Your Refrigerator Cleaning Checklist

October 31, 2016Food Tipsadmin

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and your refrigerator needs to be in tip-top shape to get you through the holiday. That starts with some maintenance and there is no reason to carry a dirty refrigerator into the most important time of the year. Use this checklist we have provided to clean things up and get your kitchen back on track!

Take Out the Food- Clear some counter-space, put down a towel and start removing everything from your refrigerator. Once it is all clear, go through the items and sort them into groups based on their expiration dates. Then, throw away all items that are past their limits.

Remove Shelves/ Drawers- After you’re done with the food, you can continue your excavation by removing shelves and drawers. Place these items in the sink under soap and hot water so they can disinfect.

Wipe it Clean- Take a cloth and run it under soap and hot water and wring it out until it is damp. Be sure to gently scrub your refrigerators gasket to ensure that there is no grease or debris weakening the seal.

Clean and Replace Shelves/ Drawers- Wipe down your drawers and shelves in the sink with dish soap and warm water. If you let them soak as we mentioned earlier, the grease and dirt should come right up.

Replace Food Properly- Remember when we said to organize your food and drinks into groups? Now it is time to take those groups and place the newest items in the back and the oldest in the front. This will force you to use up the groceries that might have gone to waste if you kept them in the back of the fridge.

If your refrigerator needs more than a clean, we can help you with that. We are currently offering a $39.95 Refrigerator Tune-Up special that will kick things into high gear for the busiest time of year. If you are concerned about the current state of your refrigerator, our team can be there to assist you in one hour or less.

To schedule service, call Speedy Refrigerator Service at 866-782-9376 or click around on our website!

How to Refrigerate Halloween Treats

“Trick or Treat!” Regardless of what you have in your bowl, the excitement of Halloween is enough to drive any child crazy. They’re all out with their friends, dressed to impress and looking for the house that has the best goodies. Well, you can make your house that house by adopting some of these refrigerated candy treats.

Candy Apples
The candy apple is a difficult thing to keep fresh. Not only do you have to keep the hard covered candy coating from spoiling, you also have to worry about the apple underneath. An important thing to remember when it comes to refrigerating candy apples is that you need to beware of the gap, or where the stick enters the top of the apple. If there is a space, air can get inside of the apple and spoil it quicker than usual. If you want to keep your apples fresh for the maximum amount of time, try using the following storage tactic.

Place apple upside down (stick upwards) on a piece of wax paper.
Bring the four corners of the wax paper together and tie them around the stick tightly.
For more reinforcement, you could try wrapping the apples in plastic wrap prior to the wax paper.
After you have done this, you can try decorating your wrapping to enhance the presentation.

Chocolate
Most chocolate does not belong in the refrigerator. But if you are someone who enjoys a nice cool treat, there is a right and wrong way to do it. You shouldn’t bother storing store bought candy in the fridge. It will only make it stale and difficult to chew. As for homemade fudge, you’ll want to keep it in the refrigerator at around 40°F on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap. Make sure you store it on a shelf where nothing can go on top and it shouldn’t be in there for longer than three days.

At Speedy Refrigerator Service, we have been keeping refrigerators going through the holiday season for over 75 years. For us, Halloween marks the start of the holiday season and that means we are kicking it into high gear! We are still offering $25 off of our appliance repair service and we would encourage you to take advantage of that today.

To claim your coupon and schedule service, call 866-782-9376 or click around on our website!

The Refrigerator Dictionary

October 18, 2016Uncategorizedrefrigerator repairs in nyc, refrigerator repairs long island, refrigerator repairs queens, refrigerator repairs suffolk county, refrigerator service in suffolk county, refrigerator service long island, refrigerator service nyc, refrigerator service queensadmin

Webster’s gave us the responsibility of designing a dictionary specifically for our industry. They said they wanted the team who had 75 years of experience to lay out a few terms that homeowners should know about the most important appliance in their home–the refrigerator. So here we go with our first edition of the Speedy Dictionary for Refrigerators!

Compressor: This is the powerhouse of your entire unit. The compressor compresses low pressure gas into high pressured gas to adjust its temperature. Once this process is complete, it moves into the condenser for the next step of the process.

Condenser: This is where all the magic happens. This part of your fridge condenses that gas from the compressor into a liquid refrigerant that helps keep your refrigerator cold.

Crisper Drawers: This is how you keep all those fresh fruit and veggies from spoiling. These drawers are usually located on the bottom of your refrigerator with adjustable humidity settings for specific types of produce. Make sure you take good care of these drawers however, they collect bacteria rather quickly.

Gasket: This is the rubber lining that works it’s way around the door of your refrigerator. While it might look unimportant, it is actually crucial to maintaining an efficient refrigerator. It locks that cool air in and a faulty gasket needs to be dealt with immediately.

Drain Pan: Your drain pan is located out of sight next to your compressor and it has a very important job. It collects all of the excess water that is left over after the defrost cycle so that it doesn’t wind up on your floor.

Energy Rating: This is important for those environmentally conscious homeowners out there. Energy Star rates your unit on a scale from A-G based on how well it operates in normal conditions. The higher the rating, the less energy is consumed.

Our expertise gives us the ability to fix any refrigerator problems, big or small. We are New York’s premiere refrigerator repair service and we have been helping customers in the area for the past 75 years. We handle all makes and models so don’t hesitate to give us a call the next time you are having trouble.

To schedule service, call 866-782-9376 or click around on our website!

Baby-Proofing Your Refrigerator

October 14, 2016Uncategorizedrefrigerator repairs in nyc, refrigerator repairs long island, refrigerator repairs queens, refrigerator repairs suffolk county, refrigerator service in suffolk county, refrigerator service queens, suffolk county freezer repair, suffolk county refrigeration serviceadmin

When it comes to the little one in your life, you can never be too careful. Your child is so curious and quick that almost anything in your home can pose a threat, the refrigerator included. They could hit themselves in the head with the door or get inside and eat something that they shouldn’t. Either way, you’ll want to keep them out of the area and safely tucked away in the playroom. Here are some tips to baby-proof the refrigerator in your home:

No Babies Allowed!
Your refrigerator likely lies in your kitchen, so you could eliminate the threat by denying your child unsupervised kitchen access. Bring in one of your handy baby gates and block off the entrance, or entrances into your kitchen. This will ensure your child’s safety from the refrigerator and all of the other hazards that lie in your kitchen drawers.

Hold the Door
A little Game of Thrones reference for all you fans out there! But instead of holding the door against the living dead, you need to hold the door against your little guy/girl. There are various different door locks on the market to help you with this task.

Button-Strap Lock: This lock is easy to install and easy to remove, but that could be a problem. It holds the door shut with adhesive that wears out over time. It is cheap and easy, but that doesn’t mean it is the best solution!
Padlock Fridge Lock: This lock is durable and very difficult for a child to break. The downside is that it can be a nuisance to undo every time you need something from the fridge.
Clip Strap Fridge Lock: This lock easily holds french style doors closed with the help of a simple strap. This lock is not uncrackable, but it can keep most babies out and it is easy for a parent to remove.

No Wet Floors
The last thing you need to lock down is your refrigerator’s water dispenser. This isn’t necessarily dangerous for your child, but it can cause a big mess that you don’t want to clean. Look inside your owner’s manual and search for the lock settings on your dispenser. Most new models will have this feature and it can go a long way to keeping your floors nice and dry.

At Speedy Refrigerator Service, we keep your refrigerator running so you’ll always have something to baby-proof. We can fix leaks, electrical problems and much more with the help of our warehouse on wheels. When we arrive to your home, our trucks are already stocked with all the parts you’ll need so we can get the job done quickly and efficiently.

To schedule service, call 866-782-9376 or click around on our website!

Fall Refrigerator Maintenance Tips

October 12, 2016Uncategorizedfrigidaire refrigerator repair nyc, refrigerator repairs in nyc, refrigerator repairs long island, refrigerator repairs suffolk county, refrigerator service in suffolk county, refrigerator service long island, refrigerator service nyc, refrigerator service queensadmin

Baking season is upon us and that means it is time to clear out the fridge to make room for dessert. The only thing that can ruin a great pie or crisp is the malfunction of your refrigerator. Don’t anger your guests, just make sure your refrigerator is in working order before the season gets into full swing. Check Seals
The absolute worst thing that can happen to a refrigerator is a loss of cool air. When you have a loose seal, that is exactly what happens and it causes your refrigerator to work even harder to cool down your food. This overexertion can lead to other problems and you need to put a stop to it before it progresses. Check your seals every 4-6 months and feel around to make sure no cold air is escaping.

Clean the Coils
If your refrigerator coils are covered by dust and debris, it is nearly impossible for your unit to run properly. When it tries to, it will lead to overheating and some costly repairs. Every 4-6 months, you should pull the fridge from the wall and clean the coils located underneath or behind your unit.

Set the Temperature
The proper temperature is essential to getting the most out of your refrigerator. Setting the unit between 37-42°F is ideal for maximum efficiency. But don’t trust your thermostat! When you perform your other maintenance, you should also put a standing thermometer on the shelf and double check the temperature inside your fridge.

Fill It Up
It’s debatable, but most studies show that filling up the refrigerator does improve efficiency. Adding more ‘stuff’ to your fridge helps to absorb the heat from the outside air and it makes your refrigerator’s job much easier. If you have a lot of empty space inside, fill it up with water bottles to compensate.

Be Prepared
If your power goes out, make sure your refrigerator remains sealed for 48 hours. This will keep your food fresh before you have to move it into a cooler.

At Speedy Refrigerator Service, we pride ourselves on saving the day from refrigerator malfunctions. If your maintenance wasn’t enough, just give us a call and we will be at your NYC or Long Island home in one hour or less.

To schedule service in Nassau County, Suffolk County or Queens, call 866-782-9376 or click around on our website!