With the cost of running appliances steadily increasing it is important that you do all you can to make sure that your appliances are as efficient as possible. Many people make the false assumption that it is only commercial businesses that should do this, however residential refrigeration can be made more efficient which will lead to the household saving money - and who doesn't want to save money?

If you are looking to make savings on your refrigeration units here are some tips that will ensure that your appliances are running as efficiently as possible:

-Make sure that when buying new refrigeration units that they have the energy star sticker on them, this means they will be more efficient, saving you money.

-Check the temperature inside the refrigeration unit and adjust accordingly at different times of the year. In winter the temperature should be turned down as the unit does not need to work as hard to keep itself at a low temperature. If you want to check how cold it is inside your refrigerator simply place a thermometer into a glass of water, place inside the refrigerator and leave overnight. This will give an accurate reading of the temperature. You should find that the thermometer reads between 34 and 40 degrees F.

-Vacuuming the coils on the back of your refrigerator will help to improve its efficiency this should be done, on average twice a year.

-Do not place your refrigerator near to a source of heat, i.e. a heating unit, stove, in direct sunlight or near to a dishwasher or tumble drier. By placing your refrigerator close to one of these heart sources you are inadvertently making it work harder, thus using more electricity.

-Some refrigerators have an anti-sweat or energy saver switch, if yours does you should turn it on during the summer and off during the winter.

-Make sure that your refrigeration unit is checked regularly for signs of wear and tear. This includes checking the door gasket to ensure that it isn't cracked or damaged by food debris.

-Do not place frost free refrigeration units with a freezer compartment in anywhere without heat in which the temperature is under 60 Degrees F.

-The most efficient size of refrigerator is 16-20 cubic feet, anything more than this uses and loses more electricity.

-Additional extras on refrigerators such as ice making machines, heaters to control condensation and auto defrost can use up to 60% more energy than a standard refrigerator without the extras. These types of machines also cost more to buy, so no saving can be made this way either.

If you follow these few tips you will benefit from reduced electricity bills and increased peace of mind knowing you are doing something constructive to cut your energy consumption. If you would like more information about saving energy and using cost efficient refrigeration either residentially or commercially, contact your local HVAC technician who can help with all of your refrigeration needs.