Operating an efficient fridge

To operate your fridge in an energy-friendly fashion you might like to consider the following tips:

• Buy a fridge thermometer (Less than £5) and keep your fridge as close to 4° centigrade as possible - more than 5° centigrade may be dangerous from a health point of view but any colder is wasting energy and totally unnecessary. You will also prevent your soft greens like cucumber and lettuce from icing up

• If you haven't got a frost-free fridge then de-frost regularly, as soon as you cannot see the metal surface of the freezer compartment because it is covered in frost - iced up fridges use more energy

• Clean the rubber edge seal on the door of your fridge, frequently and regularly - even the tiniest gap wastes energy

• NEVER put hot or even warm food directly into the fridge - let it cool completely first

• Think ahead and defrost frozen food in the fridge. It will take about four times as long but saves significant amounts of energy by helping to keep the fridge cool

• When buying a new fridge consider an under-the-counter drawer type - they are more expensive but you will save the extra cost in around 15 months by avoiding dumping cold air into your kitchen everytime you open a fridge door

• Do not open the fridge door rapidly as this is likely to draw out more cold than if you opened it slowly. This cold air will then be replaced by warmer air which will in turn need cooling. In other words you will use more energy.

• Also, avoid slamming the fridge door as this may tend to wear out the rubber seals more quickly. This situation will be be made worse if the door of your fridge contains heavy items such as full bottles of drink.

• Fridges will usually have adjustable door hinges that allow you to position the fridge door when new so it seals properly. Hinges are more likely to move if greater strain is put on them over a long period of time. A contributory factor could be the weight and position of any items you place in the fridge door shelves. The further from the door hinge you put an item, the more strain or leverage you will put on the door and the more likely it is to go out of adjustment. The message? Look to see if you can put the heaviest items closest to the door hinge. This should reduce the chances of the door going out of adjustment and not sealing properly.

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