Refrigerator Down

Was there a rotting dead skunk sitting in its own vomit in my dishwasher?  When I walked into my kitchen I was enveloped with a putrid cloud of odor that smelled worse than rancid hard boiled eggs.  It did not take me long to open the freezer door to discover the bacon was warmer than my leather  car seat in the summer with windows rolled up. The ice cream was blue with something not meant to be a topping, and the ice tray could have housed tropical fish.  Our Refrigerator/ Freezer has been a solid member of our household for the past 15 years living with our family as a loyal  member.   I have interacted with it on a daily bases for longer than I have my own two daughters.  I rely on my fridge just like I do my own heartbeat, expecting it to work for me on a continual, round-the-clock basis.  Yes, I may be co-dependent, for the moment it stops working for me, disaster sets in.

I had to toss out hundreds of dollars of groceries: the poor chicken breasts, dead for no cause.  The bottle of ketchup that chilled in the door for at least half a year had to go, too. Those frozen bananas for smoothies now brown sticky warm soup. Learning that you need to purchase a new fridge is like the clutch going out in your truck:  an unexpected expense that needs to be addressed rather promptly in order to regain normality back into your life.  So, time for a new fridge, what to do?

When faced with the reality of having to buy a new refrigerator, only consider appliances that are certified Energy Star. Since there is not a moment in the day that your refrigerator is not drawing energy, it is best to find one that has a low annual energy use.  Top mounted freezer use less energy than similarly sized side-by-side models, even if they are both rated energy star. 
Refrigerators fewer than 25 cubic feet should meet the needs of most households and obviously over sized refrigerators will use more energy.  Know that some new model refrigerators are eligible for rebates through San Miguel power. 
When sending your no longer loyal appliance to the land of dead appliances, be sure you dispose of your old refrigerator properly. Cooling equipment, such as refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and room air conditioners involve refrigerants and insulating foams that release ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases once in a landfill. Older appliances may also contain PCBs, Freon or mercury. Federal law requires the removal and proper disposal of refrigerants but not foam products.  Thankfully, there is a once a year town Spring clean up put on by the New Community Coalition that accepts old refrigerators for a small charge.  If you are unable to hold on to your now hazardous piece of waste, you can call Best Appliances in Montrose who, for $45, will remove the freon in your refrigerator and then deliver it to Recla metals to be recycled.  A pick up fee may apply.
When my loyal fridge went down, I immediately called the appliance Doctor to see if he could resuscitate it.  He shop vacuumed 15 years of shmutz out of the coils and vents and prescribed rest, and then a restart in 24 hours.  Luckily, our fridge   did come back to life and I was able to swiftly avoid replacement. Though, now that I am over educated in the world of refrigerators, I know that my fridge, built 20 years ago uses 70% more energy than today's energy-efficient model.  The dilemma, dump it for a newer energy efficient one or let it keep wasting energy but avoid the repercussions of the hazardous waste it contains and those effects on the environment. Every green-minded environmental consumer is always faced with these lesser of two evil decisions.   None the less, give your fridge the respect it deserves, as we hope it will live with your family for many decades to come.