Is it cost effective to replace old refrigerators with energy efficient ones?
Refrigerators, as one of the only appliances that
sits turned on for hours and days on end, have a variety of statistics
created about their use in order to correctly monitor their energy levels.
All of this research helps create some interesting statistics about
refrigerators that are gathered by companies like Energy Star as they
correct data to make sure refrigerators are being used as they should. Here
are some interesting/fun facts about refrigerators and freezers.
Fun Facts
1.
Though both refrigerators and freezers are known to last over a decade, they
do not last at the same rate. It is estimated that freezers last
approximately 10 to 11 years, while refrigerators are able to last for as
long as 14 or 15. It should not come as a surprise, then, to see your
freezer stop working long before your refrigerator has.
2.
Refrigerators have become considerably more energy efficient over the past
fifteen years. Before 1990, operating the average refrigerator was as much
as $110 dollars a year, while the modern refrigerator costs, on average,
about $50 a year. In addition, older refrigerators were more prone to
breaking down early, causing as much as triple or quadruple the costs of
operating modern appliances.
3.
An inefficient refrigerator can cost as much as $220 in energy per month,
while an efficient refrigerator can cost as low as $50. The average price
difference of a highly energy efficient refrigerator to a cheap one is
roughly $1000. Over the course of 10 years, the individual that bought the
inefficient refrigerator will have paid over $500 more than the individual
that bought the pricier model.
4.
Nearly 1/3rd of all households that own refrigerators that are
over a decade old actually own two refrigerators. Older refrigerators tend
to have extremely high energy costs, so two doubles that cost and can cover
the price of a new refrigerator in just one or two years. Perhaps more
amazing is that there are many homes that own 3 fridges – an energy cost
that could cover a new fridge in less than a year and a half.
5.
Over 44% of all freezer owners have a freezer that is over 10 years old,
despite freezers becoming incredibly inefficient at 11 years old.
Inefficient freezers represent considerable energy consumption.
Making sure that your refrigerator and your freezer
are running efficiently is a top priority. As you can see from the above
facts, a huge number of individuals are running old/inefficient freezers and
refrigerators that are wasting energy at an almost ridiculous pace, spending
more money on energy than it would cost to replace the refrigerators.
If you fall under any of these statistics, you
should start looking into replacing your fridge. Many companies have payment
plans if necessary, and the money that you save by not wasting energy is not
only good for the environment – it could easily cover the costs associated
with getting a new fridge in the first place.
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