5 ways to make your fridge use less power

You’ve probably scratched your head over this dilemma a few times but haven’t come up with a good long term solution – other than switching your fridge off while you look for money to top up your pre-paid power units.

The problem is that unlike the iron box, electric kettle or instant shower, the refridgerator is one home appliance that needs to stay on 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The truth is, your fridge is an energy sapper but it’s also one of your most trusted household assistant – you can’t imagine life without it.

So with the painful effects of the financial crunch in hot pursuit, how can you save money and still keep your fridge running? Here are a few tips:

1. Empty is bad

Admit it. Your fridge is not always as well stocked as you like. There are those dry days of the month when you open the fridge for a midnight snack and the door light blinds you. The good news is, you will have better days but the bad news is, the less stuff your fridge has, the more energy it uses.

Fix it: Fill up bottles with tap water and use them to fill in the empty spaces. You can also use scrunched up newspaper and fill condiment bottles and jars with water to line the sides of your fridge.

2. Plan, plan, plan

You’ve had those moments when you open the door of your fridge after a long day and stare into it wondering what you’ll have for supper. The truth is, you’re losing precious energy by doing this. Once you close the door, warm air will get into your fridge and it will have to work overtime to get back to its ideal temperature.

Fix it: If you do your grocery shopping in bulk, you’ll not only save money on your purchases, you’ll help your fridge work more efficiently. And once you have your stuff in your fridge, plan what you want to get out of it before you open the door.

If you have a menu and a recipe in front of you, you’re likely to spend less time with the door open, staring into your fridge and wondering what you’ll eat. Carry a tray or basket with you so you can get out as many items as possible to minimize the number of times you open the door.

Lay out snacks on the kitchen counter for your kids at the start of the day or encourage them to decide what they want before they open the fridge. Once your meal is done, cool leftovers before you put them in the fridge. Putting warm food in the fridge will not only make it work harder, it also increases the risk for bad bacterial growth.

3. Move stuff away from the back wall

Your fridge is full and everyone is happy. Good. Wrong. Bad. That’s if you have stuff against the back wall of your fridge. This is where most of the vents for your fridge’s cooling system are located and if you block them, your fridge will have to work extra hard to circulate cold air in the compartment.

Fix it: Move things away from the walls and leave some space behind and around your food so that air can circulate.

4. Clean it up

If the cooling coils at the back of your fridge get dusty, your fridge will have to work extra hard cool itself. The coils take warm air out of your fridge so if they can’t do that efficiently, your fridge will use more energy.

Fix it: Apart from keeping it good working condition, regularly servicing your fridge has an added advantage. The cooling coils at the back of your fridge will be cleaned by a professional and all you have to do is dust it once in a while.

To dust the coils, you can use a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner. Be careful not to damage the coils. Defrost the freezer often to keep ice from building up as this will reduce efficiency.

5. Location, location, location

The warmer the air around the fridge, the harder it has to work to cool air down.

Fix it: Keep your fridge as far as possible from your gas cooker, kettle and microwave. If possible, put it next to an outside wall (the other side of the wall faces outside). Walls that have windows are usually outside walls. Don’t push your fridge flush against the wall. The cooling coils need air to circulate around them.