To kick off October’s “Energy Awareness Month,” Maid Brigade is sharing all kinds of tips and ideas to help you lower your utility costs and become more aware of how to save energy in your home.
Here are some great ideas to use around the kitchen:
- Use less energy by cooking or warming up things in the toaster or microwave than in the oven.
- Set your refrigerator temperature between 30 and 42°F. If possible, use a power-save switch.
- If you see moisture, or feel cold air around the closed refrigerator door, you may need to repair the door seal.
- Replace your refrigerator if it is over ten years old with an ENERGY STAR model. They cost less to operate than older refrigerators.
- Clean the coils behind the refrigerator.
- Keeping your freezer full uses less energy than an empty one. To get the most out of your savings, fill your freezer with gallon containers of water.
- Choose energy-efficient appliances. They save you money and are good for the environment.
- Wash and dry several loads at once, so that your dryer isn’t completely cooled down when it heats up for the next load.
- Avoid over-drying your clothes. It wastes energy, plus causes static and wrinkling.
- Separate wash loads into light and heavy fabrics for the shortest drying times. Air dry your lightest fabrics.
- Vent your dryer to the outside to reduce the workload on your air conditioner.
- Wash full loads of clothes when possible. When smaller loads are necessary, use less water.
- Hang dress clothing to air dry on portable laundry racks.
- Clean the dryer lint filter after every load to keep your dryer running efficiently.
- Set your dishwasher to “economy mode,” which uses less water and electricity.
- Turn off your dishwasher after the wash cycle and let your dishes air dry.
- Keep the oven door closed while cooking. Every time you open the oven door the temperature can drop about 25 degrees.
- Use the outdoor grill often during the summer months. Using the oven in the heat of summer forces your AC to work harder, which raises your energy bill.
- Use copper-bottomed pots and pans that use heat more efficiently.
- When food is almost ready, turn off your oven or burners when food is almost ready and let existing heat finish the cooking for you.
- When cooking, use tight-fitting covers on pots and pans on the stove to shorten your cooking time and save energy.
- Because heat is lost when small pots are used on large burners, match your pot size to the burner on your stove.
- Turn off fans in the kitchen and bath after using them.
How are you saving energy in your home? Share your comments with us!
