Maintaining refrigerator settings in winter as they are in summer increases energy consumption without noticing it. According to experts, when the weather gets cold, in addition to heating costs, refrigerators also play an important role in increasing electricity consumption.
Milli.Az reports that many users do not change the settings they made in summer throughout the winter. However, as the ambient temperature drops, the energy consumed by the refrigerator to cool its interior naturally decreases. A refrigerator operating at a high cooling level in winter:
- Runs the compressor unnecessarily;
- Causes the motor to cycle more frequently;
- Can increase electricity consumption by 10-20%.
In winter months, when kitchen temperature drops to 15-18 degrees, the summer mode is simply an energy waste.
The ideal temperatures recommended by energy efficiency experts are:
Refrigerator compartment: +4 °C
Freezer compartment: -18 °C
In older models with mechanical dials usually:
In summer: level 3-4
In winter: level 1-2 is sufficient. Higher levels not only fail to preserve food but simply increase the bill.
In overly cooled devices during cold weather:
- Vegetables and fruits may freeze and spoil;
- Milk and liquid products can freeze;
- Since the moisture balance is disturbed, foods dry out faster.
A refrigerator operating in the wrong mode consumes approximately 40-60 kWh more energy annually. With current prices, this means an additional cost of about 20-30 AZN per year.
Placing the refrigerator next to a radiator, boiler, or stove in winter is a big mistake. The device starts working harder to compensate for the heat around it. Experts recommend:
- Keeping at least 5-10 cm of space between the wall and the device;
- Cleaning the rear grills (condenser) from dust;
- Checking the sealing of the door gaskets.
Lowering the refrigerator’s temperature with a small touch both protects your budget and extends the device’s lifespan.
