Fridges

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should a fridge be?

A fridge should be kept between 3°C and 5°C. This will help to keep food fresh and free from bacteria.

If you want to check the temperature of your fridge after changing the setting you should wait for 24 hours before doing so. This is because it takes a day for fridges to fully adjust to setting changes.

What number should my fridge be on?

Many fridges have dials that are numbered 1-5 and this is what you can use to change the fridge settings.

The numbers on the dial indicate the power level of the fridge. The higher the number, the higher the power and the cooler the fridge will be. It is important to choose the right number as the wrong setting can result in food freezing or not being kept cool enough.

To work out what number your fridge should be on you should consider how full the fridge is.

If you normally store lots of food in the fridge you should use higher settings, keeping the dial on 3-4, but if your fridge is fairly empty, you should use settings 1-2.

You may need to test out the settings on your specific fridge to see what works best for you. If you notice that your fridge is staring to freeze food you should trial a lower number, but if you notice that food is not being kept cool enough, you should turn the dial up. Remember, when you change the setting of a fridge, it takes 24 hours for the temperature to adjust.

Why is my fridge freezing?

There are a few different reasons that your fridge may be freezing, including:

1. Your fridge setting is too high. If your fridge is still freezing 24 hours after you turn down the power setting, it may indicate that you have a bigger issue.

2. The air vents are blocked. Fridges have air vents to help circulate cool air and if these are blocked by food or grime it can cause your fridge to freeze.

3. Your fridge door seals aren't working. If seals are broken or damaged air can escape while the door is shut. This can cause your fridge to freeze because it cannot regulate or maintain the temperature.

4. The temperature sensor isn't working properly. When a temperature sensor is faulty, a fridge may end up freezing as it cannot identify how cold the air is.

If your fridge continues to freeze, you may need to get it repaired by an expert or, if your fridge is old, we recommend getting a new fridge. You can buy a fridge from Homebase online or in-store.