Check to be sure the oven door gasket is tight. Adjust or replace gaskets as required.
If you have a self-cleaning oven, consider using the self-cleaning feature immediately after regular baking when the oven is still hot. Less energy will be required to reach the cleaning temperature. Try not to use the self-cleaning feature too often.
When possible, use a small toaster oven. If you are only heating up a small meal, a toaster oven heats up much quicker and heats up less space.
Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean; they will reflect the heat better and save energy.
Match the pan size to the stove's cooking element.
Preheat ovens only when necessary. With conventional ovens, keep the preheating time to a minimum. Unless you're baking breads or pastries, you may not need to preheat the oven at all.
Don't lay foils on racks. Food cooks more quickly and efficiently in ovens when air can circulate freely. If possible, stagger pans on upper and lower racks to improve air flow.
Use glass or ceramic pans in ovens. You can turn down the temperature about 25°F and cook foods just as quickly.
Do not open the oven door often to preview the food. Each time you open the door the oven temperature drops by 25°F. Watch the clock or use a timer instead.
On electric stove-tops, use only flat-bottomed pans that make full contact with the element. A warped or rounded pan will waste most of the heat.
When cooking with a gas range-top burner, use moderate flame settings to conserve gas. You can make sure that the pilot light is burning efficiently by checking the flame. It should be blue; a yellowish flame indicates an adjustment is needed because the gas is burning inefficiently.
Whenever possible, use a pressure cooker. By cooking food at a higher temperature and pressure, cooking time is reduced dramatically and energy use is cut by 50-75%.
Clean exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom. Ventilation fans create static electricity which attracts dirt and dust. The dirt can then cause mold growth and block the passage of air, which is essentially the goal of the fan, to displace air. The fan, housing, and flaps should be cleaned seasonally.
