Can we talk about how much energy old fridges actually pull

I stumbled on a study from the DOE that says fridges from 1990 use around 900 kWh a year versus a new Energy Star model that's like 350 kWh. My parents still have this white GE from 1988 in their garage running 24/7 for extra drinks and leftovers. I checked their electric bill and that one fridge alone costs them roughly $120 more per year than a newer unit. Has anyone else done the math on an old appliance and felt dumb for not swapping it sooner?

2 comments

2 Comments

juliam4015d ago

Heard a similar story from a buddy who works at an appliance repair shop. He said half the old fridges they haul out have coils so caked with dust they're practically insulated, forcing the compressor to run nonstop. He told me one guy's 1985 model was pulling over 1,200 kWh a year because the door seal was shot and the thermostat was stuck at max cold. The guy paid an extra $200 a year for like 20 years because he never bothered to check the rubber gasket or clean the coils. It's CRAZY how much hidden waste those old units create. Makes me wonder how many people are just throwing money away on ancient appliances without even knowing it.

jones.grace15d ago

...and honestly it reminded me of my friend Carol. She had a huge old side-by-side from the 80s in her basement with the wood panel fronts that matched the cabinets. She finally replaced it last year and her electric bill dropped by nearly thirty bucks a month. The kicker was she found an old beer can from 1992 behind the compressor when they hauled it out. Carol said she felt like she was paying the electric company to keep a time capsule cold all those years.