Clean the condenser coils on your freezer with a vacuum or brush

Your freezer's condenser coils are probably hiding at the bottom or back of the unit—and hiding a layer of dust or dirt, if you haven't cleaned them lately. When clean, condenser coils can be more efficient at transferring heat out of your freezer—so they don't have to work as hard to freeze your peas and pizza. Grab a soft cloth, brush, or vacuum nozzle to clean condenser coils with. One more tip to ensure you have an energy efficient freezer: Don't store anything between your freezer and the wall—leave room for air to circulate behind it.

How To Find an Energy-Efficient Freezer

Tips to Reduce your Freezer or Fridge's Energy Use

Quick Tips for Energy-Efficient Freezer Use

• Pull your stand-alone freezer away from the wall, and unplug it. Or, if it's a built-in model, turn off the freezer's circuit breaker.
• Remove the cover panel to reveal the condenser coils. On most freezers, the top trim plate or kick plate just lifts off. You might have to unscrew a few screws to remove a back cover.
• With a long, narrow nozzle on your vacuum, or with cloth in hand, clean out all of the dust and debris on the condenser coils. (At an appliance-parts store, you can buy a special long-handled brush that looks a little like a bottle brush.)
• Replace the cover, and then plug your freezer's electrical cord back in or turn the circuit back on.