This global situation has changed how much time we spend at home possibly forgetting ways how to save energy.
While of course, we are saving time, energy and money with less transport use, the home can still consume energy. Whether you work from home, take care of your family or just stay safe by spending more time indoors, you can expect higher energy bills. The greatest energy consumption can come from the kitchen, because we spend more time cooking most or even all of the day’s meals. So, we are using more dishes, cooking appliances and utilities and it is vey important to save energy while doing it.
When preparing meals, make sure that you use already known energy-saving tips, such as using cooker-sized cookware and more energy-efficient appliances. The microwave oven is one of the most energy-efficient cooking appliances in the kitchen. You can definitely try a new recipe using it and save energy!
Also, do not forget about regular cleaning and maintenance of the equipment. For example, microwave ovens work more efficiently, if the inner surfaces are clean of food debris, This way the dishes will conduct heat better and save energy.
When it is necessary to wash the dishes, they must first be cleaned of excess food without the help of water and then washed with cool / lukewarm water. Choose an aerator – a special tap nozzle for your sink. By using it, you will be able to achieve the same jet intensity with less water, because part of the water will be replaced by air bubbles (the aerator is able to mix up to three parts of air with water). With this, you will save up to 50% of water. Mixing air not only saves water, but also speeds up the washing process, as dirt is washed away from hands and dishes faster.
A refrigerator is a kitchen appliance that works continuously, therefore, it consumes the most energy of all kitchen appliances. To use less energy in your refrigerator, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
- Do not keep the refrigerator empty! The more items inside the refrigerator, the less energy will be needed to cool them.
- Try to open the refrigerator as little as possible by better planning your meals and snacks. In this way, no warm air masses enter the fridge, keeping energy consumption lower since the fridge does not have to work as hard to meet the required lower temperatures.
- If you are still using an old model refrigerator manufactured before 1994, then replace it with a newer, more energy efficient model if you can.
By following these recommendations not only in these difficult times, but also on a daily basis, you will definitely find noticeable energy savings in the long run!
Home is where the health is: how to make your home energy efficient during social distancing
