If you're planning a kitchen remodel, you're probably thinking about ways to make your kitchen more attractive and easier to cook in, but have you taken energy efficiency into consideration? With the largest number of appliances of any room, you have perhaps the greatest chance at energy savings in your kitchen. Keep these things in mind when designing your kitchen for maximum energy efficiency:

• Check on your oven's efficiency. Although stoves and ovens are not rated by the EPA, you should still make an effort to know how much energy your particular model will use. In general, gas models are the most efficient, followed by electric convection ovens.
• Upgrade your fridge and freezer. The older your refrigerator and freezer are, the less energy efficient they are likely to be. Upgrade to modern ENERGY STAR certified appliances, guaranteed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy's set of strict efficiency standards, to save more than 20 percent of the energy your refrigerator would otherwise be using.
• Use water-saving devices. Touch-free faucets are becoming more popular in homes these days, as they allow for the automatic, immediate shutoff of water after you withdraw your hands, rather than having to wait for you to remember to turn the water off. Other popular devices are faucet aerators, which can bring water savings of up to 50 percent, and toggles that allow you to switch between fast and slow flows of water so that you can quickly fill pots with water when needed and keep the flow low at other times.

To determine which parts of your home could use an energy upgrade, schedule an energy audit with Alban Inspections today.