Here Are Top Ways To Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient

The refrigerator in the typical home accounts for the second largest energy consumption, right behind the air conditioner. Properly maintaining your refrigerator is essential for lowering energy costs and reducing your carbon footprint. If your refrigerator was purchased before 2001, it’s probably time to replace it. A new refrigerator uses about 40 percent less energy than one that’s 20 years old or older, and keeps food at the optimum temperature more efficiently.

How Your Refrigerator Works

Your refrigerator contains four major components: the refrigerant, which is a chemical that easily converts from liquid to gas and back, the compressor, the condenser coil, and the evaporator coil.

Cool, liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator coil, located inside the refrigerator unit. The refrigerant absorbs heat from inside the refrigerator and evaporates into a gas. The gas moves into the compressor, which squeezes it, increasing its pressure. Now a hot gas, the refrigerant moves into the condenser coil on the back of the refrigerator, where the heat is released. The refrigerant turns back into a cool liquid and moves back into the evaporator coil, where the process starts again.

Clean the Coils for Efficiency

A dirty condenser coil on the back of the unit is a common cause of inefficiency. When the coil is dirty, the release of heat is restricted, and the refrigerator has to work harder to stay cool. Vacuum the coils monthly, and wash them with hot, soapy water every few months to ensure optimum heat exchange.

Maintain the Right Temperature

Your refrigerator should maintain a temperature of 35 to 38 degrees, and the freezer should be 0 degrees. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Put the thermometer in a cup of water in the fridge for 24 hours, then read it and adjust the setting accordingly. Put the thermometer in the freezer between frozen food items for another 24 hours, and adjust the temperature as necessary.

To keep your refrigerator at the optimum temperature, let food cool down a bit before putting it away. Seal foods in airtight containers and cover liquids to prevent moisture from making the compressor work harder.

The fuller the refrigerator, the more easily it maintains the right temperature. When your fridge is less than half full, keep a few large bottles of water inside to help keep the temperature down using less energy.

Check the Seal

A loose seal on your refrigerator door allows cold air to escape and makes the unit work harder to compensate. Place a dollar bill in the door so that it’s half inside the unit and half outside. Pull on the bill. If it comes out easily, you need to replace the seal around the door for maximum efficiency.

Call Scott and Sons Appliance Repair for any further assistance : 443-8478434