Summer Energy Efficiency Tips
Refrigeration
As the weather warms up, it is easy to forget that some of our kitchen appliances have to work harder due to the increase in temperature.
Below are some simple hints and tips on how to make your fridge’s and freezers work more efficiently and hopefully save you money on your energy bills.
- Check the thermostat setting on your fridge. As the temperature rises during the summer it may be necessary to turn the thermostat up slightly to ensure your food is kept at the correct temperature. Remember to adjust it back down when winter comes.
- Don’t leave the fridge or freezer door open for longer than necessary. This allows all the cold air you have paid for the tumble out onto the floor. For every 30 seconds the door is open it can take up to half an hour to get back down the correct temperature, which is costing you money.
- Keep your freezer as full as possible as you are paying to cool the air space inside. The less space there is, the cheaper it is to run.
- When packing shopping away, get everything ready in one place that needs to go in the fridge or freezer. This makes sure the door is not left open for any longer than it needs to be, wasting energy.
- Try to position your fridge or freezer away from a direct heat source i.e. next to a radiator, a cooker or in direct sunlight. All of these can make the appliance warm up and it then has to work extra hard to keep itself cool.
- If you spill food inside the fridge, make sure you wipe it up straight away as it can cause the door seals to perish and allow the cold air to escape.
- Defrost your freezer on a regular basis, and don’t allow the ice to build up more to than a quarter of an inch thick. The thicker the ice gets the longer your freezer has to switch on to keep it frozen, and the more it costs you.
- Don’t put warm food into the fridge to cool down. It raises the temperature inside the fridge, making it switch on and use electricity, but it also warms up other food already in the fridge and can cause it to go off and leave you vulnerable to food poisoning.
Following the tips above will help you to be as energy efficient as possible with your fridges and freezers. As they have the potential to run 24 hours a day if they go wrong, inefficient old appliances can add £80 to £100 per year each to your energy bills.
For more hints and tips on saving energy, contact Energeyxtra on 0121 561 1969.
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