Apart from protecting the planet, green home appliances also help us save some cash by cutting down on the energy bill. And fortunately enough, they are today quite affordable and easy to find; a wide range of eco-friendly refrigerators are available in the market in sleek and attractive designs. Apart from the machine itself, a lot also depends upon how you use it. So, here are some tips that will help you make the most of your fridge without costing much on the environment or your pocket.
1. Go for an energy saving model
Refrigerators are among the highest consumers of energy at home ranking along with water heaters and air conditioners. So, it really pays well to go for an Energy Star rated model; it can save you somewhere between 10 to 50 percent energy compared to its traditional counterpart. And since 99% of Americans own this appliance, you can imagine for yourself how huge an impact this can have if all of them go for an eco-friendly refrigerator.
2. Don’t overstuff your fridge
If you might have noticed, more and more households are going for refrigerators with higher storage capacity, which obviously translates to higher energy consumption. But did you know that you can actually reduce the size of the fridge if you use it only for keeping stuff that you really need to? For example, potatoes, onions and tomatoes are best kept outside at room temperature rather than inside the refrigerator. Likewise, most of the vegetables can stay fresh for 3-7 days without the need for refrigeration. So, if you are planning to consume them within this period, it would be a good idea to keep them too outside the refrigerator. Cut fruits and vegetables however are an exception and should be kept in the fridge.
3. Keep it at the right place
Though you may not see it, a refrigerator works real hard to keep your food items cool and fresh. It produces a lot of heat in the process. So, you should place your refrigerator in a well ventilated area; cool one, if possible. Never keep it in direct sunlight or near hot appliances like microwave, chimney, etc.
4. Ensure proper maintenance
Proper maintenance will give a longer life to your refrigerator and will also save more energy. So, be sure to regularly clean and defrost your machine. See to it that the door seals are tight and don’t leak air. Also, adjust the thermostat setting according to the season; in winter, you can go for a ‘warmer’ setting. And don’t forget to cool the food before placing it in the fridge.
5. Repair rather than replace
If you’ve been using an old refrigerator that guzzles a lot of energy, then of course you may want to replace it with the latest efficient model. But once you already have a good one, changing it too often for minor problems is not a good idea. You should rather call the technician and get it repaired. Replacing refrigerator parts should not be a problem since you can find them in online as well as offline stores. If however you decide to replace your old machine, make sure you dispose it off in a responsible manner.
