In five minutes thanks to very simple gestures, you will be able to reduce the electricity bill of the appliance which certainly consumes the most in your home: the fridge. With winter approaching, now is the perfect time to save money quickly and simply. But the advice we are going to give you below is also valid throughout the year.
The fridge and its operation have many received ideas and it is easy to form bad habits. Knowing that a simple positioning of the refrigerator in your kitchen can affect its consumption, all the advice we are going to give you below will have a big impact at the end of the month.
To date, your fridge weighs for more than a third of the consumption of your household appliances! Let’s try to reduce the bill with these 5 solutions to lower the electricity bill thanks to the fridge. It does not matter whether you are equipped with the best model or the oldest. Your fridge depends only on you to operate as economically as possible. Your food will thank you too.
The arrangement of products in the fridge is important
Refrigerators and freezers have an ideal temperature in winter which helps reduce the electricity bill. But in addition to that, it is possible to optimize the layout of the products to get the most out of your fridge. Because not all compartments are at exactly the same temperature. Here is a simple method:
Place the foods that most need to be kept at low temperature in the lower part of the fridge. It is here that it will be the coldest and it is in these compartments that the temperature will be the most stable. This is all the more the case with static cold fridges, compared to fan-cooled fridges.
Example of the optimal layout for a static cold fridge © UFC-Que Choisir
Three millimeters of ice can change everything
The ice that forms inside a fridge is your worst enemy. Contrary to what one might think, from 3 millimeters of ice, the motors of the fridge must turn more quickly to maintain the temperature in the space. Therefore, your electricity bill is skyrocketing and the humidity inside the fridge is bad for your condiments. Conclusion, you will try to lower the temperature of your device even more to obtain the same result, it will work all the more than in normal times, and you will be surprised to see your electricity bill increase.
Clean your fridge regularly. This is the basis. The hunt for ice deposits on the walls must become your priority to effectively lower your bill. This cleaning prevents bad smells, but above all prolongs the life of your fridge.
Two simple rules for positioning your fridge
Facing south, facing north… the importance of a house’s orientation is known to everyone. That of a fridge is much less so. Depending on its place in your kitchen or cellar, its consumption will fluctuate. Several elements must be taken into account, in particular the devices that are nearby and its positioning with its back to the wall.
To reduce the consumption of your fridge thanks to its layout in a room, remember not to stick the appliance too close to a wall to simplify its ventilation and avoid damaging the motor. Also prefer a place away from heat sources such as an oven or radiator. If you can position your fridge in a room without heating in winter (cellar, garage), it will be even better.
Regulate the temperature as winter approaches
Depending on the technology of your refrigerator, remember to adjust the temperature so that it can properly preserve all your products. A static cold refrigerator will have compartments with very different temperatures, so remember to store your food taking this point into account. If it may seem counterintuitive, the best fridge temperature is different in summer (4°C) than in winter. When the cold arrives, it is advisable to set your device to 5°C, which can already save money on the bill.
The worst enemies of your fridge
Among the bad habits you can have with your fridge, putting away your still warm leftovers is certainly the worst. On the one hand you will greatly increase the chances of condensation, and on the other, the refrigerator will have to increase its power. Dishes that are still hot considerably increase the heat in the fridge and it is much better to wait until the dish is cold before putting it away.
This small gesture will save you from another more unpleasant one, namely to clean the surplus of ice which will have formed due to the vapor of the dish. You can no longer say that you did not know!
