If you're looking to save energy in your home, your fridge is a good place to start.

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If you’re looking to save energy in your home, your fridge is a good place to start.

Keeping your refrigerator full actually helps increase energy efficiency because there is less air to cool. Make sure you keep liquids covered and also to wrap foods since uncovered foods emit moisture, making the compressor work harder. Refrigerators should maintain a temperature of 2.7°C to 4.4°C and freezers should be at -15°C. Automatic ice-makers increase a refrigerator’s energy use by 14 to 20 per cent so turn yours off and go back to ice cube trays.

Make sure that there is proper air flow around your fridge. Placing cereal boxes and other junk on top of it can block heat from escaping and cause it to work harder. And always keep your refrigerator on the energy-saving mode.

To maximise your refrigerator’s efficiency, it is important to ensure that there is space at the back, sides and top to allow excess heat to escape. Restricting aeration can add approximately 15 per cent to the energy use of the fridge.

Lastly, always allow hot food to cool before putting it away.

• Tips provided by Eros Group, www.erosgroup.ae