5 IDEAS TO MAKE SURE YOU FRIDGE ISN’T WASTING YOU MONEY

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Appliances are the second largest drain on your energy bill, falling just behind heating, cooling and lights as the biggest offenders on your energy bill.  The refrigerator is one of the largest appliances in your home. Not only is it big, it’s always on. You can’t turn it off when you aren’t using it (because when aren’t you using it??) That means taking good care of your fridge, having the right settings, and a few easy DIY can really take a bite out of your monthly electric bill.

These 5 easy tricks will ensure that your refrigerator is running as energy efficiently as possible. If you’ve got 10 minutes, you could be saving a ton of money on your home electric bill… Here’s how:

1. Keep it at 35 to 38 degrees Farenheit.  Most fridges come preset at a temperature which is unnecessarily cold to keep your food fresh and delicious. 33-38 degrees will keep your food at the optimal level of freshness to avoid spoilage, without running up your electric bill.
2. Allow air circulation behind the box.  If your fridge is right up against the wall, the cooling coils on the back of the machine will have to work exceptionally hard to cool both the fridge in front of them and the wall behind them. Your wall doesn’t need to be cold! Pull the machine several inches away from the wall and your fridge will need less energy to keep things cool.
3. Minimize the amount of time the door is open. Good for your waistline and your wallet – decide what you are going to eat before you pop open the door.  Every time you linger over an open  door, you warm up the temperature inside the fridge. When you close the door, the engine has to work harder to bring the temp back down, using more electricity.
4. Keep the fridge full so it won’t lose as much coolness when the door is opened. The cold food will insulate the other cold food, keeping the temperature inside where you want it to be.
5. Check the gaskets around the door. If a piece of paper can easily be pulled out with the door closed on it, the gaskets may be worn and need to be replaced.