If you need to purchase a gas oven or range, look for one with an automatic (electronic) ignition system instead of pilot lights. You'll save an average of up to a third of your gas use -- 41 percent in the oven and 53 percent on the top burners.
If you have a stove with pilot light, make sure the pilot light is burning efficiently--with a blue flame. A yellowish flame indicates an adjustment is needed.
Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean. They will reflect the heat better, and you will save energy.
Use a kettle or cover the pan when boiling water; water will come to a boil faster and use less energy than if brought to a boil in an uncovered pan.
Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers. Frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to operate the appliance. Never allow frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch.
When cooking on the stovetop, match the size of the pan to the heating element. More heat will get to the pan; less will be lost to the surrounding air.
Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 38 to 40 degrees F for fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5 degrees F for the freezer section. (If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0 degrees F, however.)
When you run your dishwasher, only wash full loads. The dishwasher will use around 17 gallons of hot water each time, whether you wash one dish or a full load of dishes.
When you run your dishwasher, use the energy-saver setting, which eliminates the dry cycle, saving you energy and money.
Don't keep your ancient refrigerator plugged in down in the basement or garage to cool your six pack of beer or soda. Old models consume considerably more energy than new models; you may be paying dearly just to keep a few drinks cold.
Check the condenser coils on your refrigerator at least twice a year, and keep them clean. Refrigerators, refrigerator/freezers, and freezers with dirty condenser coils (found on the back or bottom of the appliance) consume more energy.
Check the door seals of your refrigerator, refrigerator/freezer, and freezer. If the seal is cracked, or cold air is escaping, the seal (or perhaps the appliance, if it is very old) should be replaced.
Before you store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer, let them cool down. That way, your appliance doesn't have to work as hard.
To be sure your refrigerator operates most efficiently, keep it full, but not overloaded. (Overloading will prevent cold air from circulating properly.)
Don't pre-heat your oven, unless the foods, such as breads and cakes, require it. For most foods, pre-heating isn't necessary and represents a waste of energy and money.
Thaw your foods completely before cooking. That way, your stove or oven won't have to work as hard.
If you cook with electricity, get in the habit of turning off the burners several minutes before the allotted cooking time is over. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking and you will save electricity. The same principle applies to oven cooking.
When cooking in your oven, watch the clock or use a timer; don't continually open the oven door to check food. Every time you open the door, heat escapes and your cooking uses more energy.
Use small electric pans or ovens for cooking small meals rather than the kitchen range or oven. They use less energy.
Use pressure cookers and microwave ovens to do your cooking if you have them. They can save energy by reducing cooking time.
When cooking in pans, consider copper-bottom pans, which heat up quicker than regular pans.
Use a crockpot to cook stews and soups that require a long time to cook.
Use flat-bottomed cookware (or ideally with a slightly concave bottom that flattens out when heated) that make complete contact with the burner surface when cooking on electric burners, solid disk elements, and radiant elements under ceramic glass.
Cover foods, especially liquids, before storing them in the refrigerator; otherwise moisture that enters the refrigerator compartment causes the refrigerator to work harder and use more energy.
About The Author: Source:
http://www.nps.gov/renew/hometips.htm
By
04/04/2005
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