Fridge freezers consume considerable amounts of electricity, creating an energy consumption problem as resources become limited. Improving the energy efficiency of fridge freezers is not that difficult. All that is required is some carefully thought out process.
Fridge freezer are rated according to their energy efficiency, with estimated annual estimated energy usage listed on their labels allowing you to compare fridges more easily.
Keep It Full
Your refrigerator and freezer should always remain full. This will reduce the amount of energy they use each day while saving money. Some experts suggest placing gallon jugs of water or ice bags in the freezer to fill any empty spaces; when your freezer is fully loaded with contents there’s less chance of air escaping through its walls and more energy is used cooling them down than cooling an empty one!
Old fridge freezers consume far more electricity than the modern energy efficient fridge freezers. However, modern ENERGY STAR fridges cost much less and could help save on your electricity bill even without purchasing one outright.
Refrigerator and freezer appliances rated F or G will consume twice the energy per day as A-rated units, so when shopping for one make sure it bears the green ENERGY STAR label and consult its Energy Guide label to see how your appliance uses energy.
In the UK, all appliances come equipped with an Energy Guide label that displays an A to G rating as well as whether or not there is a freezer/ice compartment. This label can usually be found printed on either the back or inside door and should display this information clearly.
Keep the door shut
Refrigerator-freezers consume significant amounts of electricity, yet have become much more energy-efficient over the years. If you are replacing an older fridge-freezer with one from today’s energy rating range – typically half as many kWh annually than their predecessor – this may save hundreds of pounds over its lifespan!
Left open, cold air from inside the fridge leaks out into the room, forcing its freezer to work harder to maintain subzero temperatures and eventually overwork its compressor and reduce its lifespan. Furthermore, all frozen foods could become subject to spoilage as they cannot be preserved at sub-zero temperatures.
Closed door of a fridge freezer are important to ensuring its efficiency, particularly with large families or people who snack frequently during the day. Therefore, considering purchasing a small or mini fridge that only provides limited storage is worth exploring as these types of units need less power to run as well as being cheaper to buy than large fridge-freezers.
Replace very old fridge freezer with the latest model
Many don’t realize that their refrigerator or freezer is one of the top seven electricity consumers in their home, and upgrading to an energy efficient model could save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Refrigerator power consumption can vary depending on its temperature settings and usage habits. By keeping both fridge and freezer full with food items and using proper storage methods to manage its temperatures more effectively, you can save both money and reduce its electricity usage considerably.
Modern refrigerators utilize less electricity due to improved insulation, motors, compressors and magnetic door seals. Furthermore, ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators feature an energy efficiency indicator on their label which makes comparing appliances much simpler.
When purchasing a refrigerator, look for models certified as ENERGY STAR qualified with top or bottom freezers that feature more energy-efficient design features such as positioning the freezers so as not to exert as much energy in keeping their contents cold – saving up to 16 percent in energy consumption overall!
Search for a refrigerator without an automatic icemaker or dispenser; these features may seem convenient but they increase energy usage by 14-20 percent and often increase purchase costs as well.
Thermostat Controls
Refrigerators and freezers must remain functional all day – they represent one of the biggest energy consumers for most households. Yet how they’re utilized can have a dramatic effect on both temperature control and energy consumption.
Refrigeration works by moving heat energy from its source (i.e. inside of the fridge) to another (outside). As its efficiency in this area decreases over time, so will its electricity use.
Fridge Freezer energy consumption is also affected by how often its door is opened, since opening the door allows cold air to escape into the kitchen and replace with warm air from there. Therefore, proper functioning seals are key in order to prevent this phenomenon and increase electricity costs significantly. Having well-sealed doors also helps ensure food stays fresh for longer; meaning fewer trips to the supermarket and less food waste overall making a well-sealed door an investment worth making!
Automatic Defrost
Defrost systems play a pivotal role in energy efficiency for fridge freezers. Automatic defrosting models may prove more efficient than those requiring manual defrost to preserve energy costs.
Defrosting is accomplished using either a heating element or hot gasses to automatically dissolve any build-up of ice in the freezer at various points during each day, several times over. There are various forms of automatic defrost depending on how your fridge freezer was designed; Foster catering storage and display freezers like the BL1SSCR have an automatic defrost function which utilizes hot discharge vapour from its compressor to melt any build-up of ice build-up in their storage compartments.
Defrosting energy usage depends on how much ice has built up in a freezer, with increased levels requiring it to work harder, using up more electricity than expected. Also, defrost manually as necessary rather than using self-defrost – doing this every six months rather than using auto defrost can save energy usage significantly.
Energy Saving Door Locks
Consider purchasing a fridge freezer equipped with childproof features to safeguard against unauthorised users altering its temperature settings, such as key locks or buttons that must first be unlocked to make changes. This could include keypad locks or buttons which require unlocking before settings can be adjusted.
