Wrong fridge temperature setting can inflate your electricity bill

When electricity bills run high, people usually cut back on the AC, switch off the geyser or turn off fans. But the refrigerator runs 24 hours a day and rarely gets a second thought. Most households set the fridge's temperature dial once and leave it untouched through summer, monsoon and winter alike. Experts say this single habit is what drives up the bill, and that changing the fridge's temperature setting according to the season can save thousands of rupees a year.

Refrigerators have a dial numbered 1 to 7 or 1 to 5. Most people assume number 1 gives more cooling and 7 gives less, but it is the other way round. The higher the number, the greater the cooling. At setting 7, the fridge gets colder, which means the compressor runs longer and consumes more electricity. In winter, when it is already cold outside, keeping the fridge at 6 or 7 makes it produce unnecessary extra ice and waste electricity. Over-cooling can raise power consumption by 5 to 10 percent.

So what is the right setting? The fridge's number should be changed according to the weather outside. In winter, since it is already cool outside, the fridge does not need to work as hard, so it should be kept at 1 or 2. In the monsoon, when the air carries some moisture, it should be kept at 3 or 4. In summer, when it is very hot, the fridge should be kept at 5 to 7 so that food does not spoil. Digital refrigerators should be kept at 3 to 5 degrees. This can help cut the electricity bill.

Besides changing the number, four other simple tips help. First, do not put hot food directly into the fridge; in many homes hot vegetables or hot milk go straight in, but they should be allowed to cool outside first, since keeping hot items in the fridge makes it use 24 percent more electricity to cool them. Second, if a thick layer of ice has built up in the freezer, press the defrost button, since ice forces the fridge to work twice as hard. Third, do not overfill the fridge, as an overstuffed fridge cannot circulate cold air properly; leave some space so air reaches every corner and food stays fresh. Fourth, check the door's rubber seal; if it has loosened, cold air keeps leaking out and the fridge never really switches off, pushing up the bill sharply. Test it by placing a sheet of paper in the door; if it slides out easily, the rubber seal needs replacing.

Check your fridge's setting today. Now that it is clear which number suits which season, this one small habit could save thousands of rupees a year.