How To Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient

Most people don't realize how much electricity a refrigerator uses. Unlike most household appliances, a refrigerator is working hard all the time. It is a heat pump, pumping heat out of the freezer, and using a fan to cool off the refrigerator unit. So, if you want to save money on your utility bill, you should make sure that your refrigerator is running at top efficiency.

PaperbackBob Vila recommends that you put replacement seals in the clothes dryer for a few minutes to warm them. Warming, he says, removes the crimps that come from being packed in the shipping box. And while your keeping the door clean, be sure to vacuum around the coils. The refrigerator coils are usually either on the back of the unit, or on the bottom of it. The coils are essential working parts of your refrigerator -- they are how the refrigerator dissipates the heat that it is pumping out of the interior. Dirty coils don't dissipate heat well, because the dirt acts like an insulator. Clean coils do what they're supposed to do -- dissipate heat at maximum efficiency.Another handy method of making your refrigerator more efficient is to use the "energy saver" setting on your refrigerator's controls. The controls can be found on the inside of the refrigerator unit, often on the refrigerator's "ceiling." Try different settings, and be sure to use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure the settings keep your food cold, between 35 and 37 degrees fahrenheit, or around 2 degrees celsius. While you're at it, get a freezer thermometer as well. The freezer should be around 0 degrees fahrenheit, -18 celsius. Check both thermometers regularly, particularly during the summer.Step 1: Cut back on red meat2010Research how you should recycle in your town. What do the recyclers accept? How should it be sorted? Do you need special bins? Does the recycling company pickup on a different day than the trash? These are all things you should know so that you can make the most out of your garbage!When cattle belch, methane gas is released, which traps 23% more heat into the Earth's atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Livestock manure is also the source of two-thirds of man-made nitrous oxide, which traps 300% percent more heat than carbon dioxide. Raising and eating livestock is responsible for more greenhouse emissions than transportation! Try cutting back on the amount of red meat you and your family consume. Instead of cooking 10 ounce steaks for each family member, use one steak and chop it up for a stir-fry. If you're feeling adventurous, try going vegetarian a few days a week.

These simple maintenance tips should make your refrigerator live a healthy, energy efficient life. And you'll notice the difference on your utility bill.

Author: Johnny Waymire