- Experts recommend keeping refrigerators between 35°F and 38°F year-round, with 37°F as ideal. During heat waves, lowering to 35°F may help preserve food, though it increases electricity costs slightly.
- Cleaning condenser coils and ensuring proper air circulation around the refrigerator prevents the motor from overworking during extreme heat and helps maintain food freshness.
- Checking door gaskets for proper seals, avoiding overloading with room-temperature items, and storing perishables on middle shelves rather than doors reduces compressor strain during hot weather.
When it’s blazing hot outside, like it will be this week in many parts of the country, your refrigerator has to work that much harder to keep food cold. That begs the question: Is it worth lowering its temperature to provide an extra blast of cool air? The short answer: maybe, but don’t overdo it.
According to our experts in the Good Housekeeping Kitchen & Cooking Lab, where refrigerators and other large appliances are tested, the ideal refrigerator temperature at all times is between 35°F and 38°F. This recommendation is above the freezing point, so no ice crystals can form on food, but safely below the danger zone where bacteria starts to thrive.
If your refrigerator is set to 37°F, generally considered the sweet spot, it might make sense to drop its temperature closer to 35°F (just don’t cross that important threshold!). You’ll pay a few extra dollars in electricity, since the compressor will have to work harder to maintain the cooler temperature. But it will be worth it if it helps keep food fresh.
For refrigerators with a dial temperature control, instead of digital, it’s generally best to set the dial to the middle position (for example, 5 on a 1 to 10 dial). It’s a good idea to use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure that setting is maintaining the optimal temperature.
That said, there are other steps you can take that will do even more to help your refrigerator through the heat wave.
Clean the condenser coils.
Removing dust from the refrigerator coils will keep its motor and compressor from overworking. Most condensers are located behind or underneath the fridge, or behind the grille at the top of the fridge (check your user's manual if you're not sure). Unplug the fridge, then pull it out, if necessary, until you can reach the coils. A condenser-coil cleaning brush is the best tool for the job, but you can also use the brush attachment on your vacuum.
When sliding the refrigerator back into place, make sure it isn't pushed up right against the wall. You want air to circulate freely around the condenser to help disperse heat. A few inches between the wall and the refrigerator should do the trick.
Check the gasket.
This is the rubber seal that goes around the perimeter of the fridge and freezer doors. A dirty gasket won’t seal in cool air properly. Use a sponge and hot, soapy water to wipe it down. Once the gasket is clean and dry, test it by closing the refrigerator door over a dollar bill so that it's half in and half out. If you can pull the bill out easily, the gasket needs to be replaced.
Stock it correctly.
For starters, don’t overload the fridge with a lot of room-temperature items, like cases of seltzer or bottles of juice. This will make the compressor work harder. Avoid storing uncovered food and liquids, since they’ll release moisture into the unit, again causing it to overwork. And remember that the temperature of the shelves and bins in the door tends to be higher, so you don’t want to store perishable foods there. Keep things like eggs and milk on a middle shelf instead.
