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Money Saving Tips: Refrigerator by Christopher Foos
| An average 18 cu. ft Refrigerator uses: pre-1986 : 150 watts/hour post 1986: 60 watts/hr .15 or .06 kWh x 24hrs. x 30days x $0.15 per kWh = at least $16.20 old - $6.48 newer/mo |
The Refrigerator! The one appliance that we can not
simply say, "USE IT LESS!" No, the refrigerator is on 24
hours a day and 365 days a year. This appliance never
gets a break. Also, like the clothes washer, older
models use more electricity, but the price of buying a
new, energy star rated refrigerator will take a couple
years to pay for itself. So what can you do to save
money now? Follow the tips below, and you can start
saving for that refrigerator today!
simply say, "USE IT LESS!" No, the refrigerator is on 24
hours a day and 365 days a year. This appliance never
gets a break. Also, like the clothes washer, older
models use more electricity, but the price of buying a
new, energy star rated refrigerator will take a couple
years to pay for itself. So what can you do to save
money now? Follow the tips below, and you can start
saving for that refrigerator today!
Keep it Full! Keeping the refrigerator (and freezer) full allows the refrigerator to cool less area; in
return using less electricity. Don't feel like now you have to overspend at that grocery store to save
energy! No, just think creatively! Here are examples of what TheFoosers do to keep the
refrigerator/freezer full:
Refrigerator side: Make three different flavors Kool-aid; a pitcher of iced-tea; in summer, keep baseball hats until worn; use a 55
oz. box of baking soda instead of 16 oz.; larger Tupperware than needed; and more! Like mentioned above, be creative!
Freezer side: Store 1-gallon milk jugs full of water to use for ice in ice chests; make Kool-aid Popsicles using 8 oz plastic cups; put
bed sheets in during summer each day to have cold sheets at night; store our potato chips, crackers, and other snacks (keeps them
fresher longer); and more! Think beyond food!
A full fridge can save 30% of the energy used!
return using less electricity. Don't feel like now you have to overspend at that grocery store to save
energy! No, just think creatively! Here are examples of what TheFoosers do to keep the
refrigerator/freezer full:
Refrigerator side: Make three different flavors Kool-aid; a pitcher of iced-tea; in summer, keep baseball hats until worn; use a 55
oz. box of baking soda instead of 16 oz.; larger Tupperware than needed; and more! Like mentioned above, be creative!
Freezer side: Store 1-gallon milk jugs full of water to use for ice in ice chests; make Kool-aid Popsicles using 8 oz plastic cups; put
bed sheets in during summer each day to have cold sheets at night; store our potato chips, crackers, and other snacks (keeps them
fresher longer); and more! Think beyond food!
A full fridge can save 30% of the energy used!
In, Out, In, Out Needs to Stop! The UF/IFAS claims 50-120 kWh a year is lost with too many trips to the fridge. That is a
potential loss of $1.50 a month! I know that doesn't sound so extreme, but every unnecessary loss adds up quick. According to
the California Energy Commission, the average person opens the refrigerator 15 times a day. Now times that by the amount of
people in the home. IT ADDS UP! What has not been studied is the average time open. Point here is limit the trips and time in
the refrigerator. Every time the door gets opened, warm air replaces cold, making the refrigerator use energy to cool it back
down.
potential loss of $1.50 a month! I know that doesn't sound so extreme, but every unnecessary loss adds up quick. According to
the California Energy Commission, the average person opens the refrigerator 15 times a day. Now times that by the amount of
people in the home. IT ADDS UP! What has not been studied is the average time open. Point here is limit the trips and time in
the refrigerator. Every time the door gets opened, warm air replaces cold, making the refrigerator use energy to cool it back
down.
Set it Right! According to the University of Nebraska, the temperature of your refrigerator should be 40 degrees F and the freezer at 0 degrees F,
so use a thermometer to adjust your settings to match this. Don’t use your ice maker. Yes, it is convenient, but running a ice maker can increase
energy usage by as much as 20%! That kind of savings is a convincing argument for using those good old ice trays instead. To prevent your ice maker
from running, just lift the trip wire that switches it off when the ice container is full. Many fridges have small heaters that keep moisture from
forming on the cabinet. This uses an extra 5-10% extra electricity. Most models that have this feature have a switch that lets you turn it off, usually
labeled "Energy Saver" (a box of Baking Soda prevents the same problem).
so use a thermometer to adjust your settings to match this. Don’t use your ice maker. Yes, it is convenient, but running a ice maker can increase
energy usage by as much as 20%! That kind of savings is a convincing argument for using those good old ice trays instead. To prevent your ice maker
from running, just lift the trip wire that switches it off when the ice container is full. Many fridges have small heaters that keep moisture from
forming on the cabinet. This uses an extra 5-10% extra electricity. Most models that have this feature have a switch that lets you turn it off, usually
labeled "Energy Saver" (a box of Baking Soda prevents the same problem).
Keep it Maintained! Make sure your refrigerator seals correctly when you shut the door. If
cold air is escaping, you can replace the seal easily and cheaply yourself. See below for a video on
how to do it. Next, vacuum and dust the coils. Like an a/c unit, dirt can reduce the cooling
efficiency by up to 30%. Again, this is something you can easily do in just a few minutes every
month. See the video below for instructions.
How to clean your refrigerator coils
How to replace a refrigerator seal
cold air is escaping, you can replace the seal easily and cheaply yourself. See below for a video on
how to do it. Next, vacuum and dust the coils. Like an a/c unit, dirt can reduce the cooling
efficiency by up to 30%. Again, this is something you can easily do in just a few minutes every
month. See the video below for instructions.
How to clean your refrigerator coils
How to replace a refrigerator seal
(I do not like promoting businesses, but if you are having trouble
with an appliance you should check them out before calling a
repairman!)
with an appliance you should check them out before calling a
repairman!)
Defrost it! Even with a frost-free model, if there is 1/4" or more ice built-up in the
freezer, DEFROST IT! This drastically affects the efficiency of your appliance. Here is a good
article on how to get this done quickly. How To Defrost Quickly
freezer, DEFROST IT! This drastically affects the efficiency of your appliance. Here is a good
article on how to get this done quickly. How To Defrost Quickly
Help it Stay Cool! Think ahead when thawing food. Use the refrigerator to let it thaw
instead of the counter. The frozen food, until thawed, will help assist the refrigerator in
cooling.
instead of the counter. The frozen food, until thawed, will help assist the refrigerator in
cooling.
Not till it's Cool! Do not put warm food in the refrigerator! Wait until it cools off. This
helps the refrigerator from working harder than it should. If it is cold outside, consider
setting outside for a few minutes to cool down. Note - Do not let cooked food set out for
more than 2 hours!
helps the refrigerator from working harder than it should. If it is cold outside, consider
setting outside for a few minutes to cool down. Note - Do not let cooked food set out for
more than 2 hours!
A Tough One! There are a bunch of us that have a deep freeze and/or another refrigerator in our garages, basements, or other area. Most likely, these are older models
that got replaced with newer ones in the house. This is an indication right there that energy efficiency is not being considered. Maybe you just like the extra room.
TheFoosers are the first to admit that we had both; an old fridge and an old freezer both! Until we did an electric meter test, we had no idea how much electricity these
appliances were using. Because so much electricity was being used (3.6 kWh each a day), something had to be done. After our "refrigerator saving tips" research, we figured
we had plenty of room in the refrigerator, but liked having additional space for freezing items (grocery saving tips). Long story short, we sold the refrigerator and kept the
freezer. With the information we learned on saving energy, we save enough with both appliances to keep the freezer.
that got replaced with newer ones in the house. This is an indication right there that energy efficiency is not being considered. Maybe you just like the extra room.
TheFoosers are the first to admit that we had both; an old fridge and an old freezer both! Until we did an electric meter test, we had no idea how much electricity these
appliances were using. Because so much electricity was being used (3.6 kWh each a day), something had to be done. After our "refrigerator saving tips" research, we figured
we had plenty of room in the refrigerator, but liked having additional space for freezing items (grocery saving tips). Long story short, we sold the refrigerator and kept the
freezer. With the information we learned on saving energy, we save enough with both appliances to keep the freezer.
Give it some Room! A refrigerator/freezer dispenses some heat. Give it at least 2
inches all the way around it. This allows the heat to flow away from the appliance.
inches all the way around it. This allows the heat to flow away from the appliance.
Help in choosing a new fridge
Get an EnergyStar model. In the U.S., look for the Energy Star label, which identifies fridges that are at least 20% more efficient than standard models. (EPA; see Sources for older standards) (Don't
confuse this with the EnergyGuide label that all appliances get.) At 15¢/kWh, a 25 c.f. EnergyStar fridge will save about an extra $23/year vs. standard models, or $322 over its life. That will more than pay
for the extra cost of an Energy Star model, which is only $38 for a ~22 cu.ft. model on Sears.com today (6/1/10).
CEE Tier 3. While Energy Star fridges use 20% less energy than standard models, CEE Tier 3 fridges use 30% less. (source, PDF) That's great for those who want to be as efficient as possible, but at
15¢/kWh, that extra 10% amounts to only $9/year savings over an Energy Star fridge. That's because Energy Star fridges are already very efficient. The $9/year works out to $126 over the fridge's useful
life, which is almost exactly the $120 extra that the CT3 model costs (according my price check in 6/10 on Sears.com). So it might not save you any money, but since the savings can pay for itself, it
doesn't hurt to go with a CT3 model. And of course, if your local electric rate is higher than I used in my example, you'll when you go shopping
For a smaller fridge (18-22cf), get a Top-Freezer model. Refrigerators with the freezer on top use the least energy. Side-by-Side models use 13% more juice than top-freezer models, according to my
analysis of the Energy Star fridges list from May 2010. However, as of 2007, top freezer models aren't available in larger sizes (>22cf), so a top-freezer is an option only if you're going with a smaller unit.
Almost all the bigger fridges being made these days are side-by-side. (EPA, 194k PDF) (Interestingly, bottom-freezer models are about the same efficiency as top-freezers, even though you'd suspect
that bottom-freezer models would have an advantage since hot air rises. Also, the penalty for side-by-side models used to be even higher. An August 2002 Consumer Reports article showed that
side-by-side models used a whopping 45% more energy than top-freezer models.)
Skip the ice maker and dispenser. Automatic icemakers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14-20% (and the purchase price by $75-250). (source)
Super-Efficient Fridges. Sun Frost makes super-efficient fridges, including a 16 cubic foot model that uses only 372 kWh a year. (They're marketed towards people who are powering their homes with
solar electricity, where every watt counts.) A new Japanese model called CoolView claims to reduce costs by up to 55%.
Also, you can make your own super-efficient fridge by converting a chest freezer. It uses a mere 0.1 kWh a day, or 36.5 kWh a year! Chest freezers are more efficient than fridges because they have more
insulation and because the cold air doesn't spill out when you open the door, because cold air falls down, not up. There are a couple of obvious downsides. First is that it might not be as easy for you to
access your food in a chest freezer. Another is that the new fridge will take up more floor space. Finally, you'll need a separate freezer. But if things things don't put you off, then you can save quite a bit of
energy. Read Tom's instructions for how to make a super-efficient fridge.
Old manual defrost fridges won't save money. You might have heard that manual defrost fridges use less energy than frost-free, so you might be tempted to look for an old manual defrost model. Don't.
Old fridges use way more energy than new ones, even if the old one is manual defrost. I once had an old manual-defrost model that used 1000 kWh year, which is more than twice what a modern 425
kWh Energy Star, frost-free model uses. Now, a modern manual-defrost fridge could be an energy-saver, but I haven't been able to find one that's energy efficient. The only modern frost-free model I
know of is the ConServ by Versafrost, but it uses 548 kWh -- more than a standard fridge.
Get an EnergyStar model. In the U.S., look for the Energy Star label, which identifies fridges that are at least 20% more efficient than standard models. (EPA; see Sources for older standards) (Don't
confuse this with the EnergyGuide label that all appliances get.) At 15¢/kWh, a 25 c.f. EnergyStar fridge will save about an extra $23/year vs. standard models, or $322 over its life. That will more than pay
for the extra cost of an Energy Star model, which is only $38 for a ~22 cu.ft. model on Sears.com today (6/1/10).
CEE Tier 3. While Energy Star fridges use 20% less energy than standard models, CEE Tier 3 fridges use 30% less. (source, PDF) That's great for those who want to be as efficient as possible, but at
15¢/kWh, that extra 10% amounts to only $9/year savings over an Energy Star fridge. That's because Energy Star fridges are already very efficient. The $9/year works out to $126 over the fridge's useful
life, which is almost exactly the $120 extra that the CT3 model costs (according my price check in 6/10 on Sears.com). So it might not save you any money, but since the savings can pay for itself, it
doesn't hurt to go with a CT3 model. And of course, if your local electric rate is higher than I used in my example, you'll when you go shopping
For a smaller fridge (18-22cf), get a Top-Freezer model. Refrigerators with the freezer on top use the least energy. Side-by-Side models use 13% more juice than top-freezer models, according to my
analysis of the Energy Star fridges list from May 2010. However, as of 2007, top freezer models aren't available in larger sizes (>22cf), so a top-freezer is an option only if you're going with a smaller unit.
Almost all the bigger fridges being made these days are side-by-side. (EPA, 194k PDF) (Interestingly, bottom-freezer models are about the same efficiency as top-freezers, even though you'd suspect
that bottom-freezer models would have an advantage since hot air rises. Also, the penalty for side-by-side models used to be even higher. An August 2002 Consumer Reports article showed that
side-by-side models used a whopping 45% more energy than top-freezer models.)
Skip the ice maker and dispenser. Automatic icemakers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14-20% (and the purchase price by $75-250). (source)
Super-Efficient Fridges. Sun Frost makes super-efficient fridges, including a 16 cubic foot model that uses only 372 kWh a year. (They're marketed towards people who are powering their homes with
solar electricity, where every watt counts.) A new Japanese model called CoolView claims to reduce costs by up to 55%.
Also, you can make your own super-efficient fridge by converting a chest freezer. It uses a mere 0.1 kWh a day, or 36.5 kWh a year! Chest freezers are more efficient than fridges because they have more
insulation and because the cold air doesn't spill out when you open the door, because cold air falls down, not up. There are a couple of obvious downsides. First is that it might not be as easy for you to
access your food in a chest freezer. Another is that the new fridge will take up more floor space. Finally, you'll need a separate freezer. But if things things don't put you off, then you can save quite a bit of
energy. Read Tom's instructions for how to make a super-efficient fridge.
Old manual defrost fridges won't save money. You might have heard that manual defrost fridges use less energy than frost-free, so you might be tempted to look for an old manual defrost model. Don't.
Old fridges use way more energy than new ones, even if the old one is manual defrost. I once had an old manual-defrost model that used 1000 kWh year, which is more than twice what a modern 425
kWh Energy Star, frost-free model uses. Now, a modern manual-defrost fridge could be an energy-saver, but I haven't been able to find one that's energy efficient. The only modern frost-free model I
know of is the ConServ by Versafrost, but it uses 548 kWh -- more than a standard fridge.
