Unfortunately there are no incentives currently available for stoves through the Mass Save program. However, there are some easy things you can do to use your stove as efficiently as possible.
- With conventional ovens, minimize the preheating time. Unless you're baking breads or pastries, you may not even need to preheat.
- Don't open the oven door too often when checking your food. Watch the clock or use a timer instead.
- Check the seal on your oven door for wear. A clean seal provides better heat retention.
- Make sure stovetop electric coils work properly.
- Stagger pans and baking sheets on upper and lower racks to improve airflow, and don't cover racks with foil. Food cooks more quickly and efficiently when heat circulates freely.
- Keep stovetop reflectors clean. They will reflect heat better and save energy. If you need new ones, buy quality. The best on the market can save as much as 1/3 of the energy used with inferior reflectors.
- Match the size of the pan to the heating element; more heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to the surrounding air. A 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner will waste over 40 percent of the energy.
- On electric stovetops, use flat-bottomed pans that make full contact with the element. A warped or rounded pan may be a conversation piece, but will waste most of the heat.
- When cooking on a gas burner, use moderate flame settings to conserve natural gas.
- Remember that a blue flame means your gas stove is operating efficiently. A yellowish flame needs an adjustment.
