Our refrigerator is only five years old and just before Christmas it stopped working. Is there anything we could have done to prevent this or help extend its life beyond five years?

There is very little maintenance any homeowner can implement on a refrigeration system that will extend its life. The central and most vulnerable component in any refrigerator is the compressor, a complex piece of machinery similar mechanically to a pump. However, you can increase the life expectancy of the overall system by cleaning the refrigerator coils.

The coils are located either on the backside or underneath your fridge. To locate them remove the kickplate under the fridge door. If they aren’t there then pull the fridge out. They will be fastened vertically to the back of the fridge body. Usually the coils in this location are quite clean. If they are under your fridge near the floor they will probably be covered in dust. This makes the compressor unit work harder to achieve the same cooling effect. So it is a good idea to clean these coils at least twice a year. To do this, unplug your fridge and use a vacuum cleaner to remove all the dust balls and debris on and around the coil unit. When you put your fridge back into its usual location make sure there is a good air flow all around the body of the fridge including over the top (a favorite kitchen clutter collector). 

If you own a fridge that is more than twenty years old you may want to consider replacing it with an energy efficient unit. Newer compressor units use less than half the electricity of older models. These savings on your monthly power bill can pay for the fridge in a relatively short period of time.