The older your fridge, the more energy it is likely to use, consuming up to three times the energy of new fridges. Putting an old fridge in the garage or a spare room as extra refrigeration may be handy, but running it can add an average of $190 a year to your electricity bill and can put nearly 1 tonne of greenhouse gas into the environment.
1. Investigate options to get rid of the fridge, with a simple one being to put it on the footpath at the next council clean-up
2. There are also services that will help you e.g. the NSW Government’s Department of Environment and Climate Change helps to fund a ‘Fridge Buyback’ scheme that can include free removal and a $35 bonus for householders for large fridges over 10 years old
Why is it important?
Older fridges are one of the worst energy-wasting appliances commonly found in our homes. There are a number of factors affecting savings including fridge age, size and operating efficiency. We conservatively estimate you will save up to 0.25 tonnes a year by getting rid of the extra fridge altogether (or about half that if you only run it when really needed for special occasions).