The refrigerator is the most energy consuming appliance in the kitchen. It works night and day, 24/7/365 and without it in optimum condition your food and beverages would spoil.

It is an essential part of staying alive and making sure your hard earned money isn't wasted on spoiled food. That being said, to keep the refrigerator going calls for lots of energy but there are ways to conserve on energy usage with your refrigerator. All it really calls for is some simple common sense and light maintenance.

First of all, keep the coils clean. Use a vacuum cleaner to keep dust and debris from building up. That will allow the unit to operate at peak efficiency and not overheat.

Next, place the fridge with enough room around it, perhaps a couple of inches minimum so that air can flow around it and the unit can pull in that cool air and expel the warm air. This avoids buildup of dust and debris and won't strain the mechanism.

Don't put hot foods in the fridge. It makes it work harder. Instead, let foods cool on the counter or stove to room temperature and then put them in.

Leave space around foods regarding the walls of the fridge. A good inch is fine. This allows for the cool air to get around the foods and beverages and cool them faster and more efficiently.

If you can, place the refrigerator near a wall that is facing the outside. Cool walls allow for cooler operation unless you live in a very warm or hot climate.

The same goes for warm or hot appliances. Don't place the refrigerator near these devices. It strains the usage.

Try an energy efficient light bulb inside. There are plenty of them on the market so you can easily find one that fits the fridge.

Keep the freezing compartment defrosted. Do this regularly as needed. Too much ice in there will put a strain on things. It also means that you'll have more room to store things as well. Ice buildup is not a good thing.

Don't leave the door to the fridge open too long. You'll defeat the purpose of it. Keep it closed even when pulling out several items.

These and other common sense actions will mean your unit will work at optimum levels and not put too much a drain on your energy resources. Keeping the proper refrigerator maintenance means the unit will last long after its warranty and you'll get service your hard earned dollar deserves.