Cook Up Electricity Bill Savings and Cool Down Those Rates

How to Save Energy Costs in The Kitchen

With the current economy and rising energy costs, many homeowners and renters
look for ways to save on their electricity bills. One place to begin saving is
in your home’s kitchen. Here are a few tips that can hel:

Use your stove strategically.

– Cook several food dishes at once, while
the oven is hot. Don’t pre-heat the oven before baking or roasting (it’s usually
not necessary). Once you’ve started cooking, leave the oven door closed. Every time
you open the oven door, you lose at least 20 degrees of heat. The oven then has to
use electricity to return to the designated heat level.

– Cook small servings of foods in a microwave or toaster oven. Microwaves use
high amounts of power but only for short amounts of time.

– Avoid the temptation to boil a full kettle of water every time you make a cup
of tea or coffee. It takes longer to heat a full kettle than a smaller amount.

Keep your cool with the refrigerator.

– Keep the refrigerator full (but not so full that air cannot circulate
efficiently).

– Cover liquids before putting them into the refrigerator. As liquids evaporate,
the refrigerator works more to keep cool.

– Your condenser coils that are located at the back or the bottom of
your refrigerator freezer. As they get dusty, your refrigerator has to work harder.
Vacuum them occasionally and your refrigerator will become more efficient.

– Wait till your cooked foods get cool before placing them in the refrigerator.

– Cool cooked food before you put it into the fridge.

– Let your frozen foods defrost in the refrigerator, as they help lower the
refrigerator temperature and save ower.

In the longer term:

Buy energy efficient appliances. Consider a convection oven.

Talk to your electric company sometimes you can negotiate a lower rate.

Texans have a hidden advantage when it comes to cooling off rates.  . If you’re living in Texas or moving to Texas, you can take advantage of a recent Texas government policy: deregulation of electricity suppliers. That means you get to choose your own electric company. Is that a big deal? Absolutely. Companies vary a great deal in terms of contracts as well as rates.