Homeowner offers surprisingly simple way to save over 25% on your electricity bill: 'Free money in the back of your fridge'

If you don't regularly clean the coils on the back of your fridge, they could secretly be eating away at your savings.

TikToker Southernescape (@southernescape) revealed an easy way to get the gunk off your coils and save over 25% on your electric bill.

@southernescape When is the last time you checked your coils? #cleantok #cleaning #cleaningtips #homeimprovement #kitchenhacks #lifehack #howtosave #savemoney #lightbill #electricity #kitchenhacks #themoreyouknow #fridge #refrigerator ♬ original sound - Southernescape

The scoop

The creator started the video with an intriguing question for viewers: "What would you do if I told you there was free money in the back of your fridge?!"

She then explained that you should clean your condenser coils at least twice a year. If you don't, you might be paying 35% more on your electricity bills annually. 

To start, unplug the refrigerator for safety and grab a screwdriver to unscrew the bolts on the panel protecting the coils. You could also use a "state-of-the-art flathead" aka a knife, as the creator did, which seemed to work just fine.

"Refrigerator coils help cool the fridge, and when dirt and debris are obstructing them, they can't efficiently release the heat. … It causes the compressor to work harder, which uses more energy and places the entire appliance under strain," she said while using a vacuum attachment to suck up the dirt covering the outside panel and inner coils. 

She recommended using a straw or a vacuum attachment kit to reach the dust and debris deeper within the fridge.

How it's helping

If you're like most people who have issues with their fridge, you would much rather let a repairman deal with the problem. However, even a small job such as cleaning condenser coils can cost anywhere from $60 to $100, per Fixr. Taking a few minutes to clean the coils yourself can allow you to save money and the time it takes to have a repair person come out to your home. 

You'll also enjoy lowering your electric bills each month thanks to the efficiency gains your fridge will get.

In addition, the planet will thank you for cleaning your coils since the cooling industry contributes around 10% of all heat-trapping carbon pollution from dirty energy sources, such as oil and coal, used to power appliances.

You might also consider buying a more energy-efficient refrigerator with an updated compressor, which can reduce your energy consumption by an additional 30%, per Energy Star. 

However, if you're not in the market for a new fridge, you can further improve your fridge's performance by checking the seals to ensure cold air doesn't leak out. 

Other options to increase your home's energy efficiency include weatherizing it by adding insulation and thicker windows or installing smart home technology such as programmable thermostats. 

Companies including Tesla are making it easy for homeowners to control their energy consumption with their home battery system, the Powerwall.

What everyone's saying

Commenters were disappointed that there wasn't literal money behind the fridge but were thankful for the hack.

"Doing this!! Thank you!!" one person said.

"I just did mine yesterday. I couldn't believe how much was in there," another commented.

A third user highlighted the hack's importance, writing, "Please do this, I didn't know about it and my fridge died by fire."

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