Seven Ways to Save Refrigerator Operating Costs

Refrigerators are some of the biggest users of electricity in our homes, so it's worth the trouble to know how to operate them the most efficiently.

Often, the first thing that comes to mind is cleaning the coils, but just vacuuming and/or dusting the coils won't help a lot. You need to turn off the refrigerator and unplug it, then wipe the coils gently with a damp cloth after vacuuming. Clean the area around the coils, too. While this should be done regularly, the savings is minimal compared to what you can save by doing other things.

Check the gasket and replace it if necessary. To check the gasket, put a slip of paper in the door and close it. If you cannot remove the paper easily (or at all) with the door closed, the gasket is okay. If the paper slips out easily, the gasket is not sealing. Don't run right out and buy a replacement gasket, though, because you may not need to. Scrub the gasket and the door where it makes contact, and dry it. Don't forget the bottom and the top. Wash all the way around the door, then when it's dry, try the paper test again. If the paper still slips out, then you'll need a new gasket. (However, some people have had good luck in coating the gasket with light oil. I wouldn't recommend this long term, but it can get you a few days or weeks until you can get a new gasket.)

Use the refrigerator wisely. Don't open the door more than is necessary and don't leave it open one second more than you need to. This is possibly the place where more energy is lost than any other. The refrigerator works to keep the air cool inside and any time the door is open, the cool air flows out. Your job is to keep as much of this cool air inside the refrigerator as possible.

Don't overfill. While freezers work better full, refrigerators work better if that cold air can circulate around food. That's because refrigerated food isn't as cold as frozen food and its temperature rises quickly, crowded or not. If there's no circulation because the refrigerator is too full, the thermostat won't register properly and the food will either be too warm, or too cold as the appliance cycles needlessly.

If you have any choice at all, place the refrigerator where air can circulate around the outside of it. Unfortunately, the style in modern kitchens has been to push it against a wall in the back, with cabinets or other appliances snugly alongside it. Refrigerators have to work harder when the external temperature is warmer and since they create heat when they run, they need air circulation to dissipate that heat. When that doesn't happen, the refrigerator needs to run again sooner, creating even more heat - and the cycle continues. Don't place them next to stoves, ovens or heat registers for the same reason.

You can help your refrigerator stay cool (and not run as much) by thawing frozen foods in it instead of on the counter. Or put excess ice in a bag and put it in. It's not necessary to refrigerate hot foods immediately. Let them cool down before you put them in the refrigerator. Don't overdo the cooling for safety's sake, but a half hour or a little more to allow the food to cool, won't cause a safety problem. (Unless the food was contaminated to begin with, or not cooked properly.) The USDA advises refrigeration within two hours of preparation, or one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees. That gives you some leeway, and will save money on the electric bill as well as wear and tear on your refrigerator.

Check the interior temperature. An inexpensive thermostat will give you a good reading. Place it at the back, then at the front, on the top shelf, and on the bottom, to get a good idea of where the refrigerator is warmest and coolest. No refrigerator holds a steady temperature throughout, so don't worry if yours doesn't. Just place food accordingly. If the temperature is above 42 degrees, turn down the thermostat or look for other problems. If it's below 36, turn it up and save some electricity. A temperature lower than 36 is wasting electricity and doing nothing to keep your food safer.

If the freezer part isn't frost free, defrost it regularly - before the frost becomes a quarter of an inch thick. Don't set the freezer temperature lower than 0 Fahrenheit, as anything lower than that is a waste of energy and won't keep your frozen food any better.

Refrigerators are easy to ignore when it comes to efficiency, but pay attention and yours will pay you back. Literally.