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Refrigerator
Decide what you want to get before you open the door.
Set refrigerator temperatures at 37-40 degrees. Setting the temperature 10 degrees below the recommended levels can increase energy use by 25 percent.
Make sure refrigerator door gaskets seal tightly. If not, replace them.
Defrost your freezer before frost builds up to one-quarter inch — this keeps the fridge running efficiently.
Use a vacuum cleaner or soft brush to clean the condenser coils behind or underneath your refrigerator and freezer several times a year.
Make the switch to an energy-efficient model
Your refrigerator uses the most energy of any appliance in your home. Today’s energy-efficient refrigerators are more than 40 percent more efficient than a conventional machine just 10 or more years ago. Benefits include:
- Improved insulation, high-efficiency compressors and new refrigerants keep food fresher, operate quietly, and produce less waste heat – reducing air conditioning loads in the summer.
- Qualified models are available in a range of sizes and configurations with all the latest features.
- Replacing a 10-year-old refrigerator may reduce your electric bills up to $40 a year.
Check the yellow Energy Guide label on new models to compare energy usage costs.
Look for Energy Star® models, which perform at least 20 percent more efficiently
than government standards require. You may also qualify for a tax credit on your
Oregon personal income tax when you purchase an energy-efficient model.
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