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Energy usage by ovens and ranges is entirely dependent on how much they are used and how they are used. When they are in use they consume a considerable amount of energy. With a little attention to details, energy costs can be reduced.
1. Use your oven and range less.
a. When cooking only small portions, use a small electric pan or toaster oven instead of your oven or range. You can save up to two thirds on energy usage.
b. Use your microwave instead of your oven for cooking and reheating. Foods tend to cook quicker if placed on the edge of the rotary tray in the microwave.
c. Use crock pots and pressure cookers instead of your oven.
d. Consider getting a residential steam oven which is about the size of a microwave. Compared to a conventional oven, steam ovens use far less energy and cook much quicker. For instance, a steam oven will cook a large chicken in about twenty minutes, compared to about two hours in a conventional oven
e. If you are cooking more than one dish in the oven and they require different temperatures, say 325 degrees and 375 degrees, cook both at once at an average setting of 350 degrees. Try cooking more than one meal at the same time if they can be frozen and served later. This way you can cook several meals for the energy cost of cooking one. Or, if you do not want to have more than one meal in the oven at the same time, cook meals one after the other to use the heat from an already hot oven.
2. Use your oven and range more efficiently.
a. Do not preheat unless necessary and then keep it to a minimum. For cooking times over an hour preheating is not necessary, and for shorter cooking times no more than five minutes of preheating is required.
b. Switch off the oven and range a few minutes before you need to stop using them. Your food will still get cooked from the remaining heat and you will save energy.
c. Choose the right pot size for the size of the stove element. The pot should be about the same diameter as the stove element.
d. Resist the urge to continually peak inside the oven. Use the oven light to see how your food looks. You will save energy, and during the summer you will not be heating up your house.
e. If you use aluminum foil to catch drips in the oven, make sure it is not placed on the same rack as the cookware, as it will reflect heat away from the cooking surface.
f. Clean interior oven walls and cooking elements to improve heat transfer. Keep range top burners and reflectors clean to reflect the heat better. Make sure exhaust hoods and filters are clean, otherwise they will work harder and use more energy.
g. When using your range, begin cooking on a higher heat setting to bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the temperature to produce a slow boil. The food will cook just as fast but with less energy.
h. Use covered containers whenever possible to cook food. This traps the heat inside and uses less energy.
i. Use your oven’s self cleaning feature immediately after cooking while the oven is hot. You can set the self cleaning for a shorter time and still get your oven clean.
j. Check the seal on the oven door to make sure it is not leaking. Also use an oven thermometer to check if your oven is heating to the temperature selected.
k. If you have a gas oven or range look for blue flames. Yellow flames indicate that the gas is burning inefficiently and may need adjustment.
l. Look for the Energy Star and Energy Guide labels when buying a new oven or range. If buying a gas oven or range, get one with an automatic, electric ignition system that avoids having a pilot light burn continuously.
Dishwashers actually use a fair amount of energy when they are being used. Try the following to save.
1. Wash only full loads in your dishwasher and pre-
2. Most newer dishwashers do not require dishes to be rinsed off. Just scraping off large food particles will suffice and save water.
3. If your dishwasher has an economy or energy setting use it.
4. If possible do not use the dry cycle and open the door to dry the dishes. Either turn the heated dry cycle off if allowed, or stop the dishwasher after the washing cycle is completed.
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