Monthly Archives: February 2015

How to Make Your Refrigerator Use Less Electricity in Charlotte

Two door INOX refrigerator isolated on whiteEvery little bit of electricity that you can save around your home will result in savings on your electricity bill. So why not try to make your appliances operate more efficiently? Typically, refrigerators account for about 13.7% of a home’s electricity usage (second only to air conditioners). Refrigerators are one of few appliances that operate 24/7, so taking a few steps to make them more efficient is sure to save some money.

Ways to Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient

  • Keep your refrigerator nice and full of food and drinks. Your fridge works harder to keep empty spaces cool. If you’re not someone who keeps a stocked fridge all the time, place some jugs of water on the shelves to fill the space.
  • Don’t set your refrigerator for a temperature lower than necessary. Select the temperature that will keep your food cold, but don’t just turn it down all the way.
  • Maintain the coils located at the rear of your refrigerator by keeping them free of dirt and grime. Any gunk that develops on these coils will act as heating insulation, causing your fridge to use more electricity to keep cool.
  • Keep your refrigerator in a cool location—away from stoves, ovens, and microwaves.
  • Make sure food has cooled off before you place it into the refrigerator. Placing hot food in the fridge will force the appliance to work harder to cool down that food.
  • Inspect your refrigerator for faulty seals that let cold air escape.
  • Don’t open your fridge more often or for longer than necessary. If you let the cold out, more electricity will be needed to reestablish the set temperature.
  • Cover food items with plastic wrap or aluminum foil so that your refrigerator doesn’t have to work to cool uneven surfaces.

At Douthit Electrical, we love finding ways to conserve energy so that we can help the environment as well as help our customers save money. We hope these tips help you to save money on electricity in Charlotte.   If you’d like to conserve more energy with an electrical upgrade   or new appliance hookup, don’t hesitate to give our local electricians a call!

 


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3 Common Electrical Problems That Our Charlotte Electricians Fix

Man Checking The Electrical Fuse BoxTripping Circuit Breakers – Many times circuit breakers are not prepared to handle the many electronics and appliances that we have in our lives today…microwaves, computers, coffee makers, televisions, toaster ovens, and so forth.  When you power multiple appliances at once, your circuit breaker may trip, and you lose power to those appliances.  This can be annoying, especially if it happens frequently, but it can also be dangerous because the circuits and wiring can overheat, potentially starting a fire.  Our electricians can upgrade your circuit breaker  so that it will operate safely while giving you the power you need to run your appliances.

Flickering Lights – Before you contact an electrician about a flickering light,  check to make sure that you have a bulb of the appropriate wattage in your light fixture and also make sure that it is connected properly.  Using a bulb that is not the correct wattage can lead to overheating and potentially a fire.  If you determine that your bulb is not the reason for the flickering, contact our electricians so that we can examine your system for faulty electrical wiring.

Non-Working Electrical Outlets – When an outlet doesn’t work, this can be a sign that the circuit breaker has tripped.  You can check your electrical panel to see if the breakers are in “on” position and switch them if needed.  If your outlet still doesn’t work with the breakers in the “on” position, it’s time to call your local electrician to investigate the issue.

At Douthit Electrical, we’re here to help you with these and any other electrical problems that you have in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.  Just give us a call!


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