The first thing you probably think about when making the decision to take steps to cut down on your electric bill is probably that air conditioner. It is if you live anywhere like where I live. We have two seasons:
Summer and hell-yes-it's-summer. Electricity is expensive for some reason. I'm guessing corporate profits. Here's the thing about focusing on your air conditioner: even on the sultriest Tennessee Williams kind of day it probably isn't going to be running twenty-hours. Not in a row, anyway. Can you think of an appliance inside your house that will be running non-stop?
The refrigerator. (My own personal choice for the greatest invention in human history.) Depending on the size, model and condition of your refrigerator could cost you over $500 a year just in electricity usage. Obviously you can't be a Scrooge and use it only when you have absolutely have to, so what steps can you take to cut your electric bill costs apropos to having your refrigerator running? Well, if I was George Bush or Rudy Giuliani I would confront this potential disaster by telling you the best way to deal with financial devastation is to go out and buy a new one. But, thankfully, I'm not a puppet controlled by my capitalist masters. I'm your friend. And so here is some friendly advice on how to cut your electric bill by cutting down on refrigerator waste.
You probably remember as a kid being told to always shut the refrigerator door when you weren't looking inside it. Once again, your parents weren't just being jerks. Refrigerators work best when they are cold. That's
what they do. When you leave that door open all the cold leaves and the refrigerator has to work twice as hard because now it has to get back to the temperature it was at before you so thoughtlessly left the door open. Have you no shame! Speaking of cold, the single best way to make your refrigerator run more efficiently and thereby lower your electric bills is to change the temperature settings. If you have a model that will show you the exact temperature, adjust it so that your refrigerator is at 39 degrees and your freezer is somewhere between 0-5 degrees. I'm not math whiz so don't ask me how this is possible, but if your settings are as little as ten degrees off on way or the other you are currently paying as much as one-forth more per month on electric bills for that appliance as you need to. Still staying on the subject of letting a refrigerator do what it does best, keep it full. A well-stocked refrigerator actually costs less to keep cool than a bare one. If you are on a diet and don't want the temptation of a refrigerator filled with food, simply toss in a few bags of ice to fill the empty spaces.
Maintenance is also a cost-cutter. Have you ever taken a look at the coils on your refrigerator? They are usually on the back or beneath the appliance. Either way, it behooves you to take a broom and sweep off the dust from those coils. It may seem like a lot of trouble for nothing, but a smooth-running refrigerator pays off. Anything you can do to make it run better will save you money. For instance, if you store liquids inside your refrigerator without a cap or lid you are hurting your refrigerator's efficiency. Covering up any beverages stored inside will help control the humidity inside the unit and help it to run better. Typically, most kitchens don't have a lot of trouble with sunlight, but if your refrigerator is placed where it receives direct rays for an extended period of time consider moving it elsewhere if at all possible. The sun is going to heat that sucker up and though you may think it's not that big a deal over the course of the refrigerator's life you can expect to pay several hundred dollars more in electric bills than you need to.
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