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HOME APPLIANCES
HOME APPLIANCE MONEY SAVING & BUDGETING TIPS
Refrigerators and freezers, because they are on 24 hours a day, consume a large percentage of the average household’s energy budget. However, energy savings can be achieved through proper refrigerator and freezer maintenance and settings, as well as proper food storage techniques. If interested, visit michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html for an easy way to calculate the electrical cost of running refrigerators and other appliances.
1. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are properly maintained and set up for efficiency.
a. If your refrigerator has a power save switch use it. However, use the anti-
b. If you have a manual defrost refrigerator or freezer, defrost it before frost buildup reaches ¼ inch.
c. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are not in direct sunlight and, if possible, in conditioned space rather than a hot garage or storage room.
d. Allow sufficient space on the sides and back to allow heat to dissipate from the compressor and condensing coil.
e. Every few months clean the refrigerator’s and/or freezer’s coils in the back and the air intake grill in the front.
f. Make sure the door seal on your refrigerator and freezer seals tightly. This can be checked by closing the door on a dollar bill and seeing if the dollar bill is held in place tightly. If not, the door may need to be adjusted or the seal replaced.
g. Make sure the refrigerator and freezer are level to ensure that the door closes fully.
h. Unplug or get rid of extra refrigerators or freezers if you are not really using them.
i. When buying a new refrigerator or freezer, look for the Energy Star and Energy
Guide labels for a more efficient unit. Also look for a refrigerator with automatic
moisture control, which is not the same as an anti-
2. Follow these tips on how to store foods in your refrigerator and freezer most efficiently.
a. Consult your owner’s manual for the proper temperature settings for your refrigerator and freezer. Do not set the temperatures too cold or you will be wasting energy. Generally a refrigerator should be set at between 36 and 42 degrees, with a freezer set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. To check the temperature in the refrigerator, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water and read it after 24 hours. To check your freezer, place the thermometer between two frozen packages and read it after 24 hours. Setting your refrigerator or freezer to lower temperatures can increase energy usage considerably.
b. Do not stand in front of the refrigerator or freezer with the door open when trying to decide what you want. Cold air will leave the unit quickly.
c. Do not overfill your refrigerator. It will block air circulation and make the refrigerator less efficient. On the other hand, a full freezer is more efficient than an empty one since you lose less cold air when it is opened.
d. Do not put hot foods directly into your refrigerator. They will warm the entire refrigerator and cause it to work harder. Let the foods cool off first on the counter.
e. Consider letting foods thaw in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. While they will take longer to thaw, they will help cool the refrigerator.
f. Make sure you cover liquids and wrap foods that you place in your refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture which make the compressor work harder.
g. If your refrigerator has a butter conditioner turn it off to conserve energy.
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