Refrigerators
Refrigerators are the single largest energy consuming appliance in most homes, using 9-15% of a household's total electricity.
· Choose the right size for your family – fresh foods are better for you than refrigerated.
· Refrigerators with freezers on top use 10-15% less energy than a side-by-side model of equivalent size.
· Don't put your fridge next to any heating appliances. An increase in heat of 10% near the fridge will increase its energy consumption by 10-20%.
· Move your refrigerator away from the wall so that the cooling unit's heat can be conducted away.
· Don't set your fridge at too low a temperature. Recommended settings are 2.7-4.4 C for the fresh food section and -15 C for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage it should be kept at -17.8 C. A decrease of 12 C increases energy costs by 25%!
· If you need to defrost meat and other foods from the freezer, please get it out in advance and put it in the refrigerator first; this will help you save on electricity bills.
· Regularly defrost refrigerators and freezers. Frost build-up increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running. Don't allow the frost to build up more than 1cm.
· Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper so that it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.
· Cover liquids and wrap food stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
· Don't put left over food in the fridge before it has cooled down completely.
· Reduce the frequency of door opening, and open the fridge door for as short a period of time as possible. Keep your things inside in order to prevent long searching with the door open.
 What is Climate Change? How is it related to me??
Lighting
Electrical Appliances
Air Conditioning
Refrigeration
Washing Machines
Hot Water
Food and Health
Household Hazardous Wastes
Green Shopping
Green Travel
Thank you for doing your part! Your choice matters.
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