New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- A refrigerator runs quietly in the background every day, which makes it easy to overlook until something goes wrong. With rising appliance costs and repair wait times stretching longer, extending the life of your fridge is more than just a smart move. Small, consistent habits can cut electricity use, prevent breakdowns and keep food fresh for longer. Here are five practical steps that can meaningfully extend the lifespan of your refrigerator.

Your fridge works hardest when temperatures fluctuate. The ideal settings are 4degC for the refrigerator compartment and −18degC for the freezer. Running the appliance colder than needed wastes energy and forces the compressor to cycle more frequently.

Daily habits help ...