Lake Home Tips: Keeping Your Kitchen Energy Efficient

Energy efficiency helps the environment, but did you know investing in energy efficient home appliances and best practices can add value to your lake home?

According to Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trend’s Report 2017, 48 percent of buyers list energy efficiency as one of the most desirable features a prospective home can have.

But even if you’re not selling just yet, practicing energy efficiency and upgrading your space with energy efficient appliances can help save you big money.

So, take a look at how you can save money and save the world with these helpful tips:white and wooden kitchen with lake sign

Refrigeration

Refrigerators are the biggest source of wasted energy in your kitchen.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this appliance alone uses 100 billion kWh, and is responsible for 7 percent of your home’s energy use.

Some tips for keeping your fridge efficient include:

  • Ensuring that the refrigerator is in good repair and the seal around the door(s) is undamaged. An improperly sealed fridge door requires the appliance to work overtime, thus using more energy and wearing out it out more quickly.
  • Keeping lots of food in your refrigerator will help the appliance maintain its proper temperature.  The less empty space in your fridge, the less air needs to be cooled.
  • Allow foods to cool off before putting them into the refrigerator.

To upgrade your kitchen, buy a new refrigerator that is “Energy Star” certified. Certified appliances can help save more than $270 in energy costs over a five-year span, according to the Energy Star website. The site also reminds consumers that a fridge more than 10 years old could be costing owners close to $110 per year.

At the lake, you can avoid over using your refrigerator by having a cooler outside with drinks and snacks in it. That way, there’s no need for your guests to keep going in and out for refreshments.

Cooking

The next energy waster in your kitchen is your stove and oven unit.

Mindful cooking may help you save money in the long-run as well as conserve some of your home’s energy.

Some tips for keeping your range energy efficient include:

  • When you are cooking on a range, use only burners that you absolutely need. Use as few as possible.
  • Turn down the heat once water has reached its boiling point. Normally, you do not need the full heat in order to maintain a boil.
  • Do not open the door of the oven too often. Instead, use the oven light (if your model has one) to check on food.
  • Do not preheat your oven unless you absolutely have too.

Energy Star does not currently certify stove and oven units, as they consume significantly less energy than refrigerators. In fact, cooking units only account for roughly 2 percent of a home’s entire energy use.

It’s easy to avoid using your range at the lake: just fire up the grill! You might be surprised how much you can cook outside, like grilled veggies, baked beans, grilled potatoes and more.

Washing the Dishes

Dishwashers also consume about 2 percent your home’s energy, however, this might be the easiest area in which to conserve energy in the whole kitchen.

Some tips for keeping your dishwasher energy efficient include:

  • Rinse your dishes to avoid having run them through the dishwasher multiple times.
  • Wait until your dishwasher is completely full before you operate it.
  • Consider hand drying your dishes. The dishwasher’s drying cycle uses a tremendous amount of energy.

Energy Star-certified dishwashers can save an average 3,870 gallons of water over its lifetime and cost an estimated $35 a year to operate.

Depending on the number of guests at your lake home however, you might be able to avoid using the dishwasher all together. Instead, hand-wash your dishes or use biodegradable disposable plates and utensils.

Smaller Kitchen Appliances

Even if the appliances in the kitchen are turned off, they may still be using energy for no purpose.

Things like coffee makers, microwaves and even bread makers use energy. This is a slow type of energy drain, but it adds up quickly.

Unplug your appliances when they are not being used. Especially if your lake home is a seasonal residence.

Even when you aren’t there, you are still paying for this unused electricity.

 

For more tips on how to make your lake home energy efficient, read our “Inexpensive Quick Tips to Save on Energy Costs” and other efficiency-related articles here!

Tips for Energy Efficient Lighting

hand screwing in an energy efficient light bulb Upgrading the lighting in your home with energy efficient bulbs or other types of lighting can cut your monthly power bill dramatically.

It may take some time, but even the more expensive energy efficient bulbs pay for themselves, and then some.

In this article, you will discover lighting options that offer you a way to be green and save money on your utilities at the same time.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

  • Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: These energy efficient lights are far more commonplace than they used to be. Replacing any incandescent light bulbs with these will give you the largest boost in light at the lowest energy costs. They typically use 70 percent less energy, generate less heat, and last years longer than incandescent bulbs.
  • LED Lights: These are LED lights made for the home. LED bulbs have rapidly dropped in cost in recent years, and save a tremendous amount of energy. These bulbs often last a whopping 50,000 to 100,000 hours before they need to be replaced! They are more expensive than compact fluorescent bulbs, but are even more energy-efficient and long-lasting.
  • Outdoor LED Lights: These offer great lighting outdoors, as well. They can offer huge savings over traditional halogen bulbs, especially if you have a spacious yard or porch.
  • Solar Light Tubes: Also known as sun tunnels, these channel the sunlight from the roof into any room, even a roof that receives very little light at all. Once you have purchased these lights, there is no more cost. They run off of sunlight, even on cloudy days, so they are totally free. Depending on your level of skill, these may require a professional to install.

Energy Star Certified Bulbs

  • These use approximately 70 to 90 percent less energy than traditional bulbs.
  • They meet strict efficiency and quality standards that have been tested by the accredited labs, as well as third party testers.
  • Energy Star Certified Light Bulbs generate approximately 70 to 90 percent less heat as they operate, keeping your cooling bill smaller as well.
  • To find out more, click here to visit the lighting page at EnergyStar.gov.

Alternatives to the On/Off Switch

  • For exterior lights, try linking them to motion detectors. This way, your lights will only turn on when they are needed, and turn off after a set time. They also function as both a security and safety feature. Visitors will never have to approach your house in the dark.
  • Solar powered pathway lights are becoming very popular. These small lights mount on stakes next to a walkway, and spend the day soaking up the sun’s rays so they can light up your path at night.

Light usage

Factors such as wall color and window treatments also affect your energy costs. The darker the color palette, the more lighting you will need. Lighter colors reflect light better, which means the room will need less wattage to light up.

Here are some more tips that will also save you money to go along with your money saving bulbs.

  • Turn the lights off: When you leave a room, turn the lights off. If you’re not careful, it’s easy for one person moving about the house to leave the lights on in three, five or ten rooms!
  • Keep the lights clean: Many bulbs can get dirty or dusty, reducing their effectiveness. This is especially true for lamps. Wipe them down periodically, and you won’t have to turn them up as high.
  • Turn it down: Lights that use a dimmer switch typically use about 50 percent less electricity than lights with a simple on/off switch.
  • Use natural lighting: Use natural lighting as much as possible. If it is daylight out, then you should not turn on as many light bulbs indoors. Open the curtains and allow the sun to light up the rooms. Skylights make for a great addition to your home, as well, if you are building an addition.
  • Prioritize lighting upgrades: If you can only upgrade a bit at a time, then concentrate your upgrades to the rooms where you use the most lighting first.

Upgrading your lights will help keep your energy costs low.

The larger your house, the more you stand to save by switching to energy efficient bulbs and light fixtures.

This doesn’t just help you out as a resident, either. Click here for tips on how energy efficient upgrades can increase your home’s value on the market!

 

5 Simple Ways to Go Green

There are ways to go “green” to help you save the planet and help you keep money in your pocket. This is especially important when you have more than one home. Following this list will help you in your home and vacation home.

1: Energy

  • ThermostatSet the thermostat three degrees lower in the winter months and three degrees higher in the summer months. It will save you on cooling and heating costs.
  • Once the older bulbs burn out, install LED bulbs.
  • Wash your laundry in cold water. This will save you 85% of the energy burned when doing laundry.
  • Upgrade to energy efficient washers and dryers.

2: Water

  • Although this is an obvious one, take shorter showers to save water.
  • If shorter showers are not an option, or you want to save even more money, then you can install a low flow shower head.
  • If you have a garden, get a rain catcher. Use rainwater to water your lawn and plants.

3: Gas

  • Exercise is important to your health, but it can also save you money. Walk or ride a bike to work or to the store. It does wonders to your physical health and your mental health as well.
  • Use commuting options if you live too far away from home. It will help save gas for you and the others that are going to the same area.

4: Electronics

  • It is important to keep electronics out of the trash. Many places will accept electronics for free and recycle them for you.

5: Cleaning

  • Cleaning products can be expensive. There are other times that you can use in their place. For example, you can use white vinegar. It has natural bacteria killing properties.

This list may seem short, but there are so many other ways to go green. It will depend on the lifestyle you live. Look at your lifestyle to see different ways that you can change it to save money and the planet. For instance, if you drink a lot of soda out of cans, then save the cans and recycle them. It will not only keep the cans from the landfills, but also recoup some of the money spent on the soda.