Energy bills have risen significantly over the last few years. If you are looking for ways to alleviate the pain, then you may want to start by making your refrigerator more energy-efficient.
The average refrigerator costs people about $100 a year, but some people pay a lot more than that. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can cut its energy costs.
Try to Keep the Fridge Fairly Full
Most people believe that they have to pay more to cool a refrigerator with a lot of food in it. However, air actually has a higher thermal coefficient than most foods, which means that it will actually cost more to cool an empty refrigerator. You should try to fill your fridge up to reduce cooling costs. However, you want to make sure that you don’t fill it up so much that you block the vents, because your fridge will need to exert more energy to cool it if air circulation is constricted.
Check Your Condenser Coils
You may also want to make sure that your condenser coil works properly. You should be able to find a number of new condenser coils at wholesale prices that are much more efficient. You will need to replace it if it is clearly defective, but there are usually plenty of things that you can do to make it run more efficiently. You may be able to make it run more efficiently by simply cleaning it carefully.
Defrost Your Freeze
You will also want to make sure that the freezer is properly defrosted. An ice buildup can block air circulation to the rest of the refrigerator, which will keep it from operating at optimal efficiency.
Check the Door Seals
You will also want to make sure that the doors are properly sealed. One of the best ways to do this is by placing a dollar bill on the top. If the bill falls through the door, then you will want to have the seals replaced, because air is clearly leaking out as well.
Keep Things Covered
You will also want to make sure that everything is properly covered. This makes it easier to keep your food cool so that your refrigerator doesn’t need to keep cranking.
Store Your Food Strategically
Making wise decisions where to store your food will keep you from needing to lower the thermostat to keep things cool, which would both increase energy costs and cause some of your foods to freeze. The bottom of the refrigerator is much cooler. You will want to keep your meats and condiments there so that they stay as cool as possible. You can store your vegetables up top so that they don’t freeze.
Change the Light Bulbs
Incandescent light bulbs are highly inefficient. You may want to consider replacing them with a compact florescent bulb instead. These bulbs produce about 75% less heat and can reduce the energy bill of your refrigerator by 25%.
