In this article, we will be discussing how to save energy with your fridge freezer and save money on your household bills too. your fridge freezer works the hardest of all your household appliances as it’s constantly running. So it takes up a large portion of your household bills. So it’s important to make sure that your fridge freezer is as energy efficient as possible to benefit both the environment and your wallet.
The good news is it’s simple and easy to do. So let’s get started making sure your fridge freezer works smarter not harder. First of all the installation. You want to make sure that your fridge freezer is installed in a cool dry room with adequate ventilation. You want to make sure that it’s not in any direct sunlight or near a direct heat source such as a radiator or an oven. Being exposed to heat will mean the compressor has to work harder. Which will use up more energy and will also shorten the life of your appliance.
Ensure that there’s plenty of space at the left, the right, the top and the back of the fridge freezer when you install it. Make sure there’s plenty of space at the air exhaust at the refrigerator base and the back wall of your fridge freezer. Also check that no air vents or grills are blocked. If there is no air gap your compressor won’t be able to release heat. So it will heat up and use up a lot more energy to keep your food safe.
So now that our fridge freezer is correctly installed. Let’s look at maintaining it and still saving energy at the same time. Make sure that you clean the back of your fridge freezer regularly too. As build-up of dust and debris will increase energy consumption. Make sure that you keep the condenser coils at the back and the underside of your fridge freezer dust-free. You can do this by using a bristle brush or better a handheld vacuum. Dusty coils have to work harder increasing energy consumption and putting your appliance at risk of potential faults in the future.
It’s also just as important to keep the inside of your fridge freezer clean and dirt free too. If you do notice any strange or unpleasant smells coming from your appliance.
Next up is the temperature. You need to make sure that your fridge and freezer are set to the correct temperatures in order to save energy. To provide the greatest efficiency set your refrigerator to 5 degrees Celsius and your freezer to minus 18 degrees Celsius. If your appliance does not provide exact degree readings setting your unit to the midpoint of the temperature dial usually does the trick. As a rule of thumb for each additional degree of refrigeration output about six percent more electricity is used. An accurate temperature setting can directly save you money. Bear in mind that once you’ve chosen your new temperature setting it can take up to 24 hours to fully take effect. But you should start to notice your energy usage going down by the time you get your next bill. So now that your fridge freezer is set up in the right place and at the right temperature.
Let’s look at how to use it more efficiently. Keep an eye on your door seals too. As an ineffective door seal will allow air to escape so your fridge freezer will use up more energy keeping your food cool. Also check for general wear and tear and damage and if there is any replacement if necessary. A good way to check for this is with a twenty rupee note and you just place the note between the door seal and the fridge freezer and if it drops down or moves then you’re in need of a replacement and if you do need to replace your door seal.
Another energy saving tip when it comes to fridge doors is to make sure they stay closed as much as possible. Simple but effective. Leaving your fridge doors open will allow air to escape so your fridge will use up more energy keeping your food cool. So as soon as you’ve taken something out the fridge make sure that you shut the doors right away.
Make sure to regularly reduce frost build-up if too much it can accumulate on the coils inside your refrigerator causing them to work overtime. This can also make it harder for your appliance to maintain cooler temperatures. So if your fridge freezer does require manual defrosting make sure you do this every six months or when you notice a frost build-up.
Our final tip is when storing cooked foods or leftovers. Make sure that they’re fully cooled down before you put them in your fridge freezer to prevent heat from escaping into your appliance. So there we have it. Follow these simple and easy steps to make your fridge freezer as energy efficient as possible. This will prolong the life of your appliance protect the environment and save you money too.