The motivation for this entry is my ever present effort to redecorate my very old and only marginally efficient kitchen. As you read this, please know that I am soaked to the bone from exploding the supply line to my ice-maker while attempting to re-connect it after disconnecting it a few months ago. I was, ultimately, successful and did not blow up the motor on the well pump even though I have only one thingy to turn the water off in the house and always think I will leave it dry and explode the motor. This disaster motivated me to share some thrifty ways to keep your refrigerator running well. You should know that I have NEVER called a plumber for my own home (though maybe I should have a time or two), so everything you read is do-it-yourself.
I have read that if you replace an old refrigerator with a modern unit you could save around $70 a year in electricity and reduce your home’s annual carbon dioxide footprint by a thousand pounds a year. Having told you that, I fully recognize that I and most of you cannot afford to go buy a new EnergyStar to save $70.
If you’re not ready to upgrade (meaning you 'fridge ain't dead, yet), here are a few things you can do to improve the efficiency of the one you have.
- Check seals on the doors. Stick a dollar bill between the unit and the door, then try to pull it out. If it slips our easily, the seal sucks. You can wipe it with a silicone lubricant. If that doesn't work- replace the seals. This is an easy thing to do by yourself. Ask the dude who sells them to you how to do it. Basically, you rip the old ones out and squish in the new ones.
- Clean the coils under and on the back of your refrigerator once or twice a year- more if you live in an old house, like me... or smoke like a freight-train, like me... and even more if you live on a well-traveled road. Dust and funk build-up insulate the refrigerating coils. This makes it hard for the unit to rid itself of the heat produced from cooling. Unplug first, please.
- Move it if it’s in direct sunlight, beneath a heating vent, or next to the range or oven. The warmer the area, the harder the motor must work to keep its contents cool.
- Don't back the unit all the way up to the wall. Leave a few inches for circulation.
- Check your temperatures with a household thermometer. If it is below 65F in the cooling area or 0F in the freezing area, it is too low. Adjust accordingly.
- Keep the freezer defrosted. Any appreciable frost is too much.
- Leave room for air circulation. Be sure the vents that pipe in the cold are clear.
- Supposedly, you can improve an older refrigerator’s efficiency by up to 10% by attaching one-inch foam sheeting to the sides. If that's too ugly, do the side facing the wall and save 5%. Don’t cover coils or electrical lines, and leave room against the wall for air circulation.
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