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10 Energy Saving Tips for Your Fridge or Freezer

10 Energy Saving Tips for Your Fridge or Freezer

Refrigerators and freezers are big household energy suckers, but with these 10 quick tips, you can quickly cool your next energy bill



  1. Don't run your refrigerator or freezer too cold. The recommended temperature is between 3°C and 5°C and freezers between -15°C and -18°C.
  2. Avoid putting warm food straight into the fridge, before putting cooked food away allow it to cool.
  3. Regularly defrost refrigerators and freezers. If these tend to frost up quickly then check the door seal. 
  4. Do not leave fridge or freezer doors or lids open longer than necessary and make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. 
  5. Keep your fridge and freezer around 3/4 full - don't under or over fill it. 
  6. Between your refrigerator and the walls leave enough space in order to air can easily circulate around the refrigerator. 
  7. Keep the back of your fridge/freezer dust free because it helps to improve energy efficiency.
  8. Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. 
  9. Do not place fridges and freezers close to cookers and ovens, dishwashers or in direct sunlight. 
  10. Turn the fridge and freezer off when you go away.



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Science Notes

Leave around 10 cm between the back of your appliance and the wall to ensure adequate ventilation. 

Overfilling fridges inhibits air circulation while under filling uses more energy to cool air which escapes quickly when the door opens.

To check whether your fridge or freezer seals are working properly, test whether you can trap a piece of paper in the door. If you can’t then the seal probably needs replacing.

As a rule of thumb, the older a fridge, the more power it uses and greenhouse gasses it emits.

Related Tip

Refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers account for approximately 30% of your household energy consumption. At the same time, these white goods account for around 53% of household greenhouse gas emissions.> > To find out the comparative energy efficiency and the estimated energy consumption of your appliances, visit the government energy rating website