small steps, smaller footprints

 

Refrigeration represents approximately 7% of your home electricity consumption each year. There are several things you can do to ensure your food box is operating as efficiently as possible. The primary thing you need to do is check to make sure the temperatures of your fridge and freezer aren't too low. Right at or just below 40 ºF (4.4 ºC) for the fridge and no less than 0 ºF (-18 ºC) for the freezer should be plenty cold. Keeping your fridge and freezer any colder than this is an unnecessary waste of energy. You may need to use a thermometer and allow 24 hours for the temperature to adjust. Check every few months to ensure the temperatures have remained at the desired setting. It is also important to ensure nothing is obstructing airflow behind your refrigerator so that the condenser coils are able to work efficiently. While you're at it, clean the condenser coils on the back of your refrigerator, removing dust and debris so heat can be released from your fridge. The condenser coils will need attention a few times a year. Setting a calendar maintenance reminder for your fridge is a good idea. Keeping your fridge and freezer full will also help increase the efficiency of your unit. If your refrigerator is regularly empty, but you still use it, putting a couple of bags of ice in the freezer and some large, sealed containers (e.g. milk jugs) filled with cold water in the fridge will reduce the volume of air your fridge must work to cool. The containers of water, or anything in your refrigerator with moisture, should be sealed because moisture forces your refrigerator's compressor to work harder. Make sure to leave some air pockets, though, as the inside of a fridge requires some amount of air circulation in order to operate effectively. There are a couple of other essential maintenance items. You may occasionally need to defrost your freezer and refrigerator, and perform the paper test to verify your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Your refrigerator is one of your most energy-hungry appliances. These are all things you can do to control your beast's appetite. The personal impact of committing to Action 10 is:

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