Tips for conserving refrigerator energy use

Quick trivia: assuming that a house does not run air-conditioning around the clock, which other household appliance consumes the most electricity? (Hint: it is also related to cooling).

The answer, according to the United States Department of Energy, is the refrigerator, which while silently humming in the background, accounts for about one-sixth of a home's total electric bill. Most of the electricity is used by the refrigerator's cooling unit, which cycles on and off, to properly maintain a constant temperature.

Although improvements in refrigeration technology have cut energy consumption by up to 60 percent over the past 20 years, there are still some steps that a household can take to conserve electricity.

Here are some tips to lower the monthly electricity bill, while also causing refrigerators to operate in a more environmentally-friendly way:

Put the refrigerator away from other kitchen appliances, such as an oven. This way, the heat generated from other utilities will not affect the refrigerator.

Keep the refrigerator out of exposure to direct sunlight.

Open the refrigerator door open as briefly as possible. Lingering too long in front of an open fridge to find the perfect midnight snack causes cool air to escape.

Always make sure that the refrigerator is operating at the optimum temperature as recommended in the owner's manual. Setting the temperature colder than needed can use 25 percent more electricity.

Clean the condenser coils annually. Dirt and dust can accumulate in the coils, causing it to operate less efficiently.

Make sure the refrigerator is properly insulated by checking and cleaning the door seals. Test the strength of the seal by placing a piece of paper between the door. If it can be pulled with relative ease, the refrigerator is not properly sealed.

If ice builds up in the refrigerator, defrost it manually by emptying the items and unplugging the unit.

-- The Jakarta Post/002