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How to Make Your Kitchen More Energy Efficient

Not only will you save energy, you'll save money

By Environmental Protection Agency

From appliances and lighting to home sealing, there are several areas to improve the energy efficiency of your kitchen and save on energy bills.

Lighting

  • Install Energy Star-qualified light fixtures or replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, that have earned the Energy Star.
  • Kitchen fixtures are some of the most used light fixtures in a home. Energy Star-qualified lighting fixtures are available in popular styles -- cabinet-mounted, ceiling-mounted, and recessed can models -- that may be just right for your kitchen. Energy Star-qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while using 75 percent less energy, generating 70 percent less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than standard lighting.

Floor Vents/Radiators

  • Make sure all air registers or floor vents are clear of furniture so that the air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.

Range Hood

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  • Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about $36 annually for an electric range, or $18 for gas. Covering pots and pans also helps you cook more efficiently and keeps your kitchen cooler.
  • Have a gas range? Keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion; yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently.

Window

  • During the winter months, replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier to the cold outside air. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and door frames that leak air. If replacing windows, choose Energy Star-qualified models designed for your area, and save $20 to $95 per year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps are sealed around them, Energy Star-qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
By Environmental Protection Agency
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