A microwave costs about five cents per hour to run, a standard oven costs about 11 cents per hour.
Unless the directions say otherwise, thaw frozen foods before you cook them to save cooking time.
Use a toaster, not an oven, to toast bread.
Unplug your second refrigerator or freezer if you can do without it.
Use a microwave if you're cooking or heating a small amount of food.
Plan meals so you use your oven to cook a vegetable dish or dessert with your main dish.
Have a good idea what you want before you go into the refrigerator or freezer.
Use only enough water to cover food.
Cut food into smaller pieces for faster cooking time.
Use divided pans, or steamers.
Use the toaster, not the grill for small portions.
When you need to boil water for pasta and vegetables, start with hot water from the tap.
The exhaust fan above the range will run more efficiently if the grease vent is kept clean.
Clean the dust from condenser coils usually found at the bottom of your refrigerator to keep it running efficiently.
Since electric stoves stay hot for a few minutes after they're turned off, turn off the elements a few minutes before the cooking time is up.
Use a pressure cooker. It cuts cooking time to one-third that of conventional methods.
Use small appliances like a toaster oven or electric skillet. On average, they use half the electricity of a full-size oven.
Never use your oven to heat a room or to dry wet clothes or shoes.
On a surface unit, start with high heat and lower the setting when the food starts to bubble or boil.
Before putting frozen items into boiling water, rinse them under water to remove any ice that is on them.
Cool and cover leftovers before placing them in the refrigerator or freezer.
Use your barbecue in the summer to keep heat out of the kitchen.
Lubricate the gaskets with petroleum jelly to keep them from cracking or drying out.
If you're going on vacation, remove perishables from the refrigerator and turn the setting up a few degrees.
Don't put uncovered liquids in the refrigerator. It will work harder to remove the moisture.
When you leave your home for a weekend or longer, turn your electric water heater off (check your manufacturer's instructions), or turn your gas water heater to the "pilot" setting. Electric water heaters are most easily shut off in the circuit breaker panel. Turning off a water heater for a shorter period than 48 hours is not recommended.
Get into the short shower habit. A five-minute shower uses far less water than a tub bath. Don't let the hot water run while washing hands, brushing teeth, or shaving. Turn the faucet on and off during these activities to prevent wasted water and energy going down the drain.
A low-flow shower-head will cut the amount of water you use without cutting the pressure.
Wash clothes in cold water when you can.
Be sure the water heater thermostat is not set too high. Extremely hot settings waste water and energy because the water often has to be cooled with cold water before it can be used.
Wrap your water heater with an insulating blanket.
Lower your hot water thermostat to 120 degrees F.
Repair leaking hot water faucets.
Always use the cold water rinse cycle when doing the laundry. Rinsing in warm water will not make clothes any cleaner.
Wash only full loads in a dishwasher and use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean.
Keep outside units free from leaves or debris that may clog vents.
You'll feel cooler at a higher temperature when you use ceiling or portable fans to circulate air.
Plant shade trees to block the summer sun.
Turn off the evaporative cooler when air conditioning is used. Make sure the baffle plate is in place before running the air conditioner.
Close the door to the bathroom while showering and remove moisture by running the exhaust fan.
On summer days, leave draperies closed to block the sun's rays.
Take a swim in the pool or a quick cool shower just before you go to bed.
Keep windows near your thermostat tightly closed. Unnecessary drafts will keep your furnace working after the rest of the room has reached a comfortable temperature.
During heating seasons, clean or replace furnace filters regularly.
Wear layers. Wool garments, shirts and sweaters with close-fitting necks and long sleeves keep in body heat.
Keep a "throw" or blanket on the couch to stay warm.
Drink something hot.
Use flannel sheets and a plump comforter.
All heating systems function best when coils, filters, and heating vents are kept clean.
Leave shades and draperies open on sunny days and allow the sun to help heat your rooms but remember to close them at night.
Close the fireplace damper when the fireplace is not in use.
Ceiling fans work well in the winter as well as the summer. In winter, reverse the direction of the blades if you can to push warmer air on the ceiling down.
If you have window air conditioning units, remove them in the winter to prevent heat loss through the units. If you can't remove the units, buy a cover.
Close off unused rooms or those you don't want to heat (up to 20% of the home). Make sure doors and vents are closed off.
On weekdays, preheat your home during off-peak hours. Briefly use a space heater if necessary for short heating needs, such as bathing and dressing.
Replace bulbs throughout the house with bulbs of the next lower wattage.
Turn out the lights when you are not using them.
Keep bulbs and fixtures clean and free of dust.
Use one large bulb rather than several smaller bulbs.
Concentrate lighting in reading and working areas.
Use the natural daylight whenever possible.
During the holidays, use tiny lights for decorating.
Use translucent lamp shades that give off more light.
When redecorating, consider light-colored interior decor to increase the efficiency of the lighting system.
Use florescent bulbs in kitchen and baths.
Use bulbs with a high lumen rating and low wattage, especially in halls and closets.
Use electronic dimmers to save energy and extend the life of incandescent lightbulbs. Keeping a light dimmed 10% all the time will triple the life of the bulb.
Don't turn off fluorescent lights unless you'll be out of a room 15 minutes or more. They cost more to turn on and off than they do to run. Turning them on and off wears out the tube.
Use fluorescent lamps when possible. They produce about four times as much light per watt as incandescent bulbs. And the life of a fluorescent lamp is more than 10 times that of an incandescent bulb.
Use light-colored paint and wallpaper. Light-colored walls will make the light in your home appear brighter. You can save as much as 50 percent of the light by using a light-colored shade instead of a dark one.
If you want a bright room, using a higher-wattage bulb is more efficient than using several smaller bulbs. High-wattage bulbs give you more light per watt of electricity.
If you need lights on for security while on vacation, use a timer.
For outdoor lighting, consider replacing incandescent lights with high-pressure sodium lights. High-pressure sodium lamps consume less energy for a given light output and they have a longer life.
E-Mail with your tips
Return to Balancedword