Households across the UK are being urged to put a piece of A4 paper in their fridge’s freezer compartment this week. As the hot summer weather continues to blaze with temperatures forecast to soar as high as 31C again by Friday, a lot of Brits may be caught out by the sweltering conditions and the knock-on effect on your home and its appliances which could end up costing you money.
One effect of the hot weather that you probably haven’t accounted for is the impact the baking temperatures can have on your food and drink – and indeed your entire freezer. According to white goods manufacturer Beko, a common issue with your fridge’s freezer could cause you to lose a lot of food in the hot temperatures, due to it going off early in the warmer conditions. That’s because if your fridge is a few years old, there’s a good chance that the seal around the door is not working properly any more either on the chilled fridge section or the freezer compartment.
If that happens, not only will it increase your energy bills as your fridge and freezer work harder to keep food cold, but it will also cause damage to the fridge and can cause food to go off more quickly.
To check, all you need is a single sheet of A4 paper. Many kitchen fridges these days are fridge/freezer combi appliances, and will have sections for both the fridge and freezer that need to be kept sealed tight to make sure your food is protected from the hot weather.
A spokesman for Beko said: “One issue that may arise with your fridge is wear and tear on the door seal. A worn-out door seal can prevent the refrigerator door from closing properly, causing the cooling system to work harder to keep your groceries fresh.
“This can lead to increased energy consumption and potential damage to your fridge and its temperature settings.
“Warm air entering your fridge can overwhelm the cooling system, especially during hot summer days.”
A freezer with a faulty or loose seal can also stop working properly due to a build up of excessive ice.
Beko says: “Excessive ice acts as an insulator in a freezer, meaning your appliance needs to work harder to keep your food cold. As a result, the lifespan of your appliance may be reduced and your energy bills will increase.”
Salah Sun, Head of Product Management at Beko UK, said: “To check if your door is functioning correctly, use a piece of paper. You can buy paper for as little as 1p or use any paper you have at home.
“Place the paper against the door seal and close the door. When you try to pull the paper out, you should feel some resistance. If the paper slides out easily, your door seal may need replacing.”
According to the Met Office, the hot weather is set to continue all week. Friday will be the peak at 31C in London, but Saturday and Sunday will still hold steady at 26C, followed by a slight rise again into next week with 28C on Monday and Tuesday.
The Met Office says in its forecast for this Friday (August 15) to Sunday (August 17): “Mostly dry through this period. Variable amounts of cloud, but warm or very warm for many, perhaps hot on Friday, with some bright or sunny spells likely.”
It added for Sunday to Tuesday: “High pressure will be dominant across much of the UK at the start of this period. This will bring a good deal of fine and dry weather with spells of sunshine for many. Any showers will probably be confined to the far south-west of the UK but could be heavy and thundery. Temperatures are likely to be well above normal, especially in the south.”