Four Tips to Make Sure Your Fridge is Running Efficiently
SUMMER, 2025
SPONSORED CONTENT BC Hydro’s West End Substation project is sponsoring the 2025 West End Farmers Market.
When it’s HOT in the city, the temptation is real to open the fridge door and stand in the cool breeze. But that could seriously ramp up your electricity bill. Here are some useful tips to make sure your fridge is in tip-top shape and working efficiently to help your bill stay chill.
Adjust the temperature
Make sure the temperature inside your fridge is between 2°C and 3°C and the temperature in your freezer is set between -15° and -18°C. If set to the appropriate temperature range, your fridge and freezer will keep your food cold without over-chilling or causing freezer burn.
Check your fridge door seal
Gaskets on your fridge or freezer deteriorate over time. To ensure your fridge is operating efficiently, you’ll need to check that it seals up tight with the door closed. If it isn’t sealed tight, cold air will escape, and the fridge will need to work harder to stay cool.
There’s a simple way to check the condition of your fridge’s seal with a piece of paper. Place a piece of paper between the door and the refrigerator as you close it. If you can move the paper freely in the door, the fridge is not sealed tightly.
You can also place a flashlight inside the fridge or freezer and turn it on, then close the door. If you can see light around the door, it’s not sealing properly.
Image: Man testing the gasket of a fridge door.
Help your freezer do the hard work
If you don’t have much stored inside your freezer, it can use a lot of energy to stay cold. To help it along, keep some plastic containers full of frozen water inside the fridge – the ice blocks will keep things chill.
Keep it clean
Dust builds up on the compressor in the back or bottom of a fridge and can hurt the fridge’s cooling efficiency. Unplug your fridge and carefully clean the dust from the coils twice a year following these steps:
- Unplug your refrigerator and remove the grille protector.
- Use a stiff brush to loosen debris on the coils.
- Vacuum the coils and surrounding area.
- Clean and dry the grille cover before reattaching it.
- Plug your fridge back in.
About our sponsor
BC Hydro powers the province with clean electricity, powered by water. It’s planning a new West End Substation to ensure it can continue to deliver reliable power to homes and businesses in this downtown Vancouver community. Read more about this project, and sign up for updates, on the West End Substation project webpage.
