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Suggestions for Saving a Bundle on Energy Use at Home - Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances are responsible for a large portion of your home energy use. Here are a few tips that should help save energy (and money) in the kitchen:
Appliances in the kitchen are responsible for a large portion of your home energy use. Here are a few suggestions to help save energy (and money) in your kitchen:
* Keep refrigerator, and freezer, doors closed. You will waste a considerable amount of energy when continually opening and closing your refrigerator. When preparing a meal, take all ingredients out at the same time. Also, make certain that the door is securely closed after you have finished with the refrigerator.
* Position your refrigerator or freezer away from direct sunlight, heating equipment and heater vents. Make sure there is enough clearance behind, above and on the sides for unhindered air circulation.
* Set the temperature of your refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer close to 0 degrees for best results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also advocates these settings to avert quick development of bacteria
* Keep your freezer or refrigerator full, but do not overload it. If it is too full it causes the compressor to work for a longer period. Keep foods somewhat separated on the shelves, making sure they don't obstruct the unit's interior air vents.
* Keep the unit's condenser coils residue free and unobstructed for the greatest energy efficiency.
* Clean door seals with warm water or a kitchen cleaner that leaves no residue because a snug-fitting door gasket is essential for the efficiency of your appliance.
* Cover all liquids stored in your refrigerator. If uncovered, moisture can be drawn into the air, making the unit work harder.
* If you own an older second freezer that only has a little food in it, use only the newer freezer and shut down the older one.
Cooking Appliances
* If you own a large and a small oven, you will save money by using the smaller one whenever feasible.
* Save both time and energy by using one oven to prepare the entire meal. A pie or cake can go into the warm oven after the main course is finished.
* Using a pressure cooker reduces cooking time by two thirds compared to typical cookware.
* Keeping food, plates and platters warm with the oven's stored heat after baking, requires no additional energy. If your hot meals must stay warm for a longer time, adjust the oven no more than 150 to' degrees.
* Consider using a more energy efficient microwave oven, portable electric frying pan, grill, or toaster oven/broiler rather than a full size oven. Cook outdoors or prepare cold meals to preclude adding heat to the kitchen and adding moisture to the inside air. Microwave ovens use less than half the power of a standard oven and cook food in about 1/4 of the time.
* Covered cookware will start boiling faster than those that are uncovered, permitting quicker results with reduced energy use.
* Select cooking vessels that fully cover the stove's burners. Use pans that have flat bases, vertical sides and tight-fitting lids that retain heat and allow you to use lower temperature settings.
* Cook with steamers, outside grills or casserol recipes to reduce the use of your stove top burners and conventional oven.
* Limit the use of water to the amount needed to create steam and prevent sticking when cooking fresh or frozen vegetables.
* Ensure that reflector pans beneath the stove's heating elements are bright and stain free. They reflect heat back to the bottom of the cookware.
* Do not cover oven racks with foil. The foil impedes the flow of heated air and makes it necessary for the oven to work harder to cook food.
* Cook following specific time and temperature instructions. Precise timing eliminates repeated opening of the oven door to check on the progress of the cooking. Every time the door is opened, the oven cools by 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
* On an electric stove, begin with higher heat then reduce the setting as soon as the food starts to bubble or boil. Turn off the heating element a few minutes before cooking time is up. Electric stoves retain heat for a few minutes after they have been turned off.
* During summer months, do your heavy cooking when it is cooler, i.e. early-morning or evening hours. If possible, use the range top instead of the oven.
by JimNavary
Appliances in the kitchen are responsible for a large portion of your home energy use. Here are a few suggestions to help save energy (and money) in your kitchen:
* Keep refrigerator, and freezer, doors closed. You will waste a considerable amount of energy when continually opening and closing your refrigerator. When preparing a meal, take all ingredients out at the same time. Also, make certain that the door is securely closed after you have finished with the refrigerator.
* Position your refrigerator or freezer away from direct sunlight, heating equipment and heater vents. Make sure there is enough clearance behind, above and on the sides for unhindered air circulation.
* Set the temperature of your refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer close to 0 degrees for best results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also advocates these settings to avert quick development of bacteria
* Keep your freezer or refrigerator full, but do not overload it. If it is too full it causes the compressor to work for a longer period. Keep foods somewhat separated on the shelves, making sure they don't obstruct the unit's interior air vents.
* Keep the unit's condenser coils residue free and unobstructed for the greatest energy efficiency.
* Clean door seals with warm water or a kitchen cleaner that leaves no residue because a snug-fitting door gasket is essential for the efficiency of your appliance.
* Cover all liquids stored in your refrigerator. If uncovered, moisture can be drawn into the air, making the unit work harder.
* If you own an older second freezer that only has a little food in it, use only the newer freezer and shut down the older one.
Cooking Appliances
* If you own a large and a small oven, you will save money by using the smaller one whenever feasible.
* Save both time and energy by using one oven to prepare the entire meal. A pie or cake can go into the warm oven after the main course is finished.
* Using a pressure cooker reduces cooking time by two thirds compared to typical cookware.
* Keeping food, plates and platters warm with the oven's stored heat after baking, requires no additional energy. If your hot meals must stay warm for a longer time, adjust the oven no more than 150 to' degrees.
* Consider using a more energy efficient microwave oven, portable electric frying pan, grill, or toaster oven/broiler rather than a full size oven. Cook outdoors or prepare cold meals to preclude adding heat to the kitchen and adding moisture to the inside air. Microwave ovens use less than half the power of a standard oven and cook food in about 1/4 of the time.
* Covered cookware will start boiling faster than those that are uncovered, permitting quicker results with reduced energy use.
* Select cooking vessels that fully cover the stove's burners. Use pans that have flat bases, vertical sides and tight-fitting lids that retain heat and allow you to use lower temperature settings.
* Cook with steamers, outside grills or casserol recipes to reduce the use of your stove top burners and conventional oven.
* Limit the use of water to the amount needed to create steam and prevent sticking when cooking fresh or frozen vegetables.
* Ensure that reflector pans beneath the stove's heating elements are bright and stain free. They reflect heat back to the bottom of the cookware.
* Do not cover oven racks with foil. The foil impedes the flow of heated air and makes it necessary for the oven to work harder to cook food.
* Cook following specific time and temperature instructions. Precise timing eliminates repeated opening of the oven door to check on the progress of the cooking. Every time the door is opened, the oven cools by 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
* On an electric stove, begin with higher heat then reduce the setting as soon as the food starts to bubble or boil. Turn off the heating element a few minutes before cooking time is up. Electric stoves retain heat for a few minutes after they have been turned off.
* During summer months, do your heavy cooking when it is cooler, i.e. early-morning or evening hours. If possible, use the range top instead of the oven.
About the Author:
Jim Navary has been a freelance writer and researcher for over thirty five years covering a broad array of subjects. He is also a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia focusing on Petersburg VA real estate and, in particular, Fort Lee VA homes for sale.