Your refrigerator and freezer are the third largest users of energy in your home. For a normal household this amounts to 15% of the electricity that is consumed. Most of us don’t realize how much of our electricity bill goes to the preserving of the food we eat. If you have a second refrigerator or freezer then it may be costing you more than 15% of your electric bill.
When it is time to get a new refrigerator or freezer there is some important information you need to know. When you are looking at appliances all of them have a big yellow “EnergyGuide” sticker on them. This label gives you the information needed to compare the efficiency of different models. Be sure to go the link How to read EnergyGuide Labels in our Efficiency Solutions section to learn how to read the labels and get the most out of them.
If you find an appliance that does have an Energy Star label on it then you know this particular unit exceeds the federal efficiency standards by at least 20%, making it one of the most efficient models available.
A refrigerator with the freezer on top is more efficient to operate than if it is located on the side.
Chest freezers are 10-25% more efficient to operate than the upright models.
Manual defrost freezers or freezer sections consume less electricity than the no frost versions.
Be sure to visit the Appliance Savings link in our Efficiency Solutions section for many valuable tips on how you can cut back on the electricity usage of your current refrigerator or freezer.
