13 more ways to fridge energy saving heaven

I thought I’d been quite thorough when I posted my list of “10 ways to make your refrigerator use less energy” a while ago.

Turns out I left out not just one or two ways to up a fridge’s energy efficiency, but a whole bunch of ways!

A follow-up post is clearly in order, so here goes (continuing on from the previous list):

1. Pre-cool food outdoors
   If you live in a cold climate, take advantage of the winter cold to pre-cool food outside your house, before you put it in the fridge.
2. Keep fridge well stocked…
   The more food there is in your fridge, the less room there is for warm air to occupy when you open the door. The warm air that does get in is quickly cooled down by the food.
3. …but not too well stocked.
   Having too much stuff in there will hinder air circulation, making the fridge work a lot harder. If there’s a circulation fan in your fridge, it’s especially important to keep that unobstructed.
4. Use glass or ceramic food containers
   Glass and ceramics maintain a more stable temperature than, say, plastic containers.
5. Cover liquids and wrap food
   Uncovered food and liquids will release moisture, making the fridge work harder.
6. Don’t set fridge temperature too low
   Optimal temperature is 36 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 to 4.4 degrees Celsius) for the fresh foods compartment and 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius) for the freezer compartment.

   If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, the temperature should be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8 degrees Celsius).

7. Check door seal
   If the door seal has been damaged or gone stiff with old age, warm air will leak into your fridge. Check it by placing a dollar bill between the door frame and the seal. If you can easily drag the bill along the seal, it needs a replacement – this should be available through any fridge dealership.

   Also, make sure you keep the seal clean. It doesn’t take much dirt to degrade its performance.

8. Unplug fridge during long vacations
   Are you travelling for an extended period? Empty the fridge, unplug it and clean it out. No point in having it use electricity to cool nothing down. Make sure you leave the fridge door open when it’s unplugged, though. If you don’t, foul smell and mold may form.
9. Don’t keep two fridges
   One large fridge is more energy efficient than two smaller ones.
10. Downsize
    If your fridge tends to be half empty, sell it and get a smaller model. The larger the fridge, the more energy it uses.
11. Check the fridge’s energy efficiency rating
    If you’re buying a new fridge, check it’s energy efficiency rating. It should be clearly marked.
12. Avoid side-by-side models
    Buy a fridge with the freezer compartment and refrigerating compartment stacked on top of each other. They use 7 to 13 percent less energy than side-by-side models.
13. Avoid through-the-door ice dispensers
    They’re huge energy wasters.

Some of these tips were culled from readers’ comments for my previous fridge energy efficiency post and some I got from friends. Thanks!

Do you want to keep yourself cool, as well as your food? Check out my mini series on green home cooling.

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This post was tagged with: appliances, cooling, energy efficiency, energy saving, food, fridge, kitchen

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