7 Must-Do Fridge Maintenance Tasks for a Lower Electric Bill

Looking for ways to lower your electric bill? Start by cleaning up your fridge. You can do plenty of things to your refrigerator to help it run more efficiently, which will, in turn, lower your utility bill. Some of the maintenance tasks on this list are quick and easy, such as changing the water filter. Others take a little more time, such as fixing weak seals, but they all have one thing in common: They significantly impact your refrigerator’s efficiency.

Regular fridge maintenance can even make your refrigerator last longer. Here are 7 must-do fridge maintenance tasks to lower your electric bill and get the most out of your refrigerator.

1. Clean the Coils

Cleaning the refrigerator coils can make your refrigerator 30% more efficient.¹ Have you ever slid your fridge out to retrieve something or clean underneath it and noticed how much dust has accumulated? If not, prepare to be shocked. This same dust eventually makes its way to the condenser coils and can block the airflow. This causes the refrigerator to work extra hard during the cooling cycle and can cause the refrigerator to start running warm. To clean the refrigerator coils, unplug the refrigerator and carefully vacuum away the dust, being mindful of the coils, as they bend easily.

2. Fix Weak Seals

The rubber gasket that runs the perimeter of your refrigerator door is a key component in the refrigeration process. A weak seal may eventually lead to warm food, but you’ll likely first begin to notice condensation on items close to the door. This condensation can lead to ice accumulation, which causes your fridge’s cooling components to work overtime. Contact an appliance technician or tackle the job yourself to save even more money.

3. Defrost the Fridge and Freezer

Most modern refrigerators have an automatic defrost. In many refrigerators, the auto-defrost activates on a timed interval, then turns off when a thermistor (temperature-controlled resistor) senses the coils are defrosted. For the most part, this system works well. However, as refrigerators age, you might notice the ice beginning to accumulate. This could be due to one or more of the parts in the automatic defrost setting being compromised. When in doubt, manually defrost your fridge and freezer whenever ice approaches a quarter-inch thickness.

4. Change the Water Filter

Regularly changing the water filter in your refrigerator may help you save money, but you’ll likely spend the money you save and more to purchase the brand’s specific water filter for your appliance. To get the most out of water filtration, install an inline filter on your refrigerator’s water supply line instead. This allows you to buy significantly cheaper replacement water filters, and the actual filtration quality will likely be much better. Additionally, you can choose between specific types of water filters that remove heavy metals, bad taste, or other toxins.

5. Adjust the Temperature

Adjusting your refrigerator and freezer temperatures to be colder than necessary uses significantly more energy. When in doubt, adjust the refrigerator and freezer temperature settings to match the manufacturer’s recommendations. To save even more, set the refrigerator and freezer at their maximum temperature settings, which, depending on the make and model, will still likely be cold enough. If the temperature is too high for your liking, drop it by one degree until you find a happy medium.

6. Space the Refrigerator from the Wall

The cooling cycle of a refrigerator produces heat as a byproduct, which is mainly released at the back of the refrigerator. Even sliding your refrigerator a few inches from the wall can make it run more efficiently because it improves air circulation, which results in quicker heat dissipation.

7. Adjust the Room Temperature

A refrigerator’s cooling system is designed to work efficiently in a home environment. If the room that the refrigerator is in is too hot, such as in an uninsulated garage, the refrigerator will use significantly more energy to stay cool. To help the refrigerator run efficiently, place it in an air-conditioned room, keeping in mind that placing a refrigerator in a room that is too cold can cause it to malfunction.

How to Make Your Refrigerator Last

Regularly cleaning and maintaining your refrigerator is the key to making it last as long as possible. Even if your refrigerator “breaks,” performing some of the items on this list may be enough to revive it. So, before you head out and buy a new refrigerator or call a technician, try these simple maintenance tasks to help your refrigerator run its best. Better yet, instead of waiting until a problem arises, add these refrigerator maintenance tasks to your regular home maintenance checklist.