It’s not just your central heating and lighting that may be ramping up your energy bills – even your fridge and freezer may be using more energy than they need. Obviously, you want these household appliances to keep your food from going off, so don’t turn the dials all the way up or down. We’ll help you keep your groceries cool and your energy bills low with this handy guide.
Ideal Temperatures
Most refrigerators clock in at around 3 degrees Celsius or below, and while this temperature is sure to extend the lifespan of your groceries, it also may be a little excessive. The 1-3 degrees range is borderline freezing, literally, and keeping food at such low temperatures isn’t always necessary – that’s why we have freezers.
Experts recommend 4-7 degrees Celsius to help save on energy bills without compromising the safety and quality of your food. This is still cool enough for meats, veggies, and dairy products, but doesn’t use nearly as much energy to maintain.
As for freezers, most models operate at around minus 20 degrees Celsius, but 18 degrees is low enough to keep foods fully frozen. With an integrated fridge freezer, like those available at Wellingtons Home Electrical, temperatures are even easier to modify, with handy control panels to keep you from fetching the thermometer.
Other Methods to Boost Efficiency
Manual temperature adjustment clearly makes a difference to energy expenditure, but there are other ways you can maximise the efficiency of your fridge and freezer.
Regular maintenance – clearing dust from coils, wiping away any grime – not only makes your fridge cleaner but can also improve the performance, meaning less energy is being wasted on average. Also be careful with storing hot food, as the fridge and food can be affected.
It’s also important to find balance in terms of your fridge or freezer’s capacity. A packed fridge retains cold more easily, but too much can hamper the performance. Having less in your fridge allows for smoother circulation, but can also be wasteful. Try to keep your appliances well-stocked, but not crammed.
