by C L Smith

Created on: June 16, 2009   Last Updated: June 19, 2009

One side effect of the recession is the willingness of the individual consumer to roll up their sleeves and tackle a home project themselves rather than spend the money to hire a professional. While such do-it-yourself projects are conducted throughout the year, summertime is often the time selected to initiate big ticket projects such as re-modeling a kitchen or bath. An additional benefit of these summertime household renovations is the opportunity to replace aged appliances, including the refrigerator with newer, more energy efficient models. This particular side benefit will add even more 'bang' for the do-it-yourself savings buck in terms of lower utility bills and decreasing the homeowner's carbon footprint. Following purchasing guidelines related to the size and type of an appliance, as well as purchasing appliances that are 'Star-qualified' will greatly contribute to the homeowner's ability to maximize their satisfaction with the kitchen renovation project.

The Federal Trade Commission suggests the purchase of an 'Energy-STAR-qualified' refrigerator which simply means that it meets the performance requirements set by the government related to energy use. An ENERGY STAR qualified refrigeratory incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy. But remember, the cost of owning a refrigerator goes beyond its energy consumptions. The cost of ownership has three components: the initial purchase price, the cost of repairs and maintenance, and the cost to operate it. These components vary depending on the brand and model of the refrigerator. The following considerations are presented to assist you in the identification of a refrigerator that will minimize all the costs of owning a refrigerator while maximizing the benefits of this appliance investment.

Energy Efficiency

The energy efficiency of the refrigerator is presented in the yellow-and-black EnergyGuide label it displays.

This cost savings, achieved due to the energy efficiency of a refrigerator, is calculated by multiplying the annual energy use of an appliance by the utility rate to obtain the Annual energy cost. This annual energy cost is then multiplied by the lifetime of an appliance to deter the lifetime energy cost. This lifetime energy cost is then compared to that of a base model as identified by the US Department of Energy

The appliance that displays the EnergyStar logo is significantly more energy efficient than the average comparable model.

Construction of the Refrigerator

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