Open Refrigerators Waste Money
Since there is no way around this expenditure, if you are concerned about your refrigerators efficiency, try putting these practical habits into effect.
1. Don’t stand in front of it with the door open. This is the single biggest reason refrigerators cost what they do. We will stand there, letting all the cold air out, forcing the compressor to kick in and cool it off again. The less that compressor is running, the less electricity it will draw.
2. Adjust the temperature to fit the season. If you are like me, you set it, and then forget it. A good way to gauge temperature is to take a thermometer and place it inside a glass of water, within the refrigerator. Wait a few hours, it should read 34-40 degrees F. If yours is too cold, turn it up a little. Your food will still remain fresh and you won’t have to cool anymore than you have to. Likewise with the freezer; it should read somewhere between 0-5 degrees F.
3. If you don’t use the freezer that much, try filling a few milk cartons with frozen water. Leave them inside the freezer to help keep the temperature constant. It will keep your compressor from working too hard, and add extra cold air to help fill up the space.
4. Don’t be in such a hurry to put away warm food after a meal. Leave it out, and let it cool down to room temperature before you add it to the refrigerators space. This can add more to your savings than you think.
5. Lastly, pull the refrigerator out once in awhile and vacuum the coils on the back of it. Dirt and dust will interfere with the cooling system, and making it work harder than it needs to, but a little dusting will help you get the most out of your appliance, and help it last longer than most others of the same age.
Applying these simple guidelines will add to your refrigerators life and effectiveness, and help you save more money for the things that you can do without ~
