Now that the seasons are changing and people are gearing up for a frigid winter, many homeowners will look for ways to save money and energy without compromising any conveniences they’ve expected in their homes. Unfortunately, many homeowners overlook strategies to improve the efficiency of their refrigerators or extra freezers. These two appliances are not only among the most crucial in your home, but they also waste energy every minute of the day.
First, it should be highlighted that if your refrigerator is more than 15 years old, you may want to consider upgrading to maximize energy savings. Because nearly every household has at least one fridge, which runs 24 hours a day, it is the single largest power consumer in many families. You may need to leave your refrigerator and freezer on all of the time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t save money on power. Keeping food fresh while conserving electricity might help stretch an already stretched food budget.
Does Turning off the Refrigerator Save Energy?
Turning your fridge off for brief periods will not save electricity because it will consume more energy to chill down again when you turn it back on.
Should we Switch off the Refrigerator at Night?
LeeAnne Jackson, a health science policy advisor at the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, says the short answer is no. In an email, Jackson says, “Refrigerators should be kept at a continuous temperature setting of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.” “Germs may be present on various foods in your refrigerator, and the cool temperature prevents the bacteria from multiplying” (or at least slows it down). The bacteria will reach hazardous levels faster if the food warms up.” As a result, the USDA recommends tossing food left in an unplugged, closed fridge for more than four hours. (Frozen foods in a full freezer last two days; in a half-full freezer, they last 24 hours.)
Even if you’re willing to risk spoiling your food (or only keep food that can withstand higher temperatures in your fridge), the energy savings aren’t significant, according to Jackson, because “if the refrigerator is unplugged, more energy will be used to cool the refrigerator back down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit than if the refrigerator simply maintains the temperature at 40 degrees.”
Is it Ok to Unplug your Fridge when Not in use?
Modern inverter technology refrigerators use less than 300 units of electricity per year; thus, turning off your fridge for short periods, such as 2-4 weeks, may not be a good idea. If your refrigerator is an older model that uses more electricity due to direct cooling, disconnect it.
Why Is Saving Energy in Refrigeration Necessary?
Restaurants consume more energy per square foot than practically any other commercial enterprise. However, minimizing that consumption is rarely an easy endeavour due to the sometimes-overwhelming time demands and several other constraints experienced by restaurant owners and managers.
However, saving money on commercial energy is far easier than many restaurant owners and managers believe. Restaurant heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) units and refrigeration are prime targets for owners and managers looking for simple methods to save energy expenditures.
There are several ways for restaurant owners and managers to save energy by utilizing their refrigeration goods and techniques. Some of them are simple and inexpensive, and others may be more time-consuming or costly in the short term, but they can pay off big in the long run.
Quick Facts
- Ensure the fridge is at least 60% full and the freezer is at least 75% full.
- Moisture-damaged fridge insulation should be replaced.
- Inspect and clean the coils in your refrigerator and freezer regularly.
- Set the freezer temperature to -25°C to -22°C and the refrigerator temperature to 1.5°C to 3.5°C.
- Allow at least 80 mm between your refrigerator’s condenser coils and the wall, and keep them out of direct sunlight and heat.
- Close the refrigerator and freezer doors as much as possible to retain cool air inside.
Tips to Save on Refrigeration
For small businesses, refrigeration can account for a significant portion of their energy costs. Luckily, saving is easier than you might think. Refrigeration can take up to 58 percent of total electricity in restaurants, small grocery stores, and convenience stores.
The good news is that you can improve the efficiency of your refrigerator and freezer by doing a few simple actions. Food, drinks, and flowers last longer than inefficient refrigerators and freezers. You can also extend the life of your equipment and save money on monthly electricity bills.
1. Keep your fridge full – A full fridge is more efficient than an empty one. If you don’t have enough food to fill it up, put water bottles in there to help keep it cold.
2. Set the temperature correctly – Your fridge should be set between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius. Any warmer and your food will spoil; any colder and you’re just wasting energy.
3. Check the seal – Make sure that your fridge door is sealing correctly. A simple way to test this is to put a piece of paper in the door and close it. If you can pull the paper out quickly, your seal needs to be fixed. This crucial plastic liner is often ignored, despite ensuring that your appliance performs smoothly and efficiently. This seal, also known as a gasket, keeps undesired heated air from your refrigerator. As the doors are repeatedly opened and closed, gaskets will likely wear down and lose some of their suction. While your refrigerator may run smoothly for years, your gasket will likely degrade or tear after only a few years of use. As this vital sealer begins to fail, your unit will have to work harder to keep your food refrigerated, increasing energy bills and a shorter unit lifespan.
4. Defrost regularly – If you have a frost-free fridge, you don’t need to worry about this. But if you have an older model, you should defrost it every few months. A buildup of ice will make your fridge less efficient. Manual defrosting may be required depending on your refrigerator, and buildup on the coils within your refrigerator can cause it to work harder than necessary. It may be difficult for your refrigerator and freezer to maintain colder temperatures if you do not regularly defrost. This frost buildup can waste a lot of electricity and add up to a significant amount of money on your monthly expenses. If you don’t have air conditioning and live in a hot, humid area, regularly defrosting your manual or partially automatic refrigerator is even more critical.
5. Keep it clean – A dirty fridge is an inefficient fridge. Make sure to wipe down the inside and outside of your fridge regularly to keep it looking and working its best.
6. Protect Your Fridge from Extreme Heat- When the compressor is near heat sources, it swings into high gear to keep your food cooled to the optimum temperature. It makes your fridge work harder, but it’s also a waste of energy that could reduce the appliance’s lifespan. When planning your kitchen, keep your refrigerator away from the stove, oven, dishwasher, or any other device that produces a lot of heat. It’s also good to keep it out of direct sunlight for lengthy periods to avoid it going into overdrive.
7. Check for dust on the condenser coils: Condenser coils handle the hard lifting of producing cold air, but if they’re covered with dust or grime, they won’t be able to radiate heat efficiently. If the condenser coils are filthy behind or beneath the refrigerator, switch them off and clean them with a coil brush or a vacuum cleaner. Condenser coils should be cleaned at least twice a year. Clean coils are less expensive to run, and they chill the air more quickly, so keeping them clean will increase the life of your appliance.
8. Turn on the Power-Saving Switch: While not all refrigerators have this function, many newer machines now include small heaters built into the walls that prevent humidity from condensing on the exterior surface. Unless your machine has a lot of visible condensation, you can quickly eliminate this feature by activating the energy-saving or power-saving switch.
9. Purchase commercial refrigerators and freezers that are ENERGY STAR® certified: It’s critical to search for the ENERGY STAR label when acquiring new restaurant equipment. Compared to competitive items, ENERGY STAR-certified devices use less energy, which is especially true with refrigeration equipment. Some ENERGY STAR-certified commercial refrigerators and freezers are also eligible for various rebates. These solutions can drastically cut restaurant expenditures with an average annual savings of 30% on refrigerant electricity usage.
10. Allow for airflow: Make sure there’s enough space surrounding your fridge-freezer for air to circulate, and keep it away from any external heat sources, such as direct sunshine. If you store many things on the top and sides of your fridge, it will have to work harder to get rid of the hot air created during the cooling process. Keep it more transparent, and it will work more efficiently and consume less energy.
Final Thoughts
Refrigeration can be expensive, but you can save on your electric bill with some easy tips. Ensure to keep your refrigerator and freezer full by stocking up on food when it’s on sale, and avoid opening the door unnecessarily. If you have a side-by-side fridge, use the top for fresh food and the bottom for frozen items, and this will keep your fridge running more efficiently. Lastly, don’t put hot food in the fridge – let it cool down first. By following these tips, you can help reduce your energy consumption and save money on your electric bill. Thanks for reading!
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