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Money saving ways to use your refrigerator or freezer

Here are a few ways for you to save money by how you use your refrigerator or freezer, you will be amazed how much energy can be saved.

The temperature settings should be around 3ºc for a refrigerator, and around minus 15°C for a freezer. Every degree lower than these settings adds around 5% to the running costs.

Ice build-up will cause your refrigerator or freezer to work harder and add to your energy bill.

• You can prevent ice build-up by:
• Covering liquids
• Making sure the door seals tightly
• Opening the door as little as possible

If ice builds up, defrost the unit. Generally chest freezers should be defrosted once or twice a year, and uprights two or three times a year.

Placing hot food in the fridge can increase the running costs by 5-10%.

Cleaning the condenser coils at the rear of the refrigerator helps to keep the fridge working efficiently.

The condenser coils should be at least 5cm from the wall to allow the heat to escape.

If possible, locate your fridge or freezer out of the sunlight and away from the oven.

Fridges and freezers run more efficiently when they are well stocked. If a second fridge or freezer is nearly empty, stock it with bottles of water or stop using it altogether.

To run efficiently, don't place the appliance too close to your oven, regularly defrost and try to keep at least three quarters full.