EXPERTS have revealed the “ideal temperature” to set your fridge at to maximise on energy efficiency and save you money.
Fridges are one of the most fuel-guzzling appliances in the home but there are some tricks you can use to cut back on costs.
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Experts at Beko, the UK home appliance brand, have revealed seven ways to make your fridge more energy-efficient, the Daily Express reports.
It comes with the average household’s energy bills expected to be £2,500 this year.
Set the ideal temperature
The higher the number you set on your fridge dial, the colder it will be.
Most fridges have dials set between one to five – in this case five would be the coldest setting.
The experts at Beko advised the “ideal temperature” to set your fridge at is between 2.2 and 3.3 degrees Celcius for maximum efficiency.
They added if your thermometer is at the lower end of the range, nudging it up just a little will lead to “noticeable energy savings”.
Move your fridge
Your fridge will be forced to work harder if it’s in certain places, like near an oven or radiator.
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Instead, move it to a cooler area and check there’s at least five centimetres of free space around the sides, back and top for ventilation.
Without an air gap, the fridge can not release heat from the compressor, which cools down the inside of the appliance.
This in turn causes the fridge to heat up and work harder and longer to keep food at your desired temperature.
Keep the door closed
It might sound obvious, but leaving the door open lets all the cool air out, forcing your fridge to work to get back to the temperature your dial is set at.
So rather than getting distracted when taking stuff out for meal times, shut the door wherever possible.
Organise your fridge
Knowing where food is in your fridge will mean leaving the door open for less time.
It will also mean food is less likely to go to waste as items won’t get lost in the depths of the appliance.
The Beko experts said: “The less time you spend rummaging around looking for food with the refrigerator door open, the less the condenser has to work to get the temperature back to the set level.”
Don’t put hot food in
Putting hot food in your fridge raises the inside temperature of your fridge, so you should avoid doing this.
Instead, allow leftovers to cool down before putting them in.
Take care of the seals and coils
Any breaks or dirty seals will mean warm air can get into your fridge.
So keeping them clean and replacing any cracks or splits will see you save money.
Plus, the condenser coils on the fridge, found at the back, keep the inside temperature cool.
Over time they can collect dust, so giving them a good clean every once in a while will keep them working efficiently.
Reach the perfect capacity
Ideally, a fridge should be two-thirds full. That’s because a fuller fridge has less air to keep cool.
If your fridge is too big to fill, you can always add jugs of water.
But don’t cram your fridge to the brim or block air vents as you still need good airflow.
We previously revealed some of the most energy-guzzling appliances in the home.
Plus, eight ways you can save hundreds on your energy bills without spending anything.
