If you have a commercial refrigerator, such as for your restaurant or food truck, you may notice that it uses up a lot of energy. These larger refrigerators tend to use more energy than regular home refrigerators, so it is even more important that you keep the energy usage as low as possible. Here are some easy ways to reduce your energy bill with the refrigerator and lower your company's carbon footprint at the same time.

Be Careful How You Fill it

How you fill the commercial refrigerator and keep it organized can make a big difference. Not only do you want to keep it filled up a good amount to reduce empty space, but you also don't want to overfill it, either. There is a delicate balance here that requires some good organization. If you have too much empty space in the fridge, it will use more energy to maintain a consistent temperature, which is just wasting energy. However, if there is too much in the refrigerator, you might be blocking the air flow, forcing it to work even harder. If it is pretty full, try to move the food from the very back of the refrigerator a few inches forward to keep good air flow.

Let Foods Cool Before Storing Them

Another way you can reduce energy use is by making sure everything is cool before putting it in the fridge. If you make a habit of putting hot food in the refrigerator, you are requiring the appliance to work even harder to cool off those foods. Plus, the heat will begin to expand around the inside of the fridge, making it warmer and causing the thermostat to suck up energy trying to maintain the desired cold temperature.

Make Sure the Door Closes All the Way

Your refrigerator door might seem like it is closing since the light goes out, but it is possible that air is leaking out. You should inspect the refrigerator on a routine basis, including checking the door gaskets. If they look worn, it is possible that they are allowing extra air to escape. This is often the reason why your energy bills are suddenly higher than they used to be, even though everything else you are doing is exactly the same.

Keep the Condenser Coils Clean

The back or bottom of your refrigerator should have metal coils that cool air and maintain proper temperatures in the refrigerator. However, dust, dirt, and debris can clog the coils and require your refrigerator to work a lot harder to maintain those temperatures. This is why routine maintenance is important.