Refrigerator Tips

• Buy ENERGY STAR® Appliances. If you are thinking about purchasing a new refrigerator, look for ENERGY STAR models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, save money, and help the environment.
• Defrost your freezer. For manual defrost freezers, don't let ice build up more than 1/4 in. When this happens, the efficiency of the freezer drops significantly.
• Check your freezer temperature. Keep your freezer at a temperature between 0-5 degrees F. Settings below this use more energy and are not necessary.
• Keep your freezer away from heat. Try to locate your freezer in a cooler part of the house. Make sure you keep it out of direct sunlight and away from appliances that generate heat like ovens and water heaters.
• Close the refrigerator door. Opening the refrigerator door accounts for between $10-$20 of a typical family's electricity bill each year based on 40-60 openings per day.
• Inspect refrigerator door seals. Check the door seals on your refrigerator by closing the door on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the dollar out then you would probably benefit by replacing the seal. The right seal for your refrigerator can be difficult to find, but you might try a refrigeration parts store.
• Keep your refrigerator cool. Keep your refrigerator out of direct sunlight and in as cool a location as possible. Keep away from oven, stoves, water heaters, etc.
• Keep the refrigerator level. If it is not level the door might not close fully.
• Keep refrigerator foods covered. Keep foods covered to prevent moisture build-up. Your refrigerator has to work harder if the air inside is humid.
• Reduce the load. Refrigerators operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded.
• Don't put hot food in the refrigerator. Allow leftovers to cool before putting in the refrigerator.
• Give your refrigerator some space. Allow at least one inch of space on each side of the refrigerator for good circulation. Poor circulation can increase energy consumption by 10%.
• Turn off moisture control when not needed. If your refrigerator has a moisture control switch ('anti sweat' heater) you can generally safely turn it off on all but the hottest days (and even then if you have central air), and reduce the energy cost of your refrigerator by about 10%.
• Replace old refrigerators. A new refrigerator uses a third of the energy of 15-20 year old models. This could mean savings of over $150 per year, making a new refrigerator a very good investment.
• Clean the cooling coils. Vacuum behind your refrigerator at least once a year, making sure to remove dirt and dust from the coils. Dust build-up not only increases energy use, but it may cause the unit to break down. (Some refrigerators have the coils inside or underneath where you can't get at them. Most built-in models have them readily accessible on top, typically behind a removable grille).
• Turn off spare refrigerators. An older second refrigerator consumes a significant amount of energy. It could be costing you over $200 per year! Perhaps you can get all your food into one refrigerator and turn the other off permanently. Alternatively, if you only need the second unit on during certain occasions, you can pull the plug and then plug it back in only when you need it. This won't hurt the refrigerator and can result in significant savings.
• Keep refrigerators in a cool spot. A five degree difference in air temperature can have a 20% impact on the energy consumption of your refrigerator. Keep spare refrigerators in the coolest part of the house.
• Organize your freezer. Mark items in your freezer for quick identification so that you do not have to keep the door open while you sort through packages.
• Fill your freezer. Freezers operate most efficiently when full, and in the event of a power outage foods will stay frozen longer.
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