How To Save The Planet

Energy Savings Tips: Refrigerators & Freezers

Here are ways to save energy with your refrigerators & freezers (sorry, using your neighbor’s frig doesn’t count). These money-saving ideas can help you lower your energy bill by reducing energy consumption in your house or apartment.

You can also help to reduce the demand of electricity at peak electrical demand times – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. These energy saving tips below may help cut down on the amount of energy you use and trim your household energy costs, while lowering peak demand on your electricity utility company.

Refrigerators & Freezers
* Keep your frig door closed (also helps with dieting). A refrigerator works more efficiently when you open its door as little as possible. So make your decisions before opening the door and get everything you need quickly and at one time.
* Organize shelves for easy access to foods you use the most (beer, cold pizza, etc.).
* Typically your refrigerator/freezer is one of the largest energy users (besides your mother-in-law) in your home, using about 20% of your household’s annual energy costs. If everyone in the U.S. used high-efficiency refrigerators, the electricity saved would eliminate the need for about 10 large power plants (and maybe a few mother-in-laws).
* Keep your frig in good shape. Like your body, a refrigerator works best when it’s kept in good condition. Check the door seals (schedule a visit with your proctologist now). If they’re cracked or you feel cold air leaking out, they should be replaced.
* Positioning your refrigerator. Keep it in a well-ventilated, dry and cool space. Refrigerators and freezers near ovens, stoves, water heaters, clothes dryers or other crowded or warm places have to work harder. No, positioning the frig near the couch does not count.
* Unplug the extra frig. If you have an extra refrigerator or freezer and don’t keep it full, you could save up to 15% by unplugging it.
* Check your thermostat controls. To work most efficiently, your refrigerator should be set between 38°F and 40°F. The freezer temperature should be set at 0°F.
* Defrost your refrigerator on a regular basis, you might be surprised to find that piece of frozen wedding cake or that 4″ trout you snared a decade ago. If you have a manual defrost freezer, don’t forget to defrost regularly. More than 1/4 inch of frost makes your freezer work harder to keep your food frozen.
* Keep refrigerator condenser coils clean. Coils, found on the back or bottom front of your refrigerator, should be checked and cleaned at least twice a year. Yep, vacuum them.
* Keep the hot foods out of your refrigerator. Before you store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer, allow them to cool slightly. That way, your refrigerator or freezer won’t have to work to cool them off.
* Keep your refrigerators full in order to operate most efficiently when they are full, but not overloaded. While it’s true that frozen foods help to keep the air cool, over-packing food in either compartment can prevent cold air from circulating properly. Refer to your owner’s manual for the correct capacity.