Energy-efficiency is a bit of a buzzword nowadays. We all want to help the environment, but we also want to save money. So, cutting down on your energy use is the best way to tick both of these things off your list of goals!
When it comes to being energy-efficient, we all start thinking about making huge sacrifices and living on a shoestring budget. Realistically, you needn’t worry so much. If you focus on areas of your home that consume the most energy, you’ll soon realize that there are easy ways to cut down.
As the title says, we’re focusing on the kitchen. You’ll use up a lot of energy in this room, most of which gets wasted. So, here’s how you put a stop to that:
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Wash the dishes in a dishwasher
Initially, this sounds like it should have the opposite effect. How is it more energy-efficient to use something that runs on electricity over something that’s done manually? Well, it comes down to water usage. Washing by hand uses up far more hot water than a dishwasher will. You can’t control the temperature either, whereas a dishwasher lets you choose the specific temperature setting.
Additionally, dishwashers are only on for around an hour at a time, but you don’t have to put it on until it’s full. So, it can be a few days before you turn it on, while washing by hand uses up hot water every day. If you’re worried about the cost of installing your dishwasher, then think about it this way. Apart from the initial costs and any replacement parts for your dishwasher, it will end up paying for itself with the energy bill savings you make.
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Boil water more accurately
How often will you boil the kettle and leave half of the water unused? It’s a bad habit we’re all guilty of, and this wastes so much energy. It will take less energy to boil one cup of water than it does to boil two or three cups.
So, measure out the water you need to boil before you boil it. This will make your kettle more energy-efficient, ensuring you waste less electricity. It doesn’t seem like much, but think about how much energy this adds up to over the years!
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Lower the fridge temperature
In general, your fridge is a major hogger of energy in the kitchen. Unlike any other appliance in your home, it will be on all day every day. All you need to do is adjust the temperature to around 36 or 38F. If you’re even 10 degrees lower than this, then your fridge will use up to 25% more energy!!
That’s absolutely insane, and you should definitely make an effort to lower the energy consumption of your fridge. This is the easiest thing to do, but you could also try other ideas.
By lowering the energy usage in your kitchen, you’ll reduce your overall energy bills. This helps the environment, and it also stops you from overspending and ending up in debt.