Increase the efficiency of your refrigerator with a few, easy tips
Sure, your refrigerator might be older, and depending on its age, it might be worth replacing it with a more energy-efficient model. In the meantime, there are things that you can do to any refrigerator, old or new, that will increase its energy efficiency. From CES Philadelphia:Check your doors for a good seal: Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer for a good seal by closing a piece of paper in them. If you can pull the paper out, it's time to adjust or install a new seal.
Keep it cool: Allow for 2 inches of airspace around the appliance and nearby walls and cabinets. Keep your refrigerator out of direct sunlight and as far away as you can from the dishwasher, stove and heating vent.
Turn off the icemaker: We know you love the crushed iced function, but you might want to reconsider going back to old-fashioned ice cube trays. An icemaker can increase a refrigerator's energy consumption by 14 to 20 percent. Yikes.
Set the temp right: Keep your refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees F, and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees F.
Vacuum the condenser coils: Once a year, pull your refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum the coils behind it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-25-2008 @ 11:51AM
Chris Bosdal said...
I've heard the ice maker tip before, and it's never made much sense to me. In my freezer anyhow, the icemaker motor only operates about once every 2 hours. What else is there about an ice maker that uses 20% of the energy that the compressor uses?
Genuinely curious.
Nimic
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7-25-2008 @ 1:02PM
Patricia said...
Good question! I've seen that number in numerous places.
Here is a study I found from the DOE that seems to back up this number and the energy-guzzling of icemakers in refrigerators.
This study came out with a 14% increase in energy use in refrigerators that had an automatic ice maker, assuming 500 grams of ice was produced per day.
"The procedure assumed that 500 grams of ice would be produced daily. Using the new test procedure and the existing DOE test (as a benchmark), four refrigerators equipped with automatic icemakers were tested for ice-making energy use. With the revised test, gross electricity consumption increased about 10% (100 kWh/yr) due to automatic icemaking but about 5% (55 kWh/yr) could be attributed to the special features of the automatic icemaker. The test also confirmed the feasibility of establishing procedures for measuring energy use of specific loads and other activities related to domestic refrigerators. Field testing and subsequent retesting revealed a 14% increase in energy use."
http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/495753-N4KguL/webviewable/495753.pdf
7-25-2008 @ 12:56PM
gustavion said...
Thanks for the tips Patricia! In general, I think it is important for us, as consumers to support businesses that not only provide a suitable utility but also benefit the environment. For example, I came across a website http://www.simplestop.net that stops your postal junk mail and benefits the environment.
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