Of all the appliances you may have at home, one of the ones that consumes the most electricity is the refrigerator. We are going to tell you about a useful trick that you can keep in mind this summer, when you are going on vacation for a few days or several weeks. It can help you save energy and pay less on your bill. In addition, it is a very simple change that you can make at any time.
The idea is to increase the temperature of the refrigerator by just one degree. We are going to explain why it is something you can do only when you go on holiday and to what extent it can be useful to use less electricity. You will be able to do it no matter what kind of appliance you have at home.
Turn up the fridge one degree on vacation
First of all, we are going to explain why you should not have the same temperature in the refrigerator in summer as in winter, if your goal is to save as much as possible. In the hot months, precisely because the temperature outside the fridge is much higher, it is advisable to lower it by one degree compared to winter. In this way, when you open the door to take out some food, you will avoid a temperature exchange that could damage the food.
But why can you turn up the temperature of the fridge by one degree when you go on holiday? The reason is very simple: you are not going to open the door. Since you are going to be away, the temperature of the fridge will be maintained without any problems and warmer air will not come in from outside. Therefore, you will not have to worry about lowering the temperature a bit.
As you can see, a gesture as simple as turning up the temperature of the refrigerator one degree before you go on holiday can help you save. As for how much you can save, it will depend on the model, but generally we can say that it is approximately 7% for each degree. It is similar to what happens with air conditioning.
Additional Tips
Beyond raising the temperature by one degree, you should also keep in mind some tips that will help you save energy. One of them is to correctly position the fridge. Do not put it near a window where direct sunlight enters, much less in summer. Also, do not place it next to other appliances that give off heat.
It is also a good idea to have the appliance fairly full. This does not mean that it is completely full, without any gaps, but it will be better than having it empty. This is because the food you have inside will act as a barrier and prevent warmer air from entering from outside.
On the other hand, making sure that the refrigerator is well maintained, clean and without any operating problems is going to be essential. This will also help you avoid higher consumption, as well as extend the useful life of the appliance and not worry about possible repairs that you may have to carry out.
In short, if you want to save energy with your refrigerator this summer, a good idea is to raise the temperature by one degree while you are away. You will keep the food without any problems, since you will not be opening the door and, therefore, hot air from outside will not come in. You could also use smart blinds for the summer.
