerators typically last about 12 years. This is around the time when you should consider replacing your fridge. In the case that your fridge isn’t energy-efficient, you should consider replacing your fridge before it eventually stops working.
There are a lot of warning signs for when your fridge is close to being out of commission so be sure to spot the warning signs before potentially wasting hundreds on food.
When should I replace my fridge?
There are a dozen ways to take note of your fridge dying. If you’re concerned about your fridge’s life span, consider how old it is. If it’s more than a decade old, then it’s probably a good time to replace it anyway.
However, if your fridge is fairly new, there are a few signs to catch before it’s too late. A huge warning sign that your fridge is dying is when food spoils faster than their expiration dates. A faulty or dying fridge won’t be able to keep the food at the recommended temperature of 40 degrees or colder.
Another huge warning sign is if the back of your fridge is hot. It’s one thing for the motor of the fridge to be warming (since it’s running) but if it’s extremely warm, this may be a sign of an aging fridge.
Also, having to constantly make repair class on your fridge should be a clear indicator that you should replace your fridge soon. No one likes molding cheese and sour milk, so why deal with it any longer than you should?
What foods should not be kept in the refrigerator?
There are more than a dozen foods that you shouldn’t put in your fridge. Some of these foods include honey, bananas, bread, avocados, and potatoes. In any case, putting any of these items in the fridge could make preparing or eating them a hassle.
For instance, items such as honey or bread could become very hard to eat as a result of storing in the fridge. These items can be stored in a pantry just as fine. For potatoes, however, putting them in the fridge will turn the potatoes’ starch into sugar. If this happens, this can cause potatoes to become tasteless. It’s best to keep potatoes in a place with very little sunlight (as well as not cold). This helps to keep potatoes fresh until use.
As far as bananas and avocados go, popping them in the fridge could cause them to take longer to ripen. In order to keep your food fresh and flavorful, make sure to check where’s the best place to store all of your food items.
What foods should be kept in the refrigerator?
There are more than enough foods that should be in the fridge, but there could be food items that you never knew should be stored in the fridge. Some of these items include corn on the cob, maple syrup, tortillas, and frosted cupcakes. Corn on the cob should be stored in the fridge for up to two days.
Exposing the corn of the cob to room temperature for any longer than 6 hours could deplete its flavor significantly and no one wants bland corn, right? Even though maple syrup is a condiment, it still has only a shelf life of about a year.
If you’ve had your maple syrup for a while or have your maple syrup opened, consider storing it in the fridge to extend the syrup’s shelf life. If the maple syrup is growing mold, however, be sure to discard it immediately.
For many brands of tortillas, they recommend that tortillas are stored in the fridge. The cold temperatures that fridges provide could prevent the production of mold. Since the frosting on frosted cupcakes contains dairy, keeping them in the fridge can prevent bacteria growth.
What can damage a refrigerator?
Fridges have a pretty long lifespan, but there are several things that can cut its life short if you’re not careful. One thing to consider is how your refrigerator is affected by a power surge. By definition, a power surge is when an overflowing amount of energy exceeds its electrical limit.
Taking your fridge as an example, because a fridge takes so much energy to keep it running, if it were suddenly to turn off and on, this could cause a small power surge. If there’s a strong enough power surge, this could result in the damage of multiple parts of your refrigerator. This happens by an excessive amount of heat being transmitted to multiple parts of your fridge. It’s also just important to make sure to check your fridge occasionally to make sure that everything is working how it should be.
This could save you thousands of dollars, all by just checking to see if your fridge is working how it should be. Taking care of your fridge will help you take care of your budget spending as well.
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