Thinking of adding an additional appliance to your garage or basement usually results in one particular big question: how much power does a chest freezer use on a daily schedule? Whether you're looking to stock up on bulk meat or else you just require a spot to stash a dozen pizzas, the electricity cost is usually a valid issue. Most people imagine keeping something at zero degrees 24/7 must be a massive energy depletion, but the reality is actually quite unexpected.
Usually speaking, a modern, mid-sized chest freezer uses somewhere between a hundred and fifty and 400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 12 months . To place that in perspective, that's often lower than the light bulbs within your main living area if you haven't switched to LEDs yet. If you want the short version, you're likely looking at a good extra $4 to $8 on the monthly electric bill. Yet as with almost everything in life, the particular "it depends" aspect is huge.
Deteriorating the quantities
To realize the energy draw, we have to look at the particular difference between "starting" power and "running" power. When the compressor kicks on, it takes a quick surge of energy to get moving—often around 300 in order to 500 watts. Nevertheless, once it's humming along, it settles right down to a much lower level, typically between 60 and hundred watts .
The issue is, the freezer isn't running 100% of the time. If you have got a good seal so you aren't constantly opening the lid to find out what's within, the compressor might only run for 15 to 20 minutes out of every hour. This particular "duty cycle" is what really determines how much you'll pay at the end of the month.
Size and capacity
It shouldn't come as a shock that a massive 20-cubic-foot freezer uses even more juice than a compact 3. 5-cubic-foot unit. * Small (3. 5 – five cu. ft. ): They are the ones a person see in apartments or small dorms. They usually pull about 150-200 kilo watt hour per year. * Moderate (7 – ten cu. ft. ): This particular is the sweet spot for most families. Expect around 250-300 kWh per year. * Large (15+ cu. ft. ): These types of are the leaders. You're looking from 350-450 kWh per year, depending on the model's efficiency.
The reason why chest freezers are energy superstars
You might wonder why people suggest chest freezers more than upright (fridge-style) freezers when it arrives to efficiency. Everything comes down in order to basic physics. Cool air is denser and heavier than warm air.
When a person open an upright freezer, the frosty air literally spills out your bottom onto your feet, and warm air rushes in to replace it. Your freezer then has in order to work overtime to cool that new warm air straight down. With a chest freezer, you're starting the lid in the top. The frosty air stays hidden inside the "tub, " much such as water stays within a bathtub. This is why a chest freezer is almost always cheaper to operate than an vertical model of the particular same size.
Factors that hike up your bill
While the manufacturer's label provides you an estimation, your real-world utilization might look a bit different. Right now there are a few "hidden" factors that can make that compressor work much harder than it needs to.
The particular garage environment
A lot of us keep our own chest freezers in the garage. That's fine in the particular spring or fall, when you reside somewhere where the summer hits 90 or 100 degrees, that will freezer is within intended for a fight. In order to keep the inside of at zero levels when the outside is definitely sweltering, the device has to run much more regularly. If you possibly can keep your freezer in a cool, climate-controlled downstairs room, you'll definitely notice a lower power draw.
Ice buildup
Unless you have a self-defrosting model (which actually uses more power, ironically), you're going to get ice accumulation on the walls ultimately. Once that glaciers gets to be even more than a quarter-inch thick, it begins acting as an insulator—but not the great kind. It prevents the cooling coils from efficiently pulling high temperature out of the particular freezer compartment. Keeping it defrosted is usually the best method to ensure you aren't wasting money.
How full will be it?
Believe it or not, a full freezer is more efficient than an clear one. Once your food is frozen solid, it can work like a giant block out of ice (thermal mass). Once you open up the lid, there's less "air" in order to escape and more "cold stuff" in order to keep the temp stable. In case your freezer is half-empty, try filling up a few old milk jugs with water plus freezing them to fill the spaces. It'll save you a few bucks over the long term.
Calculating the exact cost
If you need to get nerdy plus figure out exactly how much power does a chest freezer use in your specific house, you simply need two quantities: the annual kWh in the yellow EnergyGuide label and your local utility rate.
- Discover the kWh for each year on the sticker (let's say 250).
- Check your power bill with regard to the price per kWh (the US average is around $0. 16).
- Multiply them: 250 x 0. 16 = $40 per year.
- Divide by 12: $40 / 12 = $3. thirty-three per month .
That's probably lower than a single latte at the particular drive-thru. Even though you have got an older, less efficient model, you're unlikely to spend greater than $10 a month on this.
Modern versus. Vintage freezers
If you're using a hand-me-down chest freezer out of your grandma's basement which was built in the 1980s, all these cheap estimates go out there the window. Older appliances were built to last, but they weren't exactly built to be "green. "
A freezer from 30 years ago can effortlessly use three to four times as much electricity since a modern Energy Star-rated model. The particular insulation has most likely degraded, and the particular compressor tech is usually archaic. If you're looking to save money, sometimes the very best shift is to stop working the "vintage" device and buy a basic new one. It'll often pay out for itself in energy savings within just a couple of years.
Quick tricks for optimum efficiency
In case you've already obtained a freezer plus you want to maintain the power use as little as possible, here's a quick directory:
- Verify the seals: Close the particular lid on a dollar bill. In the event that you can draw the bill out there easily, your seal is leaky. Replace it to keep the cold air flow in.
- Give it space: Don't shove the freezer directly against the particular wall. The coils need airflow in order to dissipate heat. A few inches associated with breathing room may make a huge difference.
- Keep it organized: The particular a fraction of the time you spend with the cover open searching regarding that bag associated with frozen peas, the less cold surroundings you lose.
- Don't put very hot food in: Let leftovers cool on the counter before tossing them in the freezer. Don't associated with product do the large lifting of trying to cool off a hot container of chili.
Is it worthy of the price?
Whenever you look at the math, the answer is nearly always yes. How much money you save by buying food in bulk or preventing meals waste usually much outweighs the $3 to $7 monthly embrace your electrical bill.
So, if you've been on the fence about regardless of whether you can pay the "overhead" of a good extra freezer, don't sweat it. Simply because long as you aren't using a relic from the Nixon administration, the particular power draw is usually a drop in the bucket when compared with your AC or your water heater. Just keep this full, retain it clear, and let it perform its thing.