With a new cap coming into force this week, household bills are about to creep even higher. One appliance that could be leaking cash is your fridge and freezer - but with the proper care and maintenance you can keep where it belongs.

Salah Sun, head of product management at Beko UK, shared expert advice on maximising fridge and freezer efficiency while keeping energy bills low, from smart usage habits to built-in energy-saving features. According to the expert, keeping your fridge at the right temperature of between 3C and 5C can help you save money while still keeping food safe. "Using a fridge thermometer can help you find the sweet spot between food safety and energy efficiency," he said.

While -18C is the ideal for a freezer, it can still function effectively within a small range. The appropriate freezer temperature range is generally between -16C to -22C.

As well as this, make sure all your door seals are in good condition and the doors stay shut. Sun said that every time a door is left open, efficiency goes out the window.

He said: "Cool air will escape, and warm air will enter a fridge every time this happens, which means that the appliance will need to work harder to get the temperature back under control."

Another way to improve the efficacy of your appliance and ave money is to switch from plastic containers to glass ones. While this might be slightly pricier up front, it will save oney long term. Sun said: "Using glass containers rather than plastic ones helps maintain stable temperatures, as glass better absorbs and retains cold."

When it comes to what you should avoid, the top offender is putting hot food back in the fridge. This will force your appliance to work much harder to regulate its temperature. "Always let food cool to room temperature first," said Sun.

"While many worry about food safety, this practice is perfectly safe and will prevent your fridge from experiencing temperature spikes that increase energy consumption and put the appliance under strain."

It's also important to avoid over-crowding. While it might seem efficient to use every available inch of space, overfilling your fridge can be counterproductive. Sun said: "An overcrowded fridge struggles to circulate cold air effectively.

"This means the appliance's fan, compressor and other components have to work harder, using more energy. Leave enough space for air to circulate inside the fridge, for optimal performance and energy efficiency."