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Toptips to save electricity in the kitchen
Whether you’re a wannabe gourmand or a fan of takeout and toast, your kitchen accounts for a large portion of your energy bill.
Try these simple tips to help you towards a more energy-efficient kitchen. It could help you slice a little (or a lot) off your energy bill.
Conserve energy by focusing on your fridge
Did you know that your fridge uses a massive 13% of your home’s energy? Only air conditioners use more.
Energy-efficient fridges offer big long-term savings, but if you can’t afford an upgrade, these simple tips will help you love the fridge you’re with.
- Give your fridge space to breath
Leaving a 5cm to 8cm gap around your fridge for air to circulate can reduce running costs by around 15%. - Keep 20% of your fridge space free
Overloading your fridge uses more energy. - Check your seals
Place a piece of paper in the seal and close the fridge door. The paper will hold firmly if the seal is working. - Leave leftovers to cool before putting them in the fridge
The warmer the food, the harder your fridge must work to maintain the temperature, which will impact your energy bills. - Avoid fridge door hangout
Save energy by deciding what you want before opening the door. - Going on holiday? Empty, disconnect and leave the fridge door open
Newer models may also have an energy-saving 'holiday' setting. - Avoid using a spare fridge, particularly in the garage
The garage is generally in the hottest space in the house and an older fridge may consume a lot of electricity trying to cool in a hot environment.
Cook up a storm while you save energy with your oven and stove
Making a big impact in the kitchen shouldn’t mean bigger energy bills. Here are some ways to save energy when you’re cooking up a storm.
- Multitask your oven
Consider baking for snacks and lunchboxes while dinner’s on. - Use residual heat
Turn off the oven a few minutes before your dish is done and finish cooking for free. - Make use of the microwave
Microwaves tend to be more energy efficient than ovens because they’re smaller and cook food in less time. - Keep the oven door closed and clean
Keeping things clean allows you to keep an eye on your food without opening the door and losing heat. - Choose your burner
Using a burner that’s too large for your pan can waste a lot of energy. - Chop your vegetables into bitesize chunks
Smaller pieces = shorter cooking time (and less energy used). - Bring out the barbie
On hot days, use an outdoor grill and cook up a storm while keeping the heat out of your home.
Clean up and reduce electricity usage with your dishwasher
Dishwashers use significantly less water than washing by hand, but there are a few ways to save extra energy when it’s your turn to do the dishes.
- Choose the right size dishwasher for your house
Too big and you’ll waste energy doing half loads. Too small and you’ll have to do multiple loads - Use your dishwasher’s energy-saving mode
Using the eco or energy-saving mode can save half the water (and water heating energy) used by other cycles. - Air dry your dishes
If your dishwasher doesn’t have a specific air-dry cycle, stop your dishwasher just before the dry cycle and open the door to let dishes dry naturally. - Fill up before you run
It sounds obvious but it’s important to only run your dishwasher when it’s full. However, don’t overfill – over stacking could mean dishes don’t wash properly. - Keep your dishwasher away from your fridge
Your fridge will have to work harder due to the heat coming off the dishwasher, which will mean more energy being used.
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References
https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/You-and-your-home/Save-energy/Fridges-and-freezers