Save Money via Your Fridge

Had the following sent to my from E.On and thought it useful so passing it on.

The UK could save £95.8 million every year by adjusting fridge and freezer temperatures by just two degrees, according to leading energy supplier, E.ON.  Many people mistakenly keep fridges and freezers as cold as possible assuming that it is better for their food, especially in the summer months.  However it means that households could be missing out on energy savings and it can spoil food.

 

As part of its commitment to get the nation energy fit, E.ON recommends that fridges are set at 5°C² and freezers should be at -17°C.  By turning up the temperature, households across the UK can turn up the savings on their energy bill.

 

Top tips from E.ON on how to save energy in the kitchen:

 

Fridge and freezer tips:

• If your fridge doesn’t have one, get yourself a thermometer so you know its exact temperature.  Thermometers are available cheaply online and at most large supermarkets;

 

• When cleaning, make sure the backs of your fridge and freezer are dust-free so that they are working at the highest efficiency, especially as we move towards summer and kitchen temperatures begin to rise;

 

• When it comes to your freezer, keep it at least three quarters full – the more that’s in it, the less energy you’ll waste.  Don’t overload the fridge though as it needs air to circulate;

 

• If replacing your fridge or freezer pick an A+ or A++ rated model to save on longer term running costs;

 

• Keeping extra portions of food in your fridge or freezer is a great idea, but make sure the food is completely cold otherwise it could raise the temperature and make it work harder using more energy.

 

Cooking tips:

• Cooking instructions often say preheat your oven.  Most modern units, especially fan ovens, actually need very little time to get going. So turn it on and get it in there;

 

• Cook your veg in the microwave. In contrast to boiling, microwaving helps it to retain its colour, taste and nutrients – and uses less energy;

 

• They say size matters, and it certainly does in the kitchen. Make sure the size of your pans matches the size of your hob rings so you’re not wasting energy;

 

• To save energy, only boil the amount water you need, or use and energy saving kettle;

 

• Opening the oven to check food wastes energy (and messes with your baking), so keep the oven glass door clean you can peek in;

 

• If you can, cook double the amount, chill and freeze what you don’t use, then you’ll have a home cooked ready meal to reheat in the microwave.

 

Laundry tips:

• By switching your washing machine to 30ºC – rather than 60ºC or even 40ºC – you can save lots of energy and money. A lot of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water;

 

• Depending on your billing arrangements, you may be able to save money by washing your clothes during the night when energy prices are lower;

 

• When it’s time to do the ironing, plan ironing as the sole task for half an hour, so you’re not popping off looking for coat hangers for 10 minutes while your iron sits there zapping electricity;

 

• If you’re going to use your tumble dryer buy an A rated one. They cost a bit more but use about half the energy of a standard tumble dryer and usually have a host of different drying options to help reduce ironing;

 

• You can always dry clothes on a rack inside the house – but don’t put them on the radiators. This only makes your boiler work extra hard and will cost more;

 

• During the summer, give your tumble dryer a rest and hang clothes outside to dry for free.  Plus, hanging clothes on radiators only makes your boiler work extra hard and will cost more.

E.ON recently launched www.eonenergyfit.com and over 100,000 people have already taken the short energy survey to receive tailored recommendations on the changes they can make at home to start saving energy and money straightaway.For the safe refrigeration of food, fridges should be kept between 0-5°C  Source www.nhs.uk