Science, Tech, Math › Science Can You Cool a Room By Opening the Refrigerator? Share Flipboard Email Print Running a refrigerator releases heat, so opening it to cool a room isn't a great plan. Peter Cade / Getty Images Science Chemistry Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. our editorial process Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Updated August 27, 2018 Can you cool a room by opening the refrigerator? It might be tempting to open the refrigerator door to cool off when it's hot, but will it really help? The answer depends on a few different factors relating to your refrigerator. Use an Air Conditioner You can fan yourself with the door to cool yourself down, but you can't actually lower the temperature of the room. This is because refrigeration is not a perfectly efficient process. More heat enters the room through the exhaust vent than is extracted from the inside of the refrigerator. Now, if you're desperate to cool a room with the refrigerator, you can... but only if the refrigerator is off and you're using the chilled contents already inside the box, sort of like a giant ice cube. Alternatively, you can use a refrigerator to cool a room if the heat vents for the fridge are in a different room.