Energy efficient refrigerator

When designing the solar system for the Armstrong House we calculated a number of 'load estimates', which aim to predict the house's energy consumption.  To provide a generous amount of comfort for the Armstrong House residents we needed to account for every little device they were predicted to use.  Imagine doing a load estimate for your house.....think about all the things you plug in:

DVD players, TVs, computers, hair dryers, coffee makers, blenders, lights and lamps (30 of them), stereos, cell phones, washing machines, garage door openers, video games, WIFI routers, toaster, microwave, water pumps, printers, fax machines, radios... the list can go on and on.  Some things you only use sporadically - like Christmas lights - so their overall burden on the electricity load isn't great.  Other items, such as your refrigerator, never quite - they just keep working away, 365 days a year.  These are the appliances that could end up pushing you over your electricity budget.  At the Armstrong House we invested in an energy efficient fridge/freezer called the Sun Frost RF 16, which boasts many technological advancements over your 'traditional' refrigerator.

Check out their brochure below or click here to see it in a PDF version.

Sarah Bush showing off our Sun Frost RF 16 refrigerator.  Loki the cat in the foreground.  

The walls of our freezer and refrigerator are quite thick, which means great insulation.  

Refrigerators become less efficient when their motors get dirty.  On our Sun Frost RF -16 the motor is on top where it can be easily cleaned.  

Remember, when you are trying to cut down on your household energy use you must address the appliances that run frequently like your fridge/freezer, computer (if you work from home) and dishwasher.