Old fridges – are they worth the energy?
Filed under Appliance Power Use and Running Costs, Energy Efficiency and Power Bills.
February 3rd, 2009
My mum just gifted me a 1989 Fisher and Paykel fridge for my flat. I have heard that they use lots more energy in the long term so I should trade it in. Is this true? Are there still subsidised trade in schemes?
editor, February 3rd, 2009 on 11:56 pm
Hi, thanks for your post! Yes a 1989 fridge (nearly 20 years old) is going to cost you a lot more to run than a brand new energy efficient (3-4 star) fridge Even if your fridge were in mint condition, improvements in design mean that a modern family sized fridge would cost around $100-$150 a year less to run than the equivalent 20 year old fridge. If the seals are worn out or the old fridge turns on a lot because the compressor is no longer working well, there will be even bigger difference in running costs.
To answer the second part of your question, the fridge recycling schemes have stopped at the moment, pending the new government’s descision on whether to keep funding them.
Regards, Sarah Free
Energy advisor, Wellington HEAC