Fridge Care Guide • Sydney
Why Your Fridge Is Using More Electricity and How to Fix It Fast
A fridge using more electricity than it should is almost always running longer to stay cold. The usual reasons are a worn door seal, dusty coils, a hot spot in the kitchen, a frosted-up freezer or a failing fan or thermostat.
Here are the eight most common causes, the quick checks you can do in minutes, and when it is time to call a technician. Call 1300 798 266 for a free quote.
- Updated 3 November 2026
- 7 minute read
- Written by our Sydney technicians
Key takeaways
- A fridge that uses more power is nearly always running for longer, because something stops it staying cold.
- The cheap fixes come first: test the door seal with a sheet of paper, vacuum the coils, set 3 to 5°C and -18°C and give the fridge some breathing room.
- Frost build-up, a motor that never switches off or constant clicking points to a failed part, and that needs a technician.
- If the fridge is under about ten years old, repairing one failed part is usually cheaper than replacing it. We give a free quote and a 2-year warranty.
The Short Version
Why Is My Fridge Using More Electricity Than It Used To?
Your fridge is using more electricity because it is running longer to stay cold. The usual causes are a worn door seal, dusty condenser coils, a temperature set too low, poor ventilation, frost build-up, a failing fan or thermostat, or an ageing compressor. Most are cheap to fix.
Fridges rarely use power badly by themselves. Something makes the cold leak out or stops the heat escaping, and the compressor makes up for it. Follow the table for a quick diagnosis, then read the detail below.
Worn door seal
How to check: A sheet of paper slides out easily
Fix: Replace the seal
Dusty coils
How to check: Thick dust on the back or underneath
Fix: Vacuum the coils
Set too cold
How to check: Fridge below 3°C or freezer below -18°C
Fix: Reset the dial
Hot location
How to check: Next to an oven, in sun or hard against a wall
Fix: Move it or give it a gap
Blocked airflow
How to check: Food pressed against the vents or back wall
Fix: Clear a gap around the vents
Frost build-up
How to check: Ice on the freezer back wall or around the door
Fix: Defrost, then call a technician
Failing fan or sensor
How to check: Warm fridge with a cold freezer, or noise
Fix: Technician diagnosis and part
Ageing compressor
How to check: Runs nonstop and still warm
Fix: Technician, then repair or replace
| Cause | How to check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Worn door seal | A sheet of paper slides out easily | Replace the seal |
| Dusty coils | Thick dust on the back or underneath | Vacuum the coils |
| Set too cold | Fridge below 3°C or freezer below -18°C | Reset the dial |
| Hot location | Next to an oven, in sun or hard against a wall | Move it or give it a gap |
| Blocked airflow | Food pressed against the vents or back wall | Clear a gap around the vents |
| Frost build-up | Ice on the freezer back wall or around the door | Defrost, then call a technician |
| Failing fan or sensor | Warm fridge with a cold freezer, or noise | Technician diagnosis and part |
| Ageing compressor | Runs nonstop and still warm | Technician, then repair or replace |
The 8 Causes
8 Reasons a Fridge Uses More Electricity
Work through these in order. The first four cost nothing to check and fix a large share of high-power fridges.
- 1
A worn or split door seal
The rubber seal keeps warm, humid air out. When it hardens, tears or collects mould, air leaks in all day and night, the fridge runs longer and frost builds up. It is the single cheapest fix on this list, and a common one on fridges more than eight or ten years old.
What to do: close the door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out with no resistance, the seal is not gripping, so replace it.
- 2
Dusty condenser coils
The coils release the heat the fridge removes from the food. Dust acts like a blanket on them, so the compressor works longer to shed the same heat. On most fridges the coils sit at the back or under the front grille. A household with pets sees this build up faster.
What to do: switch off, vacuum the coils and grille gently, and repeat every six months.
- 3
The temperature is set too cold
A fridge set colder than it needs to be uses more power without keeping food any better. The safe range is about 3 to 5°C in the fridge and -18°C in the freezer. A dial turned right up in summer is a common reason for a jump in use.
What to do: set the dial to the middle, check with a thermometer and adjust in small steps.
- 4
A hot spot or no room to breathe
A fridge beside the oven, in afternoon sun or pushed hard against the wall cannot shed heat, so it runs harder. A spare fridge in a hot garage has the same problem. Most manufacturers ask for a few centimetres of clearance at the back, sides and top.
What to do: pull it out a little, move it away from heat and check the manual for clearances.
- 5
Blocked airflow inside
Cold air has to circulate. When food is packed against the vents or back wall, parts of the fridge stay warm and the sensor keeps the compressor running to compensate. A full fridge is fine, but a jammed one is not.
What to do: leave a hand's width around the vents and keep tall items away from the back wall.
- 6
Frost build-up or a defrost fault
Frost on the freezer back wall insulates the evaporator, so the fridge runs longer to cool through the ice. A thick layer usually means the defrost heater, sensor or timer has failed. Chipping at the ice makes it worse and can damage the coil.
What to do: defrost safely with the doors open and towels down, then call us if the frost returns within weeks.
- 7
A failing fan or thermostat
A fridge with a cold freezer and a warm fridge section often has a failed evaporator fan. A weak condenser fan makes the compressor overheat. A thermostat or sensor that drifts keeps the fridge running even when it is already cold. All are repairable parts.
What to do: listen for fan noise at the back and inside, and book a diagnosis if the fridge is noisy or uneven.
- 8
An ageing compressor or low refrigerant
When the sealed system weakens, the compressor runs nonstop and the fridge still does not get cold. Short cycling, with repeated clicking every few minutes, can point to a failing start relay or the compressor itself. These faults need a technician, and on an old fridge the repair-or-replace question comes up.
What to do: if the motor runs nonstop and the fridge is warm, switch off and call. Don't keep running it.
Measure It
How Can I Check How Much Power My Fridge Really Uses?
Plug a power meter between the wall and the fridge and leave it for a full day. The kilowatt-hour reading shows the real use, which you can compare with the energy rating label and the manual. Note how often the motor runs, since long unbroken runs are the warning sign.
- Use a plug-in power meter from a hardware store and leave the fridge undisturbed for 24 hours.
- Compare the reading with the energy label on the fridge and the figure in the manual.
- Listen to the motor for an afternoon. A healthy fridge switches off for long stretches.
- Check the coils, the seal and the airflow before you blame the compressor.
Quick Wins
Fixes You Can Do in 15 Minutes
These cost almost nothing, and together they remove the most common reasons for a fridge using more electricity.
- Run the paper test on every side of the door seal and clean the rubber with warm water.
- Vacuum the coils and the grille, then pull the fridge a few centimetres from the wall.
- Set the dials to about 3 to 5°C and -18°C and let them settle for a day.
- Let hot food cool before it goes in, and avoid holding the door open while you decide.
- Clear the vents and take anything out that is pressed against the back wall.
Repair Or Replace
Is It Worth Repairing a Power-Hungry Fridge?
Repair it when one part has failed, the fridge is under about ten years old and the fix costs well under half the price of a similar new one. Replacing can make sense when the fridge is old, the sealed system has failed, or several parts are wearing out.
Age matters, but one worn seal or a tired fan is common at any age. Choice has a useful independent guide to repairing or replacing a fridge. We will tell you plainly when a repair is not worth it, and you only pay for a part if you go ahead.
If the fridge is fairly new, check the warranty before you pay anyone. Under the Australian Consumer Law you can have rights after the written warranty ends, and NSW Fair Trading explains consumer guarantees clearly. We are an independent repairer, so if the manufacturer owes you a repair, take that route first. Our pricing page shows how our quotes work.
Booking A Check
What a Fridge Check With Us Involves
Call 1300 798 266 with your suburb, the brand and what you have noticed. We give you a free quote and the next available time, often the same day, and we take bookings 24 hours a day.
The technician tests the fridge where it stands, checks the seal, coils, fans, sensor and defrost system, and gives you the price of any part before starting. Most faults are repaired on the spot, and every repair has a 2-year warranty. See our fridge repairs in Sydney, our guide to the early signs an appliance is failing and our advice on choosing a reliable fridge repairer.
Got Questions?
Fridge Electricity Use FAQs
Is it normal for my fridge to run all the time?
No. A healthy fridge cycles on and off through the day, running perhaps a third to half the time depending on the weather and how often the door is opened. If the motor seems to run nonstop, or only switches off for a few minutes, something is making it work too hard, and it's worth checking.
How can I tell how much power my fridge really uses?
Plug a power meter between the wall and the fridge and leave it for a full day. The kilowatt-hour reading tells you what the fridge actually uses, which you can compare with the energy rating label and the manual. Our technicians can also check the run time and the parts behind it.
Does a full fridge use more electricity than an empty one?
Not usually. A reasonably full fridge holds its cold better, so the compressor runs less. The problem is overpacking. Blocking the vents or pressing food against the back wall stops cold air circulating and makes the fridge work harder. Keep a gap around the vents.
Why does my fridge click on and off every few minutes?
Short cycling is a sign of trouble. Common causes are a failing start relay, a faulty temperature sensor, a dirty condenser or a thermostat that has drifted. It wastes power and wears the compressor. Check the coils and the seal, and call us if the clicking continues.
Is a second fridge in the garage worth keeping?
Often not, if it's old and half empty. A spare fridge in a hot garage works hard and can use a surprising amount of power. If it's in good order and you need the space, keep it, clean the coils and set the temperature correctly. If it's old, replacing it may cost less than running it.
Will replacing the door seal really lower my electricity use?
It can, if the seal is the cause. A torn or hardened seal lets warm, humid air in all day, so the compressor runs longer and frost builds up. A new seal is one of the cheapest repairs on a fridge. Test it first by closing the door on a sheet of paper.
Appliance Repairs Sydney
Fridge Running Up Your Bill? Get It Checked
Call us with the brand and what you have noticed, and we will give you a free quote and the next available time anywhere in Sydney.
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