3/16/20 - Zoro Staff
Probably the most-used appliance in any kitchen, the refrigerator is likely taken for granted for what it is specifically designed to quietly and effectively do—keep its contents cool to ensure they're preserved to stay fresh longer.
Before the advent of modern refrigeration technology and its widespread use, most people resorted to heavily salting, pickling, or canning food to preserve it. If wealthy, you could afford an ice house that utilized ice blocks taken from a nearby frozen river to prolong the life of perishable food. Fortunately, in 1913, refrigerators for home use were introduced and were more widely used in the U.S. a couple of decades later as prices fell and non-toxic, non-flammable synthetic refrigerants such as Freon-12 (R-12) were introduced. After it was determined that R-12 caused damage to the earth's ozone layer, it was banned in refrigerators and was replaced by the environmentally friendly R-134a. It remains in use today.
So, how do today's refrigerators work and allow for today's households to keep food fresh longer?
First, the compressor constricts the refrigerant (Freon R134-a) vapor, raising its pressure, and pushing it into coils on the refrigerator's exterior, typically located on the back of the unit. Next, the hot gas in the coils meets the cooler air temperature of the kitchen, or the refrigerator's surroundings, which turns the gas to liquid. Now in a liquid form and under high pressure, the refrigerant cools as it flows into the coils within the refrigerator. The cooled refrigerant now absorbs the heat within the refrigerator, while simultaneously cooling down the air inside it. Finally, the refrigerant continues flowing through the coils and evaporates to gas again, flows back to the compressor, and the cycle starts all over.
While it may seem odd to think that there's "heat" within a refrigerator since it's always cold, remember it didn't start that way. Before plugging it in to get it working, the inside of the chiller box is anything but chilled. However, once the cycle begins, the refrigerator will gradually cool down to the point where it will effectively preserve and prolong the life of what's stored inside of it. In fact, all the food, juices, and jars of pickles, olives, and more inside your refrigerator contain a lot of water, which takes time and energy to cool down.
Ironically, modern-day refrigerators also have an onboard heater to keep things inside from getting too cold. Very low-wattage, the heaters are convenient and help with heating the evaporator coils or melting any frost that might accumulate, while also ensuring a brick of cheese doesn't freeze solid. In fact, the ideal temperature range to set your home refrigerator for perishable food storage is between 37° to 41°F, while the freezer should be set at 0°F or below. For commercial refrigerators and freezers, those settings are also good to maintain sufficient food preservation.
Types of Refrigerators
Modern refrigerator/freezers can be free-standing or built into a kitchen and are available in a variety of popular styles, including side-by-side, freezer on top over the refrigerator, and refrigerator on top over the freezer. Others include a French door-style unit along with less expensive compact refrigerators, built to save space but with less storage space inside. Around 10 million refrigerators are sold each year in the United States. Standard, residential-type refrigerators usually last between 10 to 18 years, with an average life of about 14 years. Compact refrigerators last from 4 to 12 years and on average 8 years.
Disposing of Unwanted Refrigerators
When it's time to replace or get rid of a refrigerator, there are a few options you can pursue. You can contact a local appliance retailer to learn if they have a service that will pick up your old refrigerator. You can also take it to a center where it will be recycled. Or, donate your gently used refrigerator to charity or to a service such as the Salvation Army where it may be repurposed. There's also the chance that you can throw away your refrigerator with the garbage if it's allowed in your community, as some waste collection services don't permit it. If you do this, it's a good idea to remove the door completely before setting it at the curb. Finally, you can get rid of an unwanted refrigerator by simply using a junk removal service.
Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.