Energy Efficiency in the Kitchen

It’s that time of year again, when many of us will be spending extra time in the kitchen. Did you know that during all of the holiday cooking and baking, even if you don’t have new or updated appliances, you can cut your energy use in half? That’s right! Take a look at these tips that can help you be energy efficient this season:

• Put a lid on it – keeping pots and pans covered while cooking, including on kettles and for boiling water will help avoid unnecessary heat loss and require less cooking time.
• Conserve water – washing a full load of dishes in the dishwasher instead of hand washing conserves water and when heating water, use an electric kettle instead of running water in the spigot until it comes to the desired temperature.
• Make a big difference by paying attention to the small details – limit the amount of times the refrigerator door is opened by removing and then returning all needed ingredients at the same time and keep the faucet lever on the kitchen sink in the cold position when not using hot water. Leaving it in the hot position draws hot water even if it never reaches the faucet.
• Match up the right size – use the heating element that most closely matches the size of the pan when cooking. Burners that are too big or too small for the pan they’re heating are significantly less efficient. Also consider using toaster ovens, electric skillets and microwaves when possible. Smaller appliances use one-third to one-half as much energy as a full sized oven.
• Pay attention to colors – look for blue flames in natural gas appliances. Yellow flames indicate inefficiently burning gas which may require an adjustment.
• Keep cool – test your refrigerator door to make sure the seal is tight by closing the door over a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out easily, the latch may need adjustment, or the seal replaced. Set your refrigerator temperature between 35°-38° F and the freezer 0° F and regularly defrost manual-defrost freezers.

Even with older appliances, these steps make it possible to be energy efficient in the kitchen during the holidays. If you’re interested in making your home more energy efficient, AEP Energy Reward Store has a variety of efficient and connected home products available.

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