The kitchen and utility rooms tend to be where most electricity is used. The lighting requirements are often at their highest in this area of the house and the large number of appliances tend to consume a significant amount of energy.
• When purchasing a washer, dryer, fridge, freezer, dishwasher or oven, look for the energy label. Purchase A or B rated appliances where possible. (mmm / Variable)
• Fluorescent tubes are considerably more energy efficient than traditional tungsten filament bulbs, particularly the newer slim 26 mm tubes.

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• Where fluorescent tubes are not suitable install CFLs.

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• A thermostatic radiator valve on the kitchen radiator will allow the heat output to be varied on demand.

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• Energy can also be saved by using existing appliances correctly. For example:

1. Never under or overload appliances i.e. dishwashers, washing machines
2. Lower temperature washes save energy
3. Microwave ovens and pressure cookers use less energy than conventional ovens
4. Use pots and pans that cover the whole of the cooker ring
5. Only fill the kettle with the water you need
6. Use the toaster rather than the grill
7. Keep fridges and freezers away from cookers/ovens and direct sunlight. Defrost regularly, to save energy and extend the operating life, and avoid putting hot or warm food directly in the fridge.

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Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about €30 annually for an electric range, or €15 for gas. Covering pots and pans also helps you cook more efficiently and keeps your kitchen cooler.
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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.
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Dishwashers

Save water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them before loading in the dishwasher. Run your dishwasher with a full load.  

Rinsing dirty dishes before loading your dishwasher uses a lot of water and energy. Most dishwashers today can thoroughly clean dishes that have had food scraped, rather than rinsed, off — the wash cycle and detergent take care of the rest. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher’s energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load.

Refrigerator

Look for the A rated alliance sticker when purchasing a new fridge. And think twice before you put your old refrigerator in the garage or other room of your home, because it will cost you more money than you may think. If your current refrigerator was made before 1993, it uses twice the amount of energy used by new models. A new energy efficient qualified refrigerator uses less energy than a 60-watt light bulb run continuously.
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Many homes have older refrigerators in their garage or basement for overflow storage. These units can cost €100 or more per year to operate.

Range/Hob

Use the right sized pot on stove burners. A 6″ pot on an 8″ burner wastes over 40 percent of the burner’s heat. Also, cover pots and pans to keep heat in.

Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about €30 annually for an electric range, or €15 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.

Microwave

Use your microwave or toaster oven to reheat or cook small portions.

You can reduce cooking energy by as much as 80 percent when using your microwave for small portions.

Clothes Washer

Wash your laundry with cold water whenever possible. To save water, try to wash full loads or, if you must wash a partial load, reduce the level of water appropriately.

Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor. Depending on the clothes and local water quality (hardness), many homeowners can effectively do laundry exclusively with cold water, using cold water laundry detergents. Switching to cold water can save the average household more than €30 annually (with an electric water heater) and more than €25 annually (with a gas water heater).

Washing full loads can save you more than 3,400 gallons of water each year-and with water taxes on the Horizon…..

Clothes Dryer

Don’t over-dry your clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor that will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done, use it to avoid over drying. Remember to clean the lint trap before every load. Dry full loads, or reduce drying time for partial loads.

It’s easy to over dry your clothes, if one setting is used for various fabric types. Try to dry loads made up of similar fabrics, so the entire load dries just as the cycle ends. Many dryers come with energy-saving moisture or humidity sensors that shut off the heat when the clothes are dry. If you don’t have this feature, try to match the cycle length to the size and weight of the load. A dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost you up to €30, every year.

The Lint trap is an important energy saver. Dryers work by moving heated air through wet clothes, evaporating and then venting water vapour outside. If the dryer cannot provide enough heat, or move air sufficiently through the clothes, they will take longer to dry, and may not dry at all. One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load. This step can save you up to €30 each year.