Most people don’t think of them as office equipment, but almost certainly the one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in your office is your refrigerator.

According to the US Department of Energy, refrigerators are one of the most expensive home or office appliances to operate. The average refrigerator uses 1,000 to 1,500 kilowatt hours per year at a cost of over $100 per year.

Refrigerators are a classic durable good and typically last 15 or more years. How can you make yours last that long (or more)? Well, the most expensive component of a refrigerator is the compressor coil that is located on the back or bottom of the fridge. The most common reason for compressor failure is overheating resulting from inadequate airflow around the condenser. By vacuuming the dust off the coil once a year, you can prevent compressor failure and extend the life of your refrigerator.

When you’re ready to buy a new refrigerator, Energy Star is the only agency we’ve found that accredits energy efficient ones. One thing we’ve found is that the Energy Star compliant models tend to be the more expensive and more fully featured models. Simpler types of refrigerators without things like ice makers and filtered water dispensers usually don’t carry Energy Star accreditation.

You can check out Home Energy Magazine’s online database to find out how much energy a particular brand or model of refrigerator uses. Another good informational website on this is the American Council for an Energy Efficient-Economy. To be really energy efficient,  they suggest buying an Energy Star approved refrigerator under 25 cubic feet in capacity with a top-mounted freezer, because that uses at least 20% less electricity than that required by US federal law.

What to do when you're ready to dump the old fridge? Refrigerators need to be recycle properly because they have refrigerants and insulating foams that release ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases. This presentation (PDF) by JACO Environmental shows HOW they're recycled and you can search the database at Earth 911 to find locations where you can recycle yours.

If hauling your own (or your office's) fridge away sounds like a chore, several major electronics manufacturers and retailers listed on the US EPA’s Plug in to E-Cycling Web site will collect and recycle your old fridge when you buy a new one from them, making recycling an even smarter option.

Even if your fridge is still working, it's probably not working well for the environment or for your energy bills. Your local utility may well pay you to get rid of your old refrigerator and buy a new one. These programs often involve an incentive, usually $35 for the collection of old fridges, either in the form of cash or a rebate towards an Energy Star replacement. Check it out and start greening your fridge!

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