Making the jump to a cooktop combined with a separate wall oven is a great choice whether you are installing a couple of upgrades or doing a full remodel of your kitchen. This alternative to the traditional all-in-one range provides two immediate benefits; the convenience of working with an oven that doesn’t require you to work at knee level and the extra cabinet space that can be located beneath the cooktop to store bulky cookware.
Here is the straight cooktop scoop on what to look for as well as what to buy as the best option for your kitchen:
* Pricing – Plan for the combination of a cooktop with a wall oven to be more expensive than a single range. Prices for the cooktop will likely start around $300 for a basic version and range upward to around $2500 for high-end models.
* Sizing – The most cost efficient way to size your cooktop is buy one that fits the existing cutout on the countertop to eliminate the need for altering granite or the other materials that compose your countertop.
* The existing power source – This will, in all likelihood, be the deciding factor in whether you go with a gas or electric cooktop unless you’re comfortable with the cost of implementing a power source that isn’t present in your current kitchen configuration.
* The cooktop surface and the number of burners – The basic cooktop models will start with 4 standard gas or electric coil burners and move up in cost to glass, then seamless grates, and, at the top of the line, induction burners that use magnetic technology to heat quickly, conserve energy, and then offer fast cleaning with ceramic surfaces. 5 burner and bridge burner cooktops start at the mid-range of cooktop pricing.
* Control styles – Gas cooktops have yet to go beyond control knobs even at the highest end but electric versions can offer more variety once you approach mid-range pricing. The variety of controls includes digital readouts and touch screen operation. An added benefit of these models is that the absence of knobs makes cleanup easier.
* How exhaust will be vented – If overhead venting isn’t an option, electric cooktops can be purchased with a downdraft systems that aren’t as strong as traditional venting but can still reduce smoke and other cooking residuals.
Make sure to budget for the added expense of a cooktop with a separate wall unit as the components and the installation will be more costly than a traditional range. That being said, your new cooktop and oven can deliver bunch of great benefits that will have you cooking like a pro.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Optimizing the Performance of Your Energy Star Clothes Washer
ENERGY STAR appliances get their ratings by meeting benchmarks for operating efficiency and energy savings. While these appliances are designed for efficiency in everyday use, you can optimize the performance of, and maximize the savings from your ENERGY STAR washing machine by following these tips:
* Run your washer with full loads as often as possible – While sensors and settings can be used to make adjustments for smaller loads, clothes washers deliver maximum savings when full wash loads are run, resulting in a lower number of wash cycles per week.
* Don’t automatically assume that every load requires hot water – Depending on the stains, dirt or grime that you’re trying to get out of your clothes, in most cases you’ll be able to get the same results from running cycles with warm or cold water. The one exception would be the necessity of using hot water to remove oily stains. Keep in mind that using hot water will eat up about 90% of the energy used for a wash load while warm water uses about 50% less energy. Using cold water means that energy will only be used to operate the machinery, which maximizes your savings.
* Use the spin cycle – The spin cycle removes moisture from the clothes using centrifugal force. Longer and faster spin cycles will remove more moisture, which will reduce the length of the drying cycle.
* Use the recommended type of detergent – If you have a front loading washer, High Efficiency detergents which generate a lower amount of soap suds are recommended. Going with traditional detergents produces a higher than desired level of suds, which will reduce washing efficiency and may lead to mechanical issues down the line.
* Leave the door to your front loading washer open after completing a wash load – Unlike top loading washers, front loading necessitates a water-tight seal to prevent leakage. While a tightly sealed door is necessary to keep water in the basin during a wash, it will also trap moisture left behind if the door is shut once the wash is completed. This trapped moisture can be seen as condensation on the glass of the door and can lead to moldy and/or mildewy odors. If you smell these odors when opening your washer door, run a cycle without a wash load using about 8 ounces of bleach to remove them. Instead, leave the door open slightly after a wash load to allow residual moisture to evaporate.
Running your ENERGY STAR washing machine at its highest level of efficiency can save energy, time and money on both wash loads and drying loads. What you do with that extra time and money is up to you.
* Run your washer with full loads as often as possible – While sensors and settings can be used to make adjustments for smaller loads, clothes washers deliver maximum savings when full wash loads are run, resulting in a lower number of wash cycles per week.
* Don’t automatically assume that every load requires hot water – Depending on the stains, dirt or grime that you’re trying to get out of your clothes, in most cases you’ll be able to get the same results from running cycles with warm or cold water. The one exception would be the necessity of using hot water to remove oily stains. Keep in mind that using hot water will eat up about 90% of the energy used for a wash load while warm water uses about 50% less energy. Using cold water means that energy will only be used to operate the machinery, which maximizes your savings.
* Use the spin cycle – The spin cycle removes moisture from the clothes using centrifugal force. Longer and faster spin cycles will remove more moisture, which will reduce the length of the drying cycle.
* Use the recommended type of detergent – If you have a front loading washer, High Efficiency detergents which generate a lower amount of soap suds are recommended. Going with traditional detergents produces a higher than desired level of suds, which will reduce washing efficiency and may lead to mechanical issues down the line.
* Leave the door to your front loading washer open after completing a wash load – Unlike top loading washers, front loading necessitates a water-tight seal to prevent leakage. While a tightly sealed door is necessary to keep water in the basin during a wash, it will also trap moisture left behind if the door is shut once the wash is completed. This trapped moisture can be seen as condensation on the glass of the door and can lead to moldy and/or mildewy odors. If you smell these odors when opening your washer door, run a cycle without a wash load using about 8 ounces of bleach to remove them. Instead, leave the door open slightly after a wash load to allow residual moisture to evaporate.
Running your ENERGY STAR washing machine at its highest level of efficiency can save energy, time and money on both wash loads and drying loads. What you do with that extra time and money is up to you.
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