Old Refrigerators Eat Energy & Money

Does this sound familiar? You bought a new refrigerator and moved your old fridge to a garage or basement to keep a few drinks and some surplus food items cold. Here’s a tip from Access Energy Cooperative that can help you save energy and money.

If you have moved your old refrigerator to an uninsulated location, such as a garage, it will use even more energy during hot weather. A fridge in a 90 degree environment, for example, uses nearly 50% more power than one in a 70 degree environment. And if the temperature falls below about 40 degrees in winter, the refrigerator’s thermostat may not run its cooling and defrost cycles for the appropriate amount of time.

By pulling the plug on that old refrigerator, you can save $146 a year. For other tips on how to save energy—and money—visit www.accessenergycoop.com or call the efficiency experts at Access Energy Coopertive.

Old refrigerators, especially those bought before 1993, use more than twice as much electricity as a new ENERGY STAR model. What’s more, refrigerants in these older appliances weaken over time and door seals start to leak, causing a decline in the performance.