Tips For An Energy Efficient Kitchen Space
Having an Energy Efficient kitchen isn’t a simple luxury. It’s becoming more of a necessity, but how do we go from draining energy to complete energy efficiency? Below are four tips for an energy-efficient kitchen space.
Trade-Ins for Efficient Energy
The older appliances in your kitchen draw a substantial amount of your home’s power. As you're looking to gain greater energy efficiency, replacing these items will give you an immediate boost toward this goal.
However, it’s not simply a matter of buying something new. It’s about buying something new that is specifically an energy-saving appliance. One of the best ways to help identify and sift through the good and the bad is to look for the Energy Star rating. The US Environmental Protection Agency developed the Energy Star program to help consumers identify energy-efficient products.
The obvious appliances to target for a trade-in are your refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, and stove. There’s another hidden appliance that affects your kitchen's efficiency even more, and that’s your water heater. A residential water heater is the second highest energy consumer in your home. Replacing your water heater has an immediate effect on your home’s energy efficiency.
Phantom Power in Your Kitchen
Idle devices in your home use a surprising amount of power. For the most part, we think items draw power only when we’re using them. We think a coffee maker draws power when coffee is being made, or a toaster oven draws power when it’s heating and toasting items. That’s not the whole story.
Although it’s only a small amount of power, devices plugged into outlets draw power even when they’re not being used. This type of power usage is called “standby power” or “phantom power.” An average home has 40 different items plugged in at any given moment, most of which require power to be kept in standby mode. This phantom power accounts for five to 10 percent of a home's power usage, according to researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. That's a big deal.
If you want to have a more energy-efficient kitchen (or entire home), unplug all the unused appliances sitting on your counter. Only plug them in when they’re needed. It will make a meaningful difference to your home’s energy consumption.
Appliance Maintenance in Your Kitchen
Properly maintaining the appliances you already have is another way to build greater energy efficiency in your kitchen.
For example, this is what appliance maintenance looks like for a refrigerator:
A refrigerator that has ample space (a minimum of two inches) is able to dissipate the heat created by the compressor more effectively, causing less stress to the appliance and allowing it to work better.
Dust-free coils on the rear of the unit allow the compressor to work freely.
Defrosting the freezer regularly – even the self-defrosting freezers – supports efficiency.
Ensuring the refrigerator has a tight seal prevents air from escaping.
If you take care of your kitchen appliances, they will take care of you.
The Right Energy Efficient Appliances
Finally, using the right tool, at the right time and in the right way will greatly impact your energy efficiency. A golden rule for your appliances is: Don’t use your larger appliances when a smaller one can accomplish the same task.
Think of the relationship between your stove and oven, or your microwave and toaster oven. Each of these items is different, but they can all be used in similar ways to accomplish similar goals. If you’re reheating a dinner item, using the microwave is a more cost-effective solution than using the entire oven. Avoiding the main oven when the toaster oven is available saves energy.
All of these “small” steps will have deep effects when compounded together. You can create an energy-efficient kitchen space with little trouble. That’s good for you, it’s good for your wallet and it’s good for the environment, too.