We have discussed the 3 important maintenance tips for your refrigerator. The part 2 of this per say is, how do you cut down on the costs so your fridge will run more efficiently? In addition to regular maintenance, here are some tips to keep the utility bills down, and improve the life of your refrigerator from working too hard.
Keep it Full A full refrigerator is a happy refrigerator. In all seriousness, keeping your refrigerator and freezer full will allow it to run efficiently to its maximum capacity. Don’t take fullness for overstuffing; allow cool air to circulate through. By keeping a full fridge, you reduce warm air space so your unit doesn’t work overtime.
Use Water to Fill Up If you still need to go grocery shopping this week and are lacking the groceries to fill up your refrigerator, use water. Simply fill up any containers, jugs and gallons with water and place them in your fridge. Your water will help to keep your refrigerator retain its coolness—not to mention, you have ice cold water at hand. Double win!
Have Proper Space Make sure your refrigerator has adequate room. If needed, pull your refrigerator forward so each of the sides have a couple of inches of space all the way around. This way, air is able to properly circulate underneath your unit.
Inspect the Gaskets Your door seal is made to create a suction to keep the cool air in. How can it do this when it’s cracked or old? It can’t. Gaskets are relatively inexpensive that can make a big difference to your wallet. Test your gasket by placing paper in between your refrigerator door. If the paper falls out, or it lacks gasket resistance, go ahead and replace it.
Store Food Properly Make sure you cover your food to reduce moisture released into your refrigerator as it makes your compressor work harder to remove it. Also, don’t toss in piping hot food into your unit. If you can, allow your food to cool down to a safe temperature, and then you can place it in the refrigerator.
Photo by: PV KS
