How-to-Optimize-Your-Ovens-Energy-Efficiency

Nearly everyone is looking to save money these days. In addition, many homeowners are concerned about environmental health issues and what they can do to decrease their carbon footprint. Most households use their ovens every day as an essential part of food preparation, but you may not consider how much energy your oven could be wasting. Instead of running out and replacing your oven for a more energy-efficient one, you can make the most of what you have. Whether you’re actively looking to make your kitchen as energy efficient as possible, or you just want to shave a little off of your electricity bill, these tips can help you optimize your oven’s energy efficiency.

  • Make the most of your microwave. Prepare meals in bulk at one time and then reheat the individual portions for later. Don’t use your oven to heat up something small; pop it in the microwave instead.
  • Keep your oven door closed when it is in operation. You may be tempted to have a look at the progress of your food every now and then, but every time you open your oven door, 20% of the heat inside is lost and the oven needs to use additional energy to replace that heat. So keep progress checks to a minimum.
  • You don’t always have to preheat your oven. It’s not necessary to preheat if you are broiling or roasting your food. Only preheat your oven for baking.
  • Take advantage of every occasion that you run your oven. Don’t just turn your oven on to cook one thing. Heat all of the elements of your meal at once. Use your oven to bake not only that casserole for dinner but muffins for breakfast. Double and triple your recipes and package the extra to freeze. Cook meat in bulk and batch it out for the freezer as well.
  • Keep up on the maintenance of your oven. All the extra food particles that get left behind after preparing a meal may seem like a benign nuisance, but this build-up causes your oven to use more energy to heat up. Wipe your stove top off at the end of each night and schedule a routine cleaning of your oven’s interior at least once a month.
  • Use the right type of cookware. Match the size of your pot or pan’s bottom to the equivalent burner size. Otherwise, the additional space heated up on the burner is a waste. Switch from using metal containers to glass and ceramic containers to bake with. Consider replacing cheap, thin pots and pans with higher quality ones made of thicker stainless steel, which retains heat better. A thin pan can, for example, take up to 50% more energy to boil a pot of water. Copper bottomed pots are also an energy efficient choice.

Putting these small changes into practice can make a significant difference in your monthly energy bill without making you feel like you’re doing extra work. However, if you’re noticing issues with your oven or stovetop, such as difficulty heating up or trouble maintaining a consistent temperature, it’s a good idea to call CS Appliance Service sooner rather than later. Most appliance problems do not resolve themselves without outside help, so don’t use a wait and see approach. Give our company a call at 781-953-9600 today to schedule a consultation. For more energy-efficiency optimization tricks, check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CSApplianceService/.