Kitchens are most commonly the biggest energy wasters in any home. The reason is that they are filled with numerous appliances of varying energy-efficiency. Some of which work pretty much non-stop. The other reason is our behavior. While making sure that our kitchens are equipped with high-quality, energy-efficient appliances is definitely something we should all strive to. Because it truly does pay off in the long run. There are other ways we can save energy in our kitchens we don’t usually think about. If you’re wondering how you can do that, check out these tips for an energy-saving kitchen
5 Smart Tips for an Energy-Saving Kitchen
Cook smart
Slightly altering the way you cook can save you a lot of energy. For starters, make sure that your pans and pots always have a lid on when boiling water. This will make the water boil faster, thus requiring far less energy. Additionally, avoid boiling more water than you actually need. Not only will it take longer for all of that water to heat up, but it will also waste a lot of energy.
Finally, if you notice that you need to add more water to your pot, don’t pour in cold water. Instead boil it in a kettle first and then add it to the pot. Otherwise, you’d be cooling off the already heated water thus wasting time and energy on heating it back up again. By doing these things you are making for an energy-saving kitchen.
Be kind to your cooling units
For an energy-saving kitchen, make sure that your fridge and freezer doors are always properly closed. If not, both of the units will work extra hard to cool off a much bigger area than they are meant to. Next, avoid putting hot food in them. If you do so, both of the units will have to work overtime to cool the food off. Instead, leave the food on your kitchen island or counter to cool naturally. Then store it inside your fridge or freezer.
Furthermore, make sure you defrost your fridge and freezer regularly as excess ice will hinder their optimal performance. Finally, don’t ever place your fridge or freezer up against the wall. Make sure they’re at least a few centimeters (around 10) away from it to allow the hot air – from the motor – to flow easily. This will also save energy.
Clean and maintain your stove regularly
A stove is an appliance that’s being used on the daily basis, sometimes even a couple of times during a single day. That’s why you need to make sure that all of its elements are working properly, to avoid wasting significant amounts of energy. This also helps to make an energy-saving kitchen
Additionally, do know that almost all of the elements of a stove can be replaced once they stop working properly. There really is no reason or excuse not to do so as soon as you notice something’s off. For example, repairmen at Stove Doctor pride themselves on repairing everything quickly and efficiently for a fixed price. So find such experts as soon as you notice that your stove is not working as it should be.
Make sure that you clean both your burners and your oven door regularly. Constantly having to open the oven door to check the food will let the precious hot air out. This, then, wastes a lot of energy on heating the air in the oven back up.
Be smart when washing the dishes
When buying the dishwasher, people usually go for the model that offers the drying option as well. While this seems like something that will definitely save you time, it sure does waste a lot of energy. And that’s not good if you want an energy-saving kitchen.
Instead, of making the same mistake, check this tip out; since dishwashers use hot water to wash the dishes, you can use the power of that heat to your advantage to dry the dishes as well. Do not open your dishwasher as soon as it’s done washing the dishes. Wait for around half an hour and only open it then. The trapped heat will dry your dishes, allowing you to store them away without having to turn on the dryer.
If you have a microwave, use it
Heating up food leftovers in an oven is very wasteful. There’s no real need to heat up the entire oven just for a single pizza slice. Instead, heat, boil and cook everything you can in your microwave. These units are designed to warm things up quickly and efficiently while using the least amount of energy. However, do make sure to unplug your microwave once you’re done using it, as there really is no need for it to say plugged in all the time. This can help you have an energy-saving kitchen also.
As you can see, you can save significant amounts of energy by just slightly altering your behavior in the kitchen. It might sound like these tips won’t save enough to make a significant difference, but give them a go and see for yourself. Soon enough you will have an energy-saving kitchen that you love.
