refrigerator and saving energy

@deebomb (15304)
United States
April 9, 2009 1:54pm CST
I just read an article that our refrigerator next to the heating and air are the biggest energy consumers in our homes. It consume between 1/6th and 1/8th of our homes electricity. Most don't have thermometer in them but here is a way to see if you have yours set too low. Put a thermometer in the center in a cup of water for a few hours, check it, adjust, and check again. Keep the freezer set at 0. Check to make sure the coils under it are clean. Check the seals by placing a new crisp dollar bill in the door and give it tug if it slips out easily then you may need to adjust the door, clean the seal, or maybe even replace it completely. Another thing is to keep it full even if it is with jugs of water. To learn how to clean the coils underneath the refrigerator you can go here. http://www.expertvillage.com/video/6169_refrigerator-cleaning-maintenance-dusting-coils.htm
2 people like this
8 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
10 Apr 09
Most of this is very good advice, but I disagree with keeping it full. Refrigerators hold foods that are not frozen and refrigerated food isn't as cold as frozen food and its temperature rises quickly, crowded or not. If there's no circulation because the refrigerator is too full, the thermostat won't register properly and the food will either be too warm, or too cold as the appliance cycles needlessly.
2 people like this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Apr 09
Thanks for the information about the circulation in side the fridge.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
26 May 09
You're welcome, and thanks for "best response." :)
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
13 Apr 09
thanks for this tips dee,,,,I am sure it will help us a lot if we will just observe this tips!
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Apr 09
Your welcome. I hope they help as we all need to cut back where we can.
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@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
10 Apr 09
Thanks for the good tips, I do happen to have a thermometer in the fridge. I like to keep it cold. I am very careful with food. Many years ago I had an old fridge, once I got a new one, the drop in my electric bill was very noticable. The fridge I have now is only about 3 years old, its energy efficient. Getting down and cleaning the coils is something that I do need to do.
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Apr 09
Hello Polly. I'm sorry that I didn't get back to your response sooner. My fridge comes with the house so I can't replace it. It is supposed to be energy efficient though. I need to get my grandson to get down and clean the coils since I can't get down there. I may never get up again if I did it. I need to get him to move it out so I can clean the back of it too. I have lowered the setting quite a bit to get it down to where it should be. Until I came across the article I didn't realize it used so much energy.
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@KrauseHome (36449)
• United States
24 May 09
This is an interesting discussion as we live in a Condo and have seen a large increase lately in the amount of Electricity they say we are using each month. We even did all they suggested and turn most of the appliances off, and I think our Refridgerator could be a lot of the culprit as well. I think that these are some Good tips we will be checking out, and thanks for posting this reminder as well.
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
24 May 09
I use to think that the fridge needed to be set on 5 or 6 to keep it cool enough but I have found that putting the thermometer in it and turning the setting down to almost one it keeps cool just fine.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
9 Apr 09
thats a great idea! anything that will save money. another idea is to make sure that the doors are closed tightly. i find that our fridge is an older model and the doors dont stick shut that well. i have to constanty make sure its closed.
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
9 Apr 09
Ours is an older one too and if we aren't careful the freezer door will stay open about an inch so we have to make sure it is closed tightly.
1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
10 Apr 09
HAPPY EASTER, dear friend! Thank you for sharing all your wonderful info! One of the things that you mention is of truly prime importance! Cleaning the coils, and that includes the coils at the back of the fridge, too! But, it should also be mentioned that one must use caution when cleaning the coils underneath! No sharp instruments..and No force, like pushing the vacuum head in to get further in...just a minimum movage of these coils can cause a "cooling system" leak! I was made aware of the importance of these proceedures when I owned my Marina/Grocery Store (having about 7 cooling/freezing units) and the need for maintenance! Living here on a small Island and service man came from the Mainland...at a huge cost...so one learned all the tricks they could! Temp shud be 42 degrees F! Once again, Thank you for sharing....Cheers!
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Apr 09
Yes the site did mention that. I want to get my grandson to get down there to clean it. I thinking of blowing the coils off with the back of the vacuum instead of having it suck out the dust and dirt. Them moving it to clean that up. The grandson has worked with his dad doing refrigeration for grocery stores too.
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Apr 09
I'm going to have to look into those rollers because I almost have to hog tye my grandson to do some things around here. He lives here to but things just seem to go into one ear and out the other if I don't get him to do it right away. he is a good kid just likes to forget if he doesn't see the need.
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• Canada
13 Apr 09
Morning, deebomb, forgot to mention, that when I got my new to me (used) fridge last time, and had my son & friends bring it in, I bought rollers for the fridge, at that time around $10.00 (just two long bars that set under each side of the fridge, with rollers that articulate)...and it has made fridge maintenance 100% easier! I am older than you, and now I can roll the fridge out with just a gentle tug! Before it was such an ordeal, and would have to have help, then often knowing how dirty it was going to be, was too embarassed to ask for help, so didn't get done as oft as it shud have! I think, spring has sprung, I did not have to light the fire last night...yahoo! Cheers!
1 person likes this
@marguicha (214281)
• Chile
19 Apr 09
I knew most of the point you posted about the refrigerator so as not to use more energy than needed. But I think we all need to read everything put togethr once in a while. So I thank you for your idea of posting this. And I´m going to go check the seals even if I think they are OK. Take care
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
19 Apr 09
Thank you. I think with our busy lives we need to be reminded once in a while about these jobs that we don't see.
• United States
13 May 09
Before we were able to get a new refrigerator when I was younger, ours was definitely starting to die. It didnt seal as well as it used to. But we still needed it. My mom took some vaseline and rubbed it around where the seal is. It really helped to make the seal stronger! It isnt a good thing to do forever, but it will help hold you over until you can replace the seal or the refrigerator! Sometimes I think Europe has it right. Their friges are way smaller than in the US. I know some families need a large frige, but sometimes it is just a waste!
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