8 Ways on Cutting Electricity Costs

Your electric bill is too high. This is the scenario for most people nowadays considering the hefty fees we pay all those institutions generating our electricity. It is a real budget buster and no one is spared. Now for the most important question: how do you get it down? Well, how about looking at some of the bigger users of electricity?

Did you know that your refrigerator is the cause for 20 percent of the average home's electric bill? There are a number of ways to keep that expense under control without spending much time or money.

1. Begin by taking your refrigerator's temperature. The refrigerator compartment should be set between 38 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should be between 0 and 5 degrees. Unless your refrigerator is nearly new, use a thermometer to check the temperature. Cooling to a lower temperature will waste energy and may even damage the food you're storing.

2. How you pack your food for storage can make a big difference in the amount of electricity that you use. The strategy is different for the regular and freezer compartments. In the refrigerator section you want air to circulate around the food being stored. You want the cold air to encircle each item on all sides. In the freezer, the opposite rule applies. There you want to pack items in tightly. Once frozen, each item helps to keep its neighbor cold. If you have empty space, you'll want to fill freezer bags with water to fill that space.

If your model has manual defrost, make sure that the ice coating is no thicker than 1/4 inch. The thicker the frost, the harder the compressor must work to maintain a constant temperature.

Inside the refrigerator compartment, make sure that liquids are covered. Remember that part of keeping the food cold is removing humidity. An open container of liquid (even an opened can of soda) is a constant source of humidity for the compressor to remove. If you leave a drink uncovered, you're actually paying for your refrigerator to drink your soda.

3. How is your refrigerator organized? If you know where to find an item, you won't stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open playing 'find the ketchup'. Mark items for easy identification. Keeping organized costs you nothing and will save time and money.

4. One simple trick is to defrost items in the refrigerator compartment. Move them from the freezer 24 hours before you plan to cook them. As the item thaws, it will release its cold into the refrigerator saving work for the compressor.

5. Take a few minutes to check for air leaks. Take a piece of paper or a paper bill. Place it between the door gasket and the refrigerator. Try a number of different places on the door. If you can pull the paper out without tugging on it, air is escaping from your refrigerator.

The solution may be as simple as cleaning the gasket with a mild-cleaning solution. Also check for tears and places where the gasket has been pinched out of shape. Minor tears can often be repaired with gasket cement. You may need to replace the gasket. This is a fairly simple do-it-yourself type project that usually only requires a screw driver and some common sense.

Most people neglect to clean the condensing coils. These are the coils that dissipate the hot air. If they're dirty, the compressor has to work harder to get rid of the hot air. On some models the coils are on the back of the unit. Others have them on the bottom. In either case, you should use a broom or vacuum to remove the majority of the dirt. Then, follow with a cleaning using a non-abrasive liquid cleaner. It's a twenty minute job that pays big dividends. Put it on your household maintenance calendar once a quarter.

6. If your refrigerator has a fan, make sure that it's clean and not blocked. Also, check to see if your model has a 'humidity' or `power-saver' switch. This switch activates heaters designed to keep your refrigerator from 'sweating' on humid days. Unless you have unusually high humidity leave the heater off. Why try to heat the outside of your refrigerator while you're paying to keep the inside cool?

7. Where you place your refrigerator makes a difference, too. If possible, keep your unit away from direct sunlight, the oven and the dishwasher. All these things generate heat making it harder for the fridge to do its job.

8. One common mistake is using the top of the refrigerator as a shelf. These items block the air flow necessary to make your compressor efficient.

None of these items by themselves will make a big difference in your electric bill. But taken together, they're a low cost way to get the most for your hard-earned dollar. Remember, a dollar saved is a dollar earned!