Using refrigerators and freezers:
Place your fridge on a level surface. This allows fridge doors to swing shut instead of swinging open. In case the flooring is not level, use small blocks to raise the front of the fridge by a few quarters of an inch.
Keep your fridge and freezer at its optimum temperature. For the fridge, temperatures should be maintained between 36 and 38 ˚F while optimum temperatures for freezers are between zero and 5 ˚F. Temperature settings can be adjusted using the built-in controllers. Setting temperatures below the optimum range does not provide better cooling. It merely uses up more energy.
Do not place hot food immediately inside the fridge. It is best to wait till the food reaches room temperature or the fridge will expend extra energy trying to cool the hot food. Refrigerators can also keep food fresh for up to eight hours in the event of a power failure as long as the fridge is not opened and closed unnecessarily.
Energy savings through maintenance:
The placement of the fridge in a room can contribute to energy consumption. Keep the fridge away from heat sources like direct sunlight, ovens, stoves, and heating ducts. There should be a distance of at least 3 inches between the fridge and nearby walls, counters, cabinets, etc. This gives the fridge space for adequate airflow around it, minimizing excess heat buildup in the fridge components.
All fridges have condenser coils, which provide cooling. These may be located behind the fridge or underneath it. These coils use more energy to function if they not kept clean. Cleaning requires vacuuming the coils two or three times a year. This eliminates dust and debris and allows the coils to function with greater efficiency. The frequency of vacuuming needs to be increased if there are pets that shed their fur in the home.
Cool air can often leak out of fridge doors if the gaskets do not seal the door properly. Check the seal on the gaskets by placing a dollar bill in the fridge door and then closing it. If the dollar bill can be easily pulled out of the door, the gasket needs to be replaced. You can increase the life and efficiency of the gaskets by rubbing a little petroleum jelly or oil over them occasionally.
If the fridge needs to be defrosted manually, the defrost process should be initiated when the ice buildup is around quarter of an inch. Allowing too much ice to collect reduces the space available for food items and increases the energy required to provide cooling.
