The Best Kind Of Lightbulb For Your Refrigerator

Refrigerators are one of the most important appliances in your home, and as such, you should take care to upkeep and maintain them. There are a variety of chores you should regularly perform to keep your refrigerator working its best, including cleaning it, replacing water filters, etc.

Another thing you should make sure to keep up with is replacing the refrigerator light. According to Cinch Home Services, since refrigerator lightbulbs are only on when your fridge is open, they last for quite a while. That being said, they don't last forever, and, eventually, you'll likely need to replace yours. Since your refrigerator is such an important, and costly, appliance, you want to make sure you're choosing the right materials when it comes to upkeep, and that includes the lightbulbs. While that choice may seem simple enough, you need to ensure the lightbulb you choose is able to survive in the cold environment of your fridge.

The best way to make sure you choose the right lightbulb for your refrigerator is to check the manufacturer's guide or website, advises Cinch Home Services. Generally, though, you'll likely be on the search for an appliance lightbulb, no more than 40 watts. These can be found at most home improvement stores, like this one for just $9 at Home Depot.

The most popular refrigerator lightbulbs are incandescent, which are generally dim and yellow lights with short lifespans. However, they meet the needs and conditions of your refrigerator perfectly. You may also come across halogen, compact fluorescent lamps (CLFs), or LED light bulbs, all of which should be fine for your fridge if they're recommended by your manufacturer. Make sure you check out your fridge bulb before heading out to your nearest home improvement store, and make sure you know what base you need, too. As Upgraded Home notes, some refrigerators have bulbs with a T8 intermediate base, as opposed to a basic A15.

Now that you have the appropriate light bulb for your refrigerator, it's time to swap the old one out. To begin, Dan-Marc Appliance says to unplug the fridge, or at least flip the breaker off. While the process itself isn't dangerous, it's always a good idea to unplug anything with electrical wiring before messing with it.

Next, take out the old bulb. It'll likely be located on the ceiling of your refrigerator. Most refrigerator lights have a clicking mechanism you can use to pop off the cover, but some may have screws, in which case you can remove them to expose the light. Now that the cover's off, you can remove the old lightbulb by simply unscrewing it. This would be a good time to clean the cover, letting it dry while you switch out the bulb. Simply screw in the new light, replace the cover, and plug the fridge back in/turn the breaker back on. If the light still won't turn on, odds are the issue isn't with the fridge's lightbulb, and you'll need to contact an electrician.