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Energy Efficiency in the Kitchen

Energy bills go up every month. We used to attribute it to the increasing cost of electricity and heating, but even if we just want to make up for them, we have to save energy whenever we can. Heat loss through inadequately insulated walls is a great problem, but so do all kitchen stuff - while we may not know about it, kitchen appliances are a major factor in our house's energy consumption.

First, the cooking. Use a microwave oven to reheat the food, not the stove. Microwave ovens are about 40% more energy efficient. Then, heat small pots only on the small burners. Placing a small pot on a large burner won't make the process faster, but increases the energy use by 10-30%. Also, try to use a crock pot whenever possible. You can start cooking a meal in the morning before you leave for work, leave it for the whole day and get a hot meal in the evening. The point is that crock pots need only little energy and even though they will be heated for several hours, they are still more energy efficient than cooking meals fast using a lot of energy.

The three things you should certainly do to make your kitchen more energy-efficient concern your fridge and freezer. First of all, make sure that they run at their optimal temperature. Inmost cases you can safely increase the temperature by two or three degrees without any changes in the food freshness. Then, check if the door seals completely when you close them. Any cracks or space between the insulation and the fridge means that warn air may enter the fridge, greatly increasing the energy consumption. Finally, try to minimize time you spent with your fridge door open. This lets huge amount of heat into a fridge, making it use a lot of energy to get rid of it.

As for other major energy consumers in your kitchen, you may consider replacing the bulbs with the fluorescent models. They provide just as much light as incandescents, and despite their higher individual price, they are much cheaper in the long run. Also, it may be a good idea to reduce the amount of energy used by your dishwasher. The point is that you have to use it only when it is properly loaded. If you overload it, don't be surprised if it uses huge amount of electricity. On the other hand, running it every time you have a few cups to clean will be a waste of energy, too.

One last tip: generally, try to replace your appliances with more energy-efficient models. Look for Energy Star logos - they mean that the appliance is more energy-efficient. Remember that they are responsible to a better part of your electricity usage, so it is something worth fighting for.

Article Source: http://www.articlebankonline.com

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