“Again,” I shouted to no one in particular. My water glass was under the icemaker in our refrigerator and nothing was coming out but a grinding noise. It seems like a twice-yearly discussion about the icemaker not working. This time I was able to fix it, saving us $100 in service costs. It did turn my thoughts to replacing our refrigerator with a more energy efficient one.
A refrigerator is a major energy hog and in most houses, it is secondly only to the air conditioners for energy used. It is consistently “on” and rarely is it turned off unless the house is unoccupied. Before refrigerators, people used holes dug in the earth covered with snow and ice to keep their food cold. Not necessary convenient in today’s fast pace world.
Today, we have substituted the hole in the earth with a well-insulated box and replaced the ice and snow with a condenser, a compressor, an expansion valve, and coolant. Thus, allowing us to keep our food cold, even in the middle of an Arizona summer. Our modern refrigerators work through thermodynamics – removing the heat from the inside of the box via compressed coolant. For a more detail, explanation read David Donovan’s (2011). How does a refrigerator work?
Although we do not need a technical explanation, we do need to know is that for modern refrigerators to work, they need energy in the form of electricity. This energy cost us hard-earned money, which we would rather use to put items in the refrigerator. To reduce this energy cost, we need to purchase the most energy efficient models available.
To do this, we should purchase only those refrigerators with energy star rating. In 1996, the Energy Star Program introduced ratings for home appliances including refrigerator. Energy Star Program sets limits for energy usages and rates appliances based on how much energy they use. Only those refrigerators with a twenty percent more efficient than the minimal federal standard qualify for the energy star rating (Energy Star, 2011). At the Energy Star website – you can check the cost of operating your refrigerator on a yearly basis. Additionally you can find the models that have been received the energy star rating.
Getting an Energy Star rated refrigerator is a good start to saving money but you should consider a few other factors before purchasing a refrigerator.
- A refrigerator with a freezer on the top is the most energy efficient.
- Adding an icemaker and water dispenser not only adds cost to the refrigerator but also increases your yearly operating costs by about 10 to 20 percent (Rocky Mountain Institute, 2004).
- The amount of energy used is dependent on the size of your refrigerator. The refrigerator you purchase should hold just enough for food and drinks for your family. The fuller the refrigerator the more efficient it runs.
After you have made your purchase there are a few things you can do to keep your refrigerator running efficiently.
- Be careful where you place your refrigerator. It should not be located near a heat source, i.e. a stove, oven, sunlight or a fireplace.
- Set the refrigerator temperature between 36 degrees and 39 degree Fahrenheit. The freezer should be set between 0 and -5 degree Fahrenheit.
- On a yearly basis, vacuum your condenser coils. This allows the condenser to work more efficiently.
- Check your door seals. A dime size gap can cause airflow decreasing the efficiency of your refrigerator.
- Do not open the door and stare inside – looking for the chocolate cake, you are last night. Leaving the door open, causes the refrigerator harder than it should have to.
When purchasing a refrigerator, the true cost has to be considered. The true cost is the purchase price plus the yearly operating cost, which includes cost of electricity, water filters, light bulbs and maintenance and repairs costs. Investing in a high efficient refrigerator is a smart move for the sustainable kitchen.
References:
Rocky Mount Institute (2004) Home Energy Brief #8 Kitchen Appliances Retrieved March 6, 2011 from http://www.rmi.org/rmi/Library/2004-20_HEB8KitchenAppliances
Energy Star (2011) Refrigerators for Consumers Retrieved March 6, 2011 from http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=RF
Donovan, D. (2011) How a refrigerator works? eHow (beta) Retrieved March 6, 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4901600_a-refrigerator-work.html