How to Preserve Energy With Kitchen Appliances

Saving energy can be done in any kitchen.

According to the United States Department of Energy, the average American home spends 20 percent of its electric bill on home appliances and electronics. Other than computers and televisions, the biggest appliances of the home reside in the kitchen. By learning to preserve resources in the kitchen and save energy, you can drastically lower your electricity bill. Mostly, saving energy requires you to be conscious of the decisions you make, like leaving appliances always plugged in or leaving a lid off a pot of boiling pasta.

Instructions

1. Purchase Energy Star qualified appliances when replacing your old and broken appliances. Energy Star appliances have passed the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency's strict energy efficiency standards.

2. Use appropriately sized pots and pans on your stove's burners and use lids when cooking food. Appropriately sized pots and pans on the burners can save you $36 for electric and $18 for gas ranges according to Energy Star. Using lids when cooking food saves 25 percent on fuel use in addition to decreasing the cooking time.

3. Turn off the heat-dry feature on your dishwasher and allow them to air-dry. It requires no energy at all to air-dry your dishes and will result in just as clean, just as dry dishes without any hassle to you.

4. Unplug appliances that are not being used as they continue to use a small amount of electricity just by being plugged into the socket. For example, you only use your toaster for a few minutes a day, so leaving it plugged in is senseless. "Vampire energy draw," as it is called, is estimated to be five percent of the average home's electricity bill each month by the U.S. Department of Energy.

References

• U.S. Department of Energy: Appliances & Electronics
• Energy Star: Save Energy at Home, By Room: Kitchen

Resources

• Super Eco: 26 ways to save energy in the kitchen