If the ice is not removed properly, the refrigerator may explode. How should we remove ice correctly?

The emergence of various household appliances has provided great convenience to our lives, but if they are not properly operated during use and maintenance, convenience may turn into danger.

I believe many people have seen news reports about various home appliances exploding, and this time we are talking about refrigerators. Can refrigerators explode? Yes, not to mention the distant past. On July 7, 2023, a refrigerator explosion occurred in Luoshan County, Xinyang, Henan, which eventually caused a tragedy of one death and one injury. As ordinary people, in addition to feeling sorry for this tragic accident, we are also very concerned about how to avoid such accidents. So why do refrigerators explode?

During normal use, it is rare for a refrigerator to explode. Most refrigerator explosion accidents are related to one behavior, which is de-icing.

Anyone who has defrosted a refrigerator knows that it is not an easy job and it is not something that can be done in a hurry, because the thick layer of ice condensed inside the refrigerator is difficult to remove. If we use sharp objects to poke and cut the ice out of impatience, it is likely to cause damage to the refrigerator, and this damage is a huge safety hazard. Why? Because the various pipes and lines inside the refrigerator are intricate, if you use sharp objects to poke and cut, it is likely to puncture these pipes and lines.

If the metal tube inside the refrigerator is punctured, the refrigerant may leak out, and the leaked refrigerant may cause the refrigerator to explode.

There are many types of refrigerants that can be used in refrigerators. One of the most common refrigerants is "R32". You can find out which refrigerant is used by just looking at the label on the compressor of your refrigerator. What is R32? R32 is actually difluoromethane, which is flammable. If difluoromethane leaks and reaches an explosive concentration, and a spark occurs in the punctured circuit, it is likely to cause an explosion.

Even if the line is not punctured, when we use metal objects to remove ice, sparks may be generated due to the friction between the metal objects and metal pipes, which may also cause an explosion.

This is just an example. R32 is not the only refrigerant used in refrigerators that may cause explosions. For example, another commonly seen refrigerant R600a is also flammable and explosive. Its chemical name is isobutane, which can also be found in natural gas. So how can we de-ice the refrigerator safely?

To defrost the refrigerator, you must use a special de-icing shovel, which is a small plastic shovel that is given as a gift when you buy a refrigerator. This tool is not sharp and its strength is not enough to damage the refrigerator.

Of course, sometimes it is impossible to poke off the thick ice with this small shovel. At this time, we should not be anxious. Turn off the power of the refrigerator and let the excess ice slowly melt to a certain extent before poking it off. If you are really anxious, there are some ways to speed up the melting of the ice. We know that the freezing point of salt water mixture is much lower than that of pure water, so if we apply salt on the ice, it can speed up the melting of the ice.

If this method still seems slow, you can also use hot air from a hair dryer to blow the ice cubes, which may make them melt faster.

If you want to be quick but don't want to do it yourself, you can also connect a large bowl of hot water and place it under the ice. It won't take long for the ice to melt and fall off. So what should you do if you accidentally puncture the refrigerator during the de-icing process? The first step is to turn off the power to the refrigerator, then open the indoor windows for ventilation. For safety reasons, be able to evacuate the room first, and then call the maintenance number for inspection. If you are not sure that there is no problem with the refrigerator, do not risk turning on the power.