Keep it Closed

So one of the bigger expenses we have in our kitchen and on our energy bill is keeping our food cold or frozen. Here are a few tips to save green on your fridge and freezer.

1. Don't turn your freezers and fridge colder than necessary. Keep them at safe temperatures, but they don't have to be the coldest of the range. Your fridge should be between 36 and 42 F. I keep mine at 39/40 as I don't want listeria problems. Freezers should be between -5 and +6F - if you are keeping things for long periods of time the colder range is necessary. Consider sticking in a separate thermometer just to make sure your temps are accurate.

2. Don't stand with your fridge doors open thinking about what you might want to eat. Same for putting away groceries. Open and close the doors efficiently. This will also keep extra humidity out of your fridge. Mine has an built in alarm if you leave it open too long. You can buy these too.

3. Keep your seals clean and working. If a dollar bill will slip out when you close the door - so will cold air.

4. Clean the condenser with a long brush or vacuum brush 2x a year. A clean unit runs more efficiently than a dirty one.

5. Don't put your stove next to the fridge or other heat source. Don't put a fridge in an unheated environment, it will have to work harder.

6. If you have a 10 year old or older fridge consider replacing it. You are likely using 2 x 3 times the energy of a new fridge.