How to Make a Refrigerator More Efficient

Keep it running its best!

Saving energy has become almost a national past time, and doing it without spending additional money has become something to be applauded. If you learn to make your existing home appliances operate more efficiently, then you will be making your home greener by consuming less energy, and you will be saving money at the same time. The refrigerator is one appliance that can be "tuned up" to run greener fairly easily.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• A rag or cleaning cloth

1. Clean the coils on the back of your fridge to help it run more efficiently and save some energy. This requires pulling the fridge out from the wall and getting dirty.

2. Wait until food has cooled before you place it in the fridge. Warm food will require a lot more energy to cool.

3. Keep your fridge as full as possible. Leftovers, ingredients, and even drinks can provide filler. When your fridge is full, the cold items radiate cold and help to keep the fridge working at its best. You may even be able to turn up the temperature in a well stocked fridge.

4. Keep your freezer full for the same reasons. Even just filling up empty space with water bottles can make a big difference. Also, turn off the ice maker if you don't use ice very often. Replace it with reusable plastic ice cubes.

Tips & Warnings

• Cook lots of food and store meals in the freezer for healthier eating and a more efficient freezer.

• Keep some water bottles in your fridge and freezer to take up space and to provide you with a nice, chilly drink on a hot day.