How to Make Your Refrigerator More Energy Efficient in 5 Easy Steps

You can make your refrigerator more energy efficient in 5 easy steps.

Over time, refrigerators become less efficient resulting in higher electricity bills. This is generally not a function of the refrigerator itself, but of the surroundings that it resides within. As a basic example of this, a hot space will cause your refrigerator to run more often than if it was in a cool space. Running longer makes it less efficient. Thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your refrigerator's energy efficiency. Here's how:

Things You'll Need

• Brush or broom
• Screwdriver
• Cloth towel or paper towels
• Vacuum cleaner (optional)

Instructions

1. Check your refrigerators temperature control setting. .The higher the control is set at, the longer and more often the refrigerator will run. Turn the temp down to the lowest setting that will keep your food cold, and leave the temperature there.

2. Clean the condenser coils. First, unplug the refrigerator and pull it out from the wall. Located underneath the appliance behind the bottom kick plate, the condenser coils dissipate heat as part of of the cooling process. If dirt, dust, and pet dander clog up the coils, the refrigerator won't cool properly, causing the appliance to run continuously while running up your electricity bill. Remove the kick plate from the bottom front of the refrigerator. Using your brush or broom, sweep the coils clean. Alternatively, you can use your vacuum cleaner to suck up all the dust.

3. Clean the bottom rear of your refrigerator. Using your screwdriver, remove the bottom back plate, usually a cardboard piece. Dust out all the dirt with a brush. If you are using a vacuum cleaner with a hose extension, be sure not to suck up water from the drip tray up into the vacuum. Replace back plate.

4. Keep your refrigerator as full as possible. The more things inside of your fridge, the less it will have to run to keep them cold.

5. Clean the entire area around the refrigerator of dust and dirt. Push refrigerator back against the wall leaving a few inches of space for heat dissipation. Plug the appliance back in.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean condenser coils underneath your refrigerator every six months for maximum efficiency. You'd be surprised how quickly dust builds up under there.

• Always unplug your refrigerator before working on it.

• If you use your vacuum cleaner with hose extension to suck up dust from the back of the refrigerator, be sure not to accidentally suck up water from the drip tray into your vacuum. All the dust in the dust cup gets wet and it gets pretty messy.