photo by Mr. T in DC
Depending on the brand of refrigerator you have and it’s age you probably spend between $85 and $100 per year to keep your food cool. For most people this amount could be greatly reduced by changing just a few habits.
Use these tips to spend less money operating your refrigerator, save energy and lower your electric bill.
Keep Your Refrigerator and Freezer at the Right Temperature
Keep your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your refrigerator between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep Your Refrigerator and Freezer Full
It sounds like an old wives tale, but if you have extra space in your fridge or freezer fill them with large containers of water placed in the back. If your refrigerator and freezer are full they’ll use less energy than if they’re empty.
Keep the Coils Behind Your Fridge and Freezer Clean
If these coils are dirty, your unit will work harder. If you haven’t cleaned yours in the last 6 months, it’s time. Clean them again every six months. Note: Some unit’s coils are on the bottom instead of the back.
Replace Your Seals
If you notice your refrigerator not staying closed or not closing tightly enough, you should check your seals for worn areas. Do this by placing a sheet of paper between the seal and the door and closing it. Then pull the paper slowly, if it comes out easily your seals are worn and should be replaced. Try this all the way around the doors. If it gives you some resistance, check again in six months.
Keep Your Fridge Closed
Every time you open the door, the unit has to work hard to cool back off. If you need something, open the door and get everything you need at once. If you don’t know what you want, try to visualize what you have inside, instead of opening it and staring for several minutes.
Don’t Put Hot Food in Your Fridge or Freezer
If you’re putting leftovers in the fridge, let them cool first. Putting hot or warm items in your unit can cause it to heat up dramatically and it will make your unit work harder to cool back off.
Cover Food
Food inside your fridge can release humidity if it is not covered completely, this causes your unit to work harder to remove the humidity.
Defrost Your Frozen Food in the Fridge
If you’re defrosting something place it in the fridge while it thaws. This will help keep the temperature down in your fridge and helps ensure that your food won’t spoil.
Buy Energy Star
If your refrigerator breaks or you’re ready for a new one, replace it with an Energy Star model and you could cut your refrigerator bill in half. If your fridge was manufactured before 1993 you could be paying well over $100 per year to run it.
If you have any questions about these tips please leave a comment.
You can also call us at 866-284-8604 for a Free Energy Analysis to get many more tips like these.
