Cool savings for your fridge and freezer
When exploring ways to be more efficient with refrigerators and freezers, we often find ourselves stuck between convenience and conserving energy. While you can upgrade to newer models, care and equipment habits can be just as important to saving energy.
Here are some tips to keep your refrigerator running efficiently:
Keep it organized. One of the biggest issues with refrigerator energy use is opening the door or keeping the door open. An organized fridge makes food items easier to find, minimizing open-door time and keeping cold air inside. Place items in the same spots so they are easier and faster to find. If you’re not sure what you want, take a quick look inside at the options, and then close the door while you’re deciding what to eat.
Keep it clean. Regularly cleaning the gasket—the flexible strip around the perimeter of the fridge door—ensures a tight seal between the door and the unit to keep cold air inside. If the gasket is not sealing tightly, it should be replaced.
Removing and cleaning the vent at the bottom of the unit can help airflow. For the coils at the back, use an extended cleaning brush instead of moving the fridge and risking injury.
Keep food safety in mind. The Department of Energy recommends setting your refrigerator temperature between 35 and 38 degrees, and freezer at zero. Appliance thermometers are designed to accurately read cold temperatures.
Don’t store perishable foods in the door. The temperature of the storage bins in the door fluctuates more than the temperature in main fridge.
MIRANDA BOUTELLE writes on energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
