Summer Fridge Maintenance: 12 Fridge Maintenance Tips to Beat the Heat

Every summer our phones light up on the first run of 40°C days. Fridges that have been ticking along fine all year suddenly can't keep up, and a lot of them fail on the hottest afternoon of the week, usually with a full load of shopping inside.

Here's the thing: most of those breakdowns are avoidable. A fridge has to push heat out into the room, and when the room is already hot, the compressor works harder and runs longer. Give it a bit of help before summer and you'll keep your food safe, your power bill down and your fridge going for years longer. These are the fridge maintenance tips we give our own customers across Parramatta and Western Sydney.

12 Fridge Maintenance Tips to Get Through Summer

1. Clean the condenser coils

This is the big one. The coils at the back or underneath your fridge release the heat taken out of your food. When they're coated in dust and pet hair, that heat has nowhere to go, the compressor runs flat out, and on a hot day it can overheat and cut out. We've put the full step-by-step guide further down.

2. Give it room to breathe

Fridges need air moving around them. Check your manual for the exact clearance, but as a rule, leave a few centimetres at the sides and back and some space on top. A fridge jammed into a tight cabinet, or with bags and boxes stacked on it, runs hotter and works harder. If it's built in, make sure the vents in the cabinetry aren't blocked.

3. Check the door seals

Close the door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out with no resistance, warm air is getting in. Wipe the seals with warm soapy water (crumbs and sticky spills stop them sealing) and dry them well. Avoid harsh cleaners, which can crack the rubber. If a seal is torn or flattened, get it replaced before summer.

4. Set the right temperatures

Aim for 3–4°C in the fridge and around -18°C in the freezer. Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends keeping chilled food at 5°C or below. A cheap fridge thermometer in a glass of water on the middle shelf will tell you what's really happening. Don't crank the dial to the coldest setting on hot days. It doesn't cool faster, it just makes the fridge run longer.

5. Don't overpack it

A reasonably full fridge holds its temperature better than an empty one, but pack it so tight that air can't move and parts of it will warm up. Keep the vents at the back of the fridge and freezer clear.

6. Cool leftovers before they go in

Putting a big pot of steaming food straight into the fridge makes everything around it warm up. Let it stop steaming, then refrigerate it within two hours. Splitting it into shallow containers helps it cool faster.

7. Keep the door shut

In summer, with kids home and drinks going in and out all day, the door gets opened constantly. Every time, cold air falls out and warm, humid air comes in. Think about what you need before you open it, and keep the drinks you reach for most at the front.

8. Be careful with garage and outdoor fridges

A lot of Parramatta homes have a second fridge in the garage, laundry or on the back patio, and those are the ones we see fail first. Garages can get well over 40°C in summer. Check the climate class on your fridge's rating plate: a 'T' (tropical) rating is designed to cope with room temperatures up to 43°C, while 'N' (normal) is only designed for up to 32°C. If yours isn't rated for the heat, move it somewhere cooler or give it as much shade and airflow as you can.

9. Defrost manual freezers

If you've got a chest freezer or an older freezer that builds up ice, defrost it before the ice gets about 5 mm thick. Thick ice acts like insulation and makes the freezer work much harder.

10. Clear the defrost drain and drip tray

Frost-free fridges melt their frost and drain the water to a tray underneath. If the drain hole at the back of the fridge is blocked, you'll get water pooling under the crisper or ice on the back wall. A little warm water and a pipe cleaner usually clears it.

11. Change the water filter

If your fridge has a water and ice dispenser, change the filter as often as the manufacturer recommends, usually every six months. A clogged filter slows the water flow and can cause ice maker problems.

12. Book a check before the first heatwave

If your fridge is over five years old, noisy, or already running constantly, a quick service in spring is cheaper than an emergency call-out in January. We clean the coils properly, test the seals, fans and temperatures, and pick up small problems before they turn into big ones.

How to Clean Fridge Condenser Coils

Cleaning the coils is the single most useful bit of fridge maintenance you can do yourself. It takes about 20 minutes and needs no special tools.

What you'll need

• A vacuum with a brush or crevice attachment
• A long, soft coil brush (about $10–$20 from a hardware store) or an old paintbrush
• A torch, an old towel, and a helper if the fridge is heavy

Step by step

1. Switch off and unplug the fridge. Never clean coils with the power on. The condenser fan can start without warning.
2. Find the coils. On older fridges they're the black grid on the back. On most newer fridges they're underneath, behind the kick plate at the bottom front, often next to a small fan. Some fridges hide the condenser inside the side walls. If yours does, there's nothing to clean, so just keep the vents and the area around the fridge clear.
3. Pull the fridge out gently. Put a towel down on tiles or timber to protect the floor, and don't pull it so far that you stretch the power cord or water line.
4. Vacuum the loose dust off the coils, the fan and the floor underneath.
5. Brush out the packed dust. Slide the coil brush between the coils and fins, then vacuum again. Go gently; the fins bend easily.
6. Push it back and plug it in. Leave the recommended gap at the back, then give it a few hours to settle before checking the temperature.

How often should you clean fridge coils?

Twice a year is about right for most homes, ideally in spring before summer and again in autumn. If you have pets, or the fridge lives in a dusty garage, do it every three months.

Don't use water or spray cleaners on the coils, and don't poke around the compressor or pipework. If you see oily marks on the pipes or hear hissing, that can mean a gas leak, which needs a licensed technician.

Energy Efficient Fridge Tips to Cut Your Summer Power Bill

Your fridge runs 24 hours a day, so small changes add up, especially in summer when it's working hardest. These energy efficient fridge tips cost nothing or next to nothing:

• Keep it away from heat. Don't put the fridge next to the oven, the dishwasher, or a window that gets afternoon sun.
• Clean the coils and check the seals (above). These two do more for running costs than anything else.
• Don't over-cool it. Each degree colder than you need means the fridge runs longer. 3–4°C is plenty.
• Rethink the second fridge. The Australian Government's Energy Rating program points out that many households run a second fridge they don't really need. If the beer fridge in the garage is half empty most of the year, consider switching it off outside summer. Empty it, clean it and leave the door ajar so it doesn't go mouldy.
• Cover food and liquids. Uncovered food releases moisture, which the fridge then has to deal with as frost.
• When it's time to replace, check the Energy Rating label. More stars means less power, and the label shows the estimated kWh per year so you can compare models properly.

Thinking about replacing an old fridge? Read: Repair or Replace Your Fridge?

Heatwaves and Blackouts: Keeping Food Safe

Summer storms and heatwaves bring power cuts. If the power goes out, keep the doors shut. A closed fridge will usually keep food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer for around 48 hours (about 24 if it's half full).

Once the power is back, check the temperature. Food that has been above 5°C for less than two hours can go back in the fridge. Between two and four hours, use it straight away. Over four hours, throw it out. If the fridge won't cool properly after the power returns, a surge may have damaged a part, so give us a call.

A Note for Cafés and Restaurants

Commercial fridges in hot kitchens have an even tougher summer. Clean the condensers more often (monthly in a busy kitchen with grease in the air), keep a daily temperature log so you notice a slow drift early, and book a service before December. A breakdown mid-service in January costs far more than the maintenance.

Commercial fridge servicing is available for busy kitchens.

Signs Your Fridge Is Struggling With the Heat

• The compressor runs all the time and never seems to switch off.
• The sides or front of the cabinet are much hotter than usual. Warm sides are normal on many fridges, but too-hot-to-touch isn't.
• Food is going off faster, or the thermometer reads above 5°C.
• Water pooling inside or under the fridge, or ice building up on the back wall.
• Clicking, buzzing or rattling that wasn't there before.
• Your power bill has jumped and nothing else has changed.

If you notice any of these, book a check sooner rather than later. Small faults like a tired fan or a worn seal are cheap to fix now, but they can take out a compressor if they're left through a hot summer.

Read more: fridge not cooling guide · repair prices · urgent help

Fridge Maintenance Checklist: When to Do What

• Wipe spills and check use-by dates — Weekly, 5 min, DIY
• Check fridge and freezer temperatures — Monthly (weekly in summer), 2 min, DIY
• Clean the door seals — Every 3 months, 10 min, DIY
• Paper test on the seals — Every 6 months, 5 min, DIY
• Clean the condenser coils — Every 6 months (3 months with pets), 20 min, DIY
• Clear the defrost drain — Every 6 months, 10 min, DIY
• Change the water filter — Every 6 months, or as per the manual, 10 min, DIY
• Defrost a manual freezer — When ice reaches ~5 mm, 1–2 hrs, DIY
• Professional service (fans, gas, electrics) — Every 1–2 years, or before summer on older fridges, 45–60 min, Technician

Summer Fridge Maintenance FAQs

1. How do I keep my fridge cool in summer?

Clean the condenser coils, leave space around the fridge for air to circulate, keep it out of direct sun and away from the oven, check the door seals, and avoid opening the door more than you need to. Set it to 3–4°C rather than the coldest setting.

2. How often should I clean my fridge coils?

About twice a year for most homes, ideally before summer and again in autumn. If you have pets or the fridge is in a dusty garage, clean them every three months.

3. What temperature should my fridge be in summer?

The same as the rest of the year: 3–4°C in the fridge and around -18°C in the freezer. Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends keeping chilled food at 5°C or below.

4. Is it OK to keep a fridge in the garage in summer?

Only if it's rated for the heat. Check the climate class on the rating plate. A 'T' (tropical) rated fridge is designed for room temperatures up to 43°C, while an 'N' rated one is only designed for up to 32°C. Give it plenty of airflow and keep it out of the sun.

5. Why does my fridge run constantly in hot weather?

Some extra running is normal on very hot days. If it never switches off, the usual causes are dirty condenser coils, poor ventilation, a leaking door seal or low refrigerant. Clean the coils and check the seals first, and book a technician if it doesn't improve.

6. Does cleaning the coils really save power?

Yes. Clean coils let the fridge get rid of heat more easily, so the compressor doesn't run as long. It also takes strain off the compressor, which is the most expensive part to replace.

Get Your Fridge Ready Before the Heat Hits

A bit of maintenance now goes a long way in a Western Sydney summer. Work through these fridge maintenance tips, and if your fridge is older, noisy or already struggling, let us give it a once-over before the first heatwave. A licensed Parramatta technician will clean it properly, test it and tell you honestly how it's going.