These summer days, in many areas of Spain in the middle of a heat wave, can mean an increase in energy consumption. Especially, you can pay more on your electricity bill if you make certain mistakes or do not use the most energy-intensive appliances correctly. A clear example is the Fridge. We are going to talk to you about a common mistake and that you may be making it. We are going to explain why you could be spending more electricity and it can even cause the device to malfunction.
In some cases, the refrigerator can come to suppose on the 30% of the total invoice. Therefore, it is key to use it correctly and control consumption. Simply by making a few adjustments and not making certain mistakes, you can significantly reduce the energy expense you have each month.
Do not put the refrigerator attached to the wall
The mistake is to put the refrigerator too close to the wall or a piece of furniture That is always a problem, but mainly on very hot days. What happen? This appliance gives off heat, so it needs to be ventilated and that heat does not accumulate. If it’s too close to the wall, it’s going to bounce around and have to run at higher power to keep the temperature cool inside.
Logically, this will mean a increased consumption. You will need to consume more energy, which will increase the bill simply because of this detail. It is something similar to what can happen if, for example, you put the refrigerator near a window or next to an oven. Anytime it gets hotter, it’s going to make it run worse.
We have known cases in which even the refrigerator starts to malfunction, to beep, to alert of this problem. This occurs in extreme cases, when it is very close to the wall and the temperature is too high. However, even without reaching these extremes, it can also negatively affect the operation.
If you want to increase the useful life of the refrigerator, beyond reducing electricity consumption, it is essential that you take this into account and avoid placing it too close to walls or furniture that may prevent air from circulating properly. The best is push it away as much as possible and, if not necessary, open holes in the back of a piece of furniture so that, at least, it can ventilate something better. It is important to reduce the hot air that accumulates.
Adjust the temperature in summer
In the summer months it is recommended that you slightly change the fridge temperature. The idea is to try to save as much as possible, so in winter you can put it at about 6 degrees. Instead, experts recommend lowering one degree in summer due to the increased temperature and air exchange each time you open the door.
To keep food perfectly, it may be necessary for you to lower it to 5 degrees in these months, if you don’t already have it. In winter you can turn it up one more degree and thus make the air compressor work at a lower power and be able to save electricity to pay less each month.
Therefore, as you can see, it is important place the fridge well. It is essential that you do not put it attached to the wall or a piece of furniture. The more space you have for air to circulate, the better. This will help you save energy and also increase the life of the appliance by reducing the work it has to do. If you use a domotized fridge, you may need to create a WiFi heat map to improve coverage.
