| by: Cyndi Roberts
Now that it's summer, most of us start thinking about keeping
our electric bill in bounds!
One way to do that is to keep your refrigerator and freezer, if
you have one, running efficiently.
Be sure to vacuum the condenser coils on your refrigerator at
least once a year. You may have to pull your appliance out from
the wall to do this, but when the coils are dusty, it keeps the
fridge from cooling efficiently.
If you have an older fridge, check the door gaskets to make
sure you have a tight seal and aren't losing cold air around the
doors.
Another "small" thing you can do: when you are putting away
your groceries after a trip to the store, gather all your items
for the fridge in one place. Then you can open the refrigerator
one time and put everything inside.
If you don't have a frost-free freezer and there's more than
1/2 inch of frost built up, it's time to defrost. You can speed up
the process by setting pans of hot water inside. Never use a knife
to try to dislodge the frost and never use a hair dryer to melt
it. Water and electricity do not mix!
Now that it's clean and defrosted, keep your freezer efficient
by filling empty spaces with old milk jugs filled with water.
These jugs also make good ice blocks for your picnic cooler!
Another good use for these jugs of ice: set one on the kitchen
counter in the morning. As the ice melts, your children can have
ice water to drink without opening the refrigerator door.
One last thing to remember, when there's lightning around, it
might be safer to just unplug your fridge and freezer. Food in the
freezer will stay frozen for up to 48 hours if the door is kept
closed. Food in the refrigerator will keep up to 24 hours. |
