Energy Efficient Refrigerator Tips

Save Money with these Energy-Efficient Refrigerator Tips

Refrigerators are switched on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  That means that they use a lot of power – in fact, your fridge can use up to 15% of your utility bill. Is yours an energy-efficient refrigerator?

It makes sense to be “refrigerator wise” and know all the insider tips and tricks to easily reduce your energy costs.

Using these tips – divided into different sections to make it easy to reference – will save you money.  After all, why should you give your hard-earned money to the utility companies?

Plus, keeping your refrigerator running well is important for food safety as well as for saving energy.

Inside your Refrigerator – Contents

How you store food in your refrigerator can create an energy-efficient refrigerator – or not.

• An almost empty fridge must use less power, right?  Wrong!  A refrigerator that’s almost empty will use more electricity, because there’s more air to cool.  A fuller fridge will have less air to cool, so it needs less energy.
• Make sure all liquids are covered and all food is wrapped or covered in the fridge.   Uncovered food dries out and you lose flavour, plus the moisture released by the food means your fridge has to work harder.
• Make sure hot food is cooled before putting it in the fridge.

Refrigerator Location

For an energy-efficient refrigerator,

1. position your fridge away from direct sunlight and other heat sources like ovens, heaters and dishwashers.
2. provide good air circulation around the top, sides and back of your fridge—at least 3 inches or 7 cm. Restricting ventilation around the back of the fridge can add 15% to your fridge’s operating costs.

Refrigerator Settings and Operation

To make sure you have an energy-efficient refrigerator:

• Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible to keep the cold air in.
• Set the correct temperature:  Keep your fridge set at 37 – 40 Fahrenheit or 3 – 4 Celsius.
• Use a fridge thermometer to check that the internal temperature is set correctly. You can find these online or in kitchenware stores.
• Place your thermometer in a glass of water in the centre of the fridge. Read the thermometer after 24 hours.
• Check the door seals with a piece of paper. Insert the paper in different positions around the fridge door, half in and half out of the door.  If the paper pulls out easily when the door is closed, you are losing cold air through gaps – you need to replace the seals.  If the paper stays in place, your seals are working well.
• Defrost the freezer whenever the ice builds up to a quarter-inch or half-a-centimetre thick to keep it working well.  Although automatic defrost refrigerators are convenient, their defrosting features use a lot of electricity. A manual defrost refrigerator typically uses 36% less energy.
• Clean the condenser coils on the back occasionally (if there are any) with a brush or vacuum —it makes a difference to the performance.  Unplug the refrigerator before you start cleaning.

When you’re not Using the Fridge

• If you have a second fridge, switch it off when it’s not needed and leave the door ajar.
• When you are away for longer periods, turn off, defrost, empty and clean the refrigerator and leave the door ajar.
• If you’ve got an old fridge that you’re using “just in case”, get rid of it – it’s costing you more than you think! (See below for tips on getting rid of it).  Old fridges are definitely not energy efficient refrigerators.

Should You Buy a New Energy-Efficient Refrigerator?

If your fridge is more than 10 years old, then the answer is probably Yes.  Older fridges were far less efficient.  Getting rid of an old fridge can save you up to $300 each month in energy costs!

How do you know if replacing your fridge will be worth the expense?  Easy – use an online calculator!  In the USA go to this Energy Star calculator.   For Europe go to this calculator.

Check locally before you buy – there may be rebates or incentives to encourage you to replace really old (probably pre-1990) refrigerators for more modern, energy-efficient units.

Which Energy-Efficient Refrigerator Should I buy?

1. When purchasing a new refrigerator, make sure you get a high-efficiency model.   Look for an energy-efficient refrigerator (Energy Star or A+++).  Compare the Energy Guide labels and choose the unit that uses the least amount of electricity.
2. If you want to buy a combination fridge-freezer, remember that a top-freezer model is more energy-efficient than a side-by-side or bottom-freezer appliance.
3. Gadgets such as water and ice machines in the door add to the cost, restrict the placement of the machine (because you need to get a water supply to it), and use more energy too.  (Is it really that much more difficult to just open the door?).
4.  Choose the right size refrigerator for your household’s needs – larger models use more energy.
5. Finally, look for brands and features.

What Should I do with My Old Fridge?

• Don’t just keep your old fridge “in case” – as it gets older, it costs you more and more money.  Get rid of it – properly (you can’t just “dump” it).   Here are some ideas:
• Many appliance retailers will pick up and recycle your old fridge or freezer when you purchase a new one.
• Your local waste management division may offer heavy trash pick-up and recycling programs for appliances. Contact them directly for information.
• Local scrap metal recyclers can recycle your old fridge – there is a lot of recyclable steel and other materials in it!  Ask your scrap metal recycler for assurance that your old unit will be properly recycled.

These tips and tricks should keep your hard-earned money in your pocket!

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