Fact Sheets

There are many ways to save energy through the items in your house. Learn here about energy efficient appliances, equipment, and materials.
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Home Appliances : Refrigerators

Refrigerators

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Why is this important?

If your refrigerator is 10 years old or older, it is probably costing you $120 a year to operate. In a typical house, the refrigerator is responsible for approximately 20% of your electricity consumption.

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Refrigerators

Refrigerators have become a household amentity, and you will find one, if not more, in almost every home.  Older refrigerators can be very inefficient, and with new technologies, energy efficient refrigerators can save a lot of energy and money.

 

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Energy Saving Tips

How to Buy?

Refrigerators manufactured today use 60% less electricity than older refrigerators and will lower your energy use and save money as well.  Side by side refrigerators typically use 7-13% more electricity than the freezer-on-top configuration. An ice and water dispenser on the door adds another 7% to your electricity use.  Size matters as well: One large refrigerator will use less energy than two small units.
All refrigerators have a yellow EnergyGuide label that states how much energy the model uses in comparison with other similar units. Use the EnergyGuide label to find the most efficient model.
ENERGY STAR is the federal government’s program that identifies and labels high-efficiency appliances and products. An ENERGY STAR labeled refrigerator will use 30-40% less electricity than a ten-year old unit and will save you $30 per year on your electricity bill.

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Energy Saving Tips

Clean the condenser coils at least once a year to maximize performance. Take care to first unplug the refrigerator and then brush off the dust that has accumulated on the coils on the back or under the refrigerator.

Make sure the temperature settings are correct.  A refrigerator may use 25% more energy than necessary if it is kept 10° colder than needed. The temperature in the refrigerator should be between 36 and 40° Fahrenheit and the freezer should be set between 0 and 5° F.

If you have a manual defrost freezer, defrost it regularly, as ice build up on the coils wastes energy by making the compressor run longer.

Keep the door seal clean. This can be tested by placing a piece of paper in the door—if you can easily pull it out, the seal may need replacing.

The refrigerator should be in a location that keeps it out of direct sun, as well as away from the stove and other heat-producing appliances.

Open the door as briefly and infrequently as necessary.

Don’t keep a refrigerator in an unheated garage, which may have poor temperature and humidity control.

Turn off the anti-sweat heater when not needed in the winter months - it adds 5-10% to energy consumption.

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