The refrigerator is always on, but a few tips can help you reduce consumption

The refrigerator, just like the freezer, is one of those appliances that are constantly on at home - at least in homes where someone is present all year round. This means that it consumes electricity constantly, making it one of the fixed costs of the home that cannot be ignored.

It is unthinkable, in fact, to manage a house without being able to rely on a refrigerator - but then how can you avoid consuming too much power? There are some small tips that, at the end of the fiscal year, can affect the family's budget in a positive way. We describe some of these tips below:

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• The first thing to do at the time of installation is to choose a point far from any heat source. In fact, it is necessary to avoid compromising the fridge's cooling process in any way. This means keeping it sheltered not only from direct sunlight, but also well away from radiators, ovens or air conditioners.
• Also remember not to let them be in contact with the kitchen wall: a distance of at least 10 cm must always be provided in the rear, so that the cooling fans do not risk overheating.
• A couple of times a year, vacuum the back of the appliance to remove dust and lint that accumulates on the condenser.
• The ideal refrigerator temperature is around 4 degrees C, which can rise to 5 C in winter or drop to 3 C in summer.
• Don't overload the compartments. Over-filling the fridge with food prevents air from circulating inside it and this often creates an environment that is not cold enough to preserve the food properly. Also, it is not good for the refrigerator, which sometimes produces an internal layer of ice which then has to be thawed out and removed.
• Don't keep the compartments too empty either. Since it is the food inside that creates the thermal mass that helps the fridge to maintain its temperature, when it is empty the system operates continuously to obtain the required temperature.
• Unless they are frost-free and / or a modern model, a fridge must be defrosted at least once a year.

These tips are certainly intuitive advice, but it is always good to remember them so that you can keep these expensive and important appliances in the best conditions for as long as possible, thereby avoiding excessive electricity bills and damage being done to the fridge itself.