Refrigerators and freezers consume considerable electricity. In fact, next to an air conditioner or pool pump, a refrigerator is often a home’s heaviest electricity user. Manufacturers of refrigerators have tackled this issue head-on in recent years. As a result, modern Energy Star–rated refrigerators tend to be much more efficient than their predecessors. A new model will often pay for itself in a few years through energy savings. (For more, see Choosing an Energy-Efficient Refrigerator.)
Whether or not you have an energy-efficient refrigerator, you can take advantage of the following tips and tricks to boost efficiency:* Lower the temperature of the freezer, and raise that of the refrigerator. You can keep the freezer as cold as 0 degrees F, but it may take a long time to thaw foods. Keep the refrigerator at 38 degrees F or colder (any warmer will allow foods to spoil). You can check temperatures by placing a thermometer between frozen food items in the freezer or in a glass of water in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
*Give your refrigerator some space. Maintaining about 2 inches of space around your refrigerator allows enough room for heat generated by the condenser coils and compressor to escape. This means your appliance will not have to work as hard to keep cool.
*Position your refrigerator as far away from significant heat sources as possible. This includes direct sunlight and heat vents, as well as heat-generating appliances such as stoves and ovens.
* Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Of course, the “don't stand with the refrigerator door open” rule has been around as long as refrigerators, but now it is more important than ever. The cold air that escapes when the door is opened is replaced by warm air that must be cooled all over again.
* Be sure the refrigerator and freezer doors seal tightly. You can test the seal by closing the door on a piece of paper. If you’re able to remove it easily with the door closed, it’s probably time to replace the rubber gasket around the door's perimeter or adjust the door (see How to Improve Your Refrigerator’s Seal).
* Keep the refrigerator’s cooling coils free of dust. For more about this, see How to Clean Refrigerator Coils.
* Be sure to cover food items in your refrigerator. This prevents moisture from foods from evaporating into the air and keeps your compressor from having to work overtime.
* Don’t over-stuff your refrigerator. A full refrigerator has to work harder to stay cool than a moderately full one.
* Keep the freezer stocked. Frozen items in the freezer help keep neighboring items frozen. You can also add containers or bags of ice if you are unable to keep your freezer full of food.
* Don’t use your icemaker. Yes, it’s convenient. But did you know that a constantly running icemaker could increase energy usage by as much as 20 percent? That kind of savings just might convince you to use those good old ice trays instead. To prevent your icemaker from running, just lift the trip wire that switches it off when the ice container is full.
