Second refrigerator costs: is your old fridge wasting money?

Second refrigerator costs are easy to forget. That old fridge in the garage keeps running all day, every day, and older models use more energy than new ones.

Old fridges use more

An old refrigerator uses about 20 percent more energy than a new Energy Star model, according to Energy Star.

Refrigerators over 15 years old could cost about 95 dollars more a year to run.

The second fridge

Energy Star says a second refrigerator could be wasting about 90 dollars a year.

What to do

Certified refrigerators are about 9 percent more efficient than federal minimum models. If you replace an old unit, recycle it properly so it is not kept running somewhere else.

The fine print

Dollar figures are estimates that depend on your local power price and the age of your fridge.

Why it matters

Unplugging a fridge you barely use is one of the fastest ways to cut a power bill.

Try it yourself

Try our free Eco Calculators, or test yourself with Greener Choice.

Sources: Energy Star refrigerators, Energy Star fridge fact sheet.

Key takeaways on second refrigerator costs

Here is the short version on second refrigerator costs. An old refrigerator uses about 20 percent more energy than a new Energy Star model, according to Energy Star. Refrigerators over 15 years old could cost about 95 dollars more a year to run. Energy Star says a second refrigerator could be wasting about 90 dollars a year. Certified refrigerators are about 9 percent more efficient than federal minimum models. Dollar figures are estimates that depend on your local power price and the age of your fridge. Unplugging a fridge you barely use is one of the fastest ways to cut a power bill. Try our free Eco Calculators, or test yourself with Greener Choice.

Use these points on second refrigerator costs as a starting point, check the numbers against your own home or business, and share what you learn with someone who can use it.