How to Keep the Refrigerator Door Closed

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Your refrigerator is the coolest appliance you own, well technically the freezer is, but both of them only work if they remain closed. An open refrigerator won’t work as efficiently, and it can burn you on your monthly utility bills. Allowing the refrigerator door to remain open forces the unit to use 7% more energy to cool down the food inside. That number might seem miniscule, but it can make a big difference.

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A Little Self Evaluation
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine if a blockage is keeping your door from closing. Make sure the crisper drawers are closed and rearrange containers to ensure your door a clear closing path.
Clean the Gaskets
Your gasket is the rubber or plastic lining that acts as a buffer between your refrigerator door and the frame it fits into. All types of grease, dirt and grime can get trapped in your gasket and prevent your door from sealing shut. Clean the gasket with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. After you dry the gasket, try closing the door again and see if your hard work paid off.
Break Out the Level
If your door still won’t close, it could be due to the fact that at some point your fridge lost its balance. Lay a level across the top of your refrigerator and remove the bottom grill to access the ‘feet’ of your unit. Adjust the feet with pliers or a wrench until you see the level is resting where it should be. This might be a two man job unless you have super vision and can see the bubble from underneath your fridge.
Take it Apart
This might be the point where you give up and reach out to a professional for help. If none of the previous steps were successful, it is time to take the door off of the fridge and inspect it. It could be a faulty closing cam on the bottom of your door or a hinge that is way past its prime. If this doesn’t interest you, a refrigerator professional will be able to detect and solve the problem quickly and have you up and running in no time.

If your refrigerator door is giving you problems, look no further than Speedy Refrigerator Service for your repair. Call (866) 782-9376 to schedule your same-day appointment, or click around on our website and check out the services we offer.

Stop Underutilizing the Space Above Your Fridge

Cleaning & Organization Tips Long Island, , , , ,

Unfortunately, a bigger kitchen is not always attainable, so you need to make due with the space you currently have. Spaces like the one above your fridge can serve a purpose if you utilize them correctly. Check out some creative ways to take that area above your fridge from space waster to space saver!

Install Shelves
Shelves are easy to put up and can save you a ton of space in the kitchen. If your cookbooks are currently in a drawer, you are doing it all wrong. Hang some shelves above your refrigerator and stock your books up there. Now you can use that drawer for more oftenly-used items like Tupperware and utensils.

Hang Up Some Entertainment
Some people actually take the space above their fridge and turn it into an entertainment center. Mounting a television in this area is great for watching the morning news or your children’s favorite cartoons.

Put Up a Wine Rack
Hanging a wine rack on the wall above the fridge is a great way to keep it from getting in the way. There is no need to have it on the floor where bottles can be knocked into and broken. Nobody likes when wine goes to waste!

Utilize Storage Boxes
Take wood or felt storage boxes that match your wall paint and stack them on top of your fridge. We wouldn’t recommend putting frequently used items up there, but it is not a bad spot to store holiday kitchen decorations.   

Now that you are an expert on the space above fridge, let us handle what is on the inside. If your fridge is having trouble getting through this hot summer, look no further than Speedy Refrigerator Service for your repairs. Call (866) 782-9376 to schedule your same-day appointment, or visit us on the web.

Keeping Your Food Fresh During a Power Outage

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We are what we eat, right? That is why our food’s safety is so vital, no matter the circumstances. When the summer storms arrive, it is important to have your fridge prepared in case the power fails.

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Before
If the New York City area is expecting a tropical storm, there is no time to waste. On your trip to the store you should pick up a few precautionary items: such as an appliance thermometer, plastic storage bags, and a cooler. If the storm is powerful enough to knock out the power, you should already be prepared. Before the storm hits, you should fill up a few storage bags about halfway with water and place them in the freezer.

During
When the lights go out, check your refrigerator right away to see if that has failed too. If it has, you want to make sure you keep the doors fully closed. A refrigerator can keep food cold for about 4 hours without the help of electricity. When the thermometer starts to read higher than 37-38° F, start the food migration into the coolers you prepared earlier. Start unloading food into your coolers and place the frozen bags tightly around the food. Every so often you should place your thermometer into the cooler to make sure the temperature is below 40°F.  

After
Don’t place food back into the fridge until the temperature reads at least 40°F. Food kept at temperatures above this threshold can become contaminated in as little as two hours. If you have to question whether or not a food item stayed safe during the outage, throw it out! There is no need to take unnecessary risks when it comes to your health.

If your power isn’t the problem, it could be your refrigerator. Speedy Refrigerator Service has been serving the New York City and Long Island area for over 75 years and we would love to help you out! Call (866) 782-9376 to schedule your same-day appointment, or visit us on the web.

 

A Guide to Safer Leftovers

Cleaning & Organization Tips Long Island, , , , ,

The best kind of meals are the ones large enough to feed the whole family. Whatever recipe you are trying for a Sunday meal, it is best to double it for good measure. But after that meal is over and you feel like you’re going to explode, it is time to store that food so you can pick on it throughout the week. Make sure you are storing your leftovers properly, because inadequate storage can lead to food poisoning or worse!

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Here are some tips to help you out:

  • Don’t let your food sit out for more than 2 hours without being refrigerated.
  • When you have a large amount of leftovers, it is best to separate them into smaller containers. This will allow the cool air to circulate around the food and stop bacteria growth before it even starts.
  • With any kind of stuffed meats, it is best to remove the stuffing and refrigerate them separately. If you choose to leave the stuffing inside, you run the risk of it becoming too warm and possibly contaminated.
  • Refrigerated leftovers should be consumed within 4 days of the time they were cooked. Anything longer than this and it should be kept in the freezer for safety. Bacteria can’t grow in freezer temperatures, so this will allow you significantly more time to enjoy your food than refrigerator storage.
  • When you reheat leftovers, it is not enough to just make them warm. Food should be microwaved to a temperature of 165°F, or until you can see it steam.
  • The optimal temperature for refrigerator food storage is between 34-38°F. The key to safer leftovers is having a fridge that can get the job done.

If your fridge is having trouble maintaining the optimal temperature, there is a chance it is need of repair. Speedy Refrigerator Service has been serving the New York City and Long Island area for over 75 years and we would love to help you out! Call (866) 782-9376 to schedule your same-day appointment, or visit us on the web.

The Most Dangerous Place in Your Fridge

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The purpose of a refrigerator is to keep your food cold and safe. But without proper maintenance and cleaning, the fridge can actually become a very dangerous place. So, what part of your fridge is the most dangerous? The answer is the salad drawer, and it isn’t even close.

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The Problem
Bacteria growth in salad drawers is substantially greater than the rest of the fridge. A study done in the UK found some startling results about the severity of this problem. “Tests from 30 different salad drawers found a startling number of bacteria, with an average of 7,850 bacteria colony-forming units per square centimetre (cfu/cm2). In some cases, it found 129,000 bacteria per cfu/cm2,” researchers said. 

This can be linked to a series of factors, but one is more glaring than the others. Salad drawers are often left uncleaned! When you remove food from your fridge for a cleaning, make sure you remember to remove your salad drawer and clean it separately. The moisture that the salad needs to stay fresh is also providing drinking water for harmful bacterium. It might be a good idea to clean your salad drawer more frequently than the rest of your fridge.

The Solution
If you are a frequent salad eater, you might want to keep reading. This clever little trick will help keep your salad drawer safe and bacteria-free.

  1. Wash down your salad leaves in a clean sink.
  2. Once you are satisfied with the wash, place the leaves in a salad spinner and let them dry.
  3. Take a kitchen towel and line the bottom and sides of your salad drawer with it. Then, take the leaves from your salad spinner and place them on top of the towel in your drawer.
  4. Lastly, place a paper towel on top of your salad to remove any excess moisture.
  5. Enjoy your fresh, clean and crisp salad!

Storing your salad this way not only makes it taste better, but it is cleaner too. You have to change out your leaves once a week, so bacteria will never have a chance to grow!

If you run into any problems with a salad drawer, or anything in your refrigerator, the experts at Speedy Refrigerator Service are just a phone call away. We offer 24/7 service to Long Island and New York City, so call us any time at 866-782-9376.