Did you know that your refrigerator is responsible for up to 11 percent of your home’s total energy use? With Connecticut electricity rates being some of the highest in the nation, we wanted to show you a quick and easy way to bring down your utility bills.
We all took five minutes to clean our refrigerator and think you should, too! During your Spring Cleaning ritual, it’s easy to take a few minutes to get under your refrigerator and vacuum off those condensor coils – and if the coils are on the back of the refrigerator, that means you should probably upgrade to a more efficient model.
Cleaning off those condenser coils
When dust and pet hair build up on your refrigerator’s condenser coils, the motor works overtime and wastes your electricity. Wiping down the coils ensures that air can circulate freely and keeps your refrigerator operating in tip-top shape. If you’ve never cleaned your condenser coils before, check out this instructional video.
The Trusty Dollar Bill Test
While you’re at it, you can also check the refrigerator door seals to make sure they are as tight as a nicely insulated home. If you can remove a dollar bill easily after closing the dollar in your refrigerator door, you are literally leaking money. You likely need to: 1) fix or replace your door latch, or 2) replace the seals, or 3) update an outdated model.
If you have an older, inefficient refrigerator you can save $50 off your new ENERGY STAR refrigerator with the rebate you receive from your Home Energy Solutions visit. Replacing your older model can save you up to $100 annually on your utility bills.
Make sure, though, that you recycle your old one! Most refrigerators hitting the decade mark have more recyclable steel in them than an equivalent steel statue of our good friend Jenna up above. Many retailers will pick up and recycle your old one when they deliver your new refrigerator. Other retailers will offer you higher rebates when you recycle your old one.
Source: CT Clean Energy Challenge
