The only appliance in your house that works 24 X 7 X 365 is the Refrigerator. Naturally, it consumes electricity.
It is entirely in your hands how to make optimum use of the refrigerator and ensure that you save the maximum power possible. These tips should prove useful to you in this regard.
Mind your temperature settings
The temperature settings of your refrigerator matters a lot. The thumb rule is that you set the temperature of the fridge between 2.5 and 4.5 degrees Centigrade. The freezer chamber should be set at an ideal range of -15 to 17.5 degrees Centigrade. Normally, your instruction manual has this setting range. You have these settings inside the respective chambers.
Do not open the refrigerator door frequently
When you open the refrigerator door, the cool air escapes to the outside. At the same time, the heat from the exterior enters the refrigerator. This affects the temperature of the interior portion. The refrigerator has to work harder to bring it back to the ideal level. If you open the door frequently, the fridge will naturally have to work harder thereby consuming more electricity.
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Allow foods to cool before placing them inside
Hot foods emit a greater amount of heat thereby increasing the temperature of the air inside the refrigerator. Therefore, the refrigerator has to work harder to come back to normalcy. Secondly, when you keep hot foods inside the refrigerator, these foods tend to sweat thereby affecting their taste. Hence, it is better to cool them to room temperature before keeping them in the fridge.
Keep the refrigerator full
This is because a full refrigerator will retain cold better than an empty one. But, do not overfill the refrigerator or freezer. This can interfere with the circulation of the air inside the refrigerator.
Use the energy saver switch provided inside the refrigerator
Most of the refrigerators come equipped with an energy saver switch. Using this mode enables the refrigerator to apply the optimum settings. At the same time, do not allow any condensation inside the refrigerator. It can affect the overall cooling. During such times, it is better to keep the energy saver switch in the ‘off’ position.
Check refrigerator gaskets
Do you notice a rubber tubing on the doors of the refrigerator? These are known as gaskets. They keep the doors airtight and do not allow the exchange of air. They should be tight without any kind of leaks. The best way to check these gaskets is to try out the following test. Close the door tightly on a single sheet of paper. Try to remove the paper. If it slides out easily, your gasket needs replacement.
Read: Best Side by Side Refrigerators
Defrost regularly
In case you have a single door manual defrosting refrigerator, you should ensure to defrost the refrigerator at regular intervals. Accumulation of ice on the freezer can affect the performance of the refrigerator a great deal.
Buy Energy Star qualified refrigerator models
The BEE makes it mandatory for all refrigerators to have the star rating label on these appliances. Ensure to buy a star rated product alone.
These tips should help you save power. Use these tips to your best advantage.