With increasing energy bills and the rising cost of living making life tough for many British households, simple adjustments to save money can add up.
Energy consultant Robert Andrews from Electricity Prices says that using a simple piece of paper to test your fridge or freezer door seal can reveal energy wastage that you may not know about – and the good news is it can be easily fixed.
He said: “When your fridge or freezer seal wears down over time it allows cold air to escape and warm air to enter, this causes the motor to work harder than it needs to and leads to wasted energy around the clock.
A poor fitting seal can increase the running cost of your unit by as much as 20%, and because most people don’t know it’s happening they are oblivious to why costs seem to creep up.”
Robert explains: “To check if your fridge or freezer is leaking cold air all you need to do is grab a thin piece of paper. Next insert the paper half way in the unit and close the door on top.
“Half of the paper should be inside while half out. From here gently tug on the paper. If the paper slides out easily then the seal is damaged and is no longer airtight. If the paper doesn’t move then your door seal is working as it should.
“This takes seconds to test and you can try it all along the seal to check for weak spots, if you do find a place where air is leaking then you will need to replace the seal as soon as possible.”
How much you save depends on how bad the seal is, how efficient your device is, along with the age of the device. The average freezer for example can cost anywhere from £60 to £150 a year to run and a faulty seal can add £30 or more on top of that fee.
“If you’re trying to reduce your energy bills along with your overall consumption then checking the seals is a quick task worth doing, using one sheet can lead to big savings” says Robert.
If the paper slips out easily, you usually will need to replace the seal, but thankfully this is straightforward.
“Before you go replacing the seal, try giving it a wash with warm soapy water and a cloth,” Robert explains. “Dirt trapped between the seal and the door could be stopping it from sealing correctly. If this doesn’t help then inspect the seal for cracks.”
“If you find cracks you can use petroleum jelly to re-soften the seal by rubbing a small amount along the edge, In the meantime, you should order a replacement seal from the manufacturer.”
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