Great tips to save LPG in your kitchen

There is a lot of discussion and news these days on LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) price hike. With the norm implemented of one connection per house hold and the number of cylinders restricted per connection it has become all the more critical to save fuel and avoid over spending by procuring additional cylinders.  In fact you need to be careful with the way you use your LPG and make sure your cylinder last longer.

Commonly observed during peak times in the kitchen, moms run around to collect curry leaves from the kitchen garden or pick the pack in the refrigerator during the process of cooking. At times due to delay the ingredients in the oil placed on the stove will start turning brown to black and the dish will have a burnt smell. Need for planning?

Great tips to save LPG in your kitchen

• First and foremost: Light the stove only when you have everything in your reach. Before you start cooking plan for the menu, collect all vegetables / ingredients that would be needed. Chop vegetables and keep the masalas ready to avoid wastage to time and gas once you put on flame.
• Ensure the base of the vessel is dry before placing on the burner. You can save a minute or two of gas that will be required to evaporate the water inside and out. The savings altogether will be huge.
• Preferably use pans that have a wide bottom, because when the flames extend beyond the pan, it is wasted.

Remember the popular saying : ”Tiny drops of water makes a mighty ocean” or in Hindi: Boondh, Boondh se gada barta hain”

• Use of pressure cooker will save time and fuel. Soak dhals for 15 mins at least prior to cooking. Saves cooking time, only 1 whistle will be required to cook the dhal in the cooker.
• Avoid spilling of any cooking items on the stove mainly on the burner. This will block all the pores and the flame will not be not uniform. Clean it periodically to improve efficiency.
• Minimize water addition while cooking as more LPG will be consumed to evaporate excess water.
• Avoid open vessel cooking as much as possible, Placing a lid will ensure the energy is used most efficiently and you save on gas.
• Once the cookware is sufficiently heated up, reduce the flame and cook on less heat. In fact food cooked on low flame tends to have better nutritional value and will taste great.
• Thaw frozen foods prior to cooking, the heat energy that will be required to bring down the foods to room temperature will be saved.
• Cook in larger quantities and store what you do not need for another time, this will lessen your work and save gas.
• Try and get all family members to eat meals at the same time, so that you do not have to heat food every time someone comes to the table. This problem is severe during winter and rainy seasons when the food becomes cold quickly.
• If there is a requirement for hot water frequently in the home, boil it and preserve it in a thermos flask, rather than heat water every time it is necessary.
• Avoid spillage of any cooking items on the stove mainly on the burner. This will block all the pores and the flame will not be not uniform. Clean it periodically.
• Check the regulator, pipes, burner for leaks and also ensure that regulator is switched off after cooking to eliminate any chance of wastage due to small leaks.
• Before leaving the house / going to bed or do not forget to turn off the cylinder knob. You need to off the cylinder knob first and then when the flame is exhausted, switch off the stove. This way you use the gas that remains in the pipe too.

Avoid all this hurry and wastage of gas. Follow these suggestions which can save LPG gas and in turn benefit you with money. With a few changes to your cooking habits, you can save even more gas.

Become a wonderful Home Manager, an additional feather in your cap!

Tips to improve efficiency of your Air Cooler this Summer

With summer at its peak air coolers provide cooling to the room and relief from the humidity and heat around. Air coolers have become indispensable gadgets at home. The efficiency of the air cooler is critical to beat the external heat.

During summer the external environment is dusty and the dust will settle in the air cooler, therefore you need to clean it periodically.

Many of us do not follow the cleaning process as required and then end up with cough and breathing problem. The air cooler should be cleaned once a week of all dust and dirt accumulation. The water needs to be replaced once a week to avoid breeding of germs and bacteria.

Tips to clean the air cooler (during regular use)

1. Disconnect electrical connection. This will avoid any electrical shocks as you are working with water.
2. Drain out all water in the base tank. Dispose this water. Scrub the base with detergent and then flush with clean water. Pat dry the tank with sponge or soft cloth.
3. Ensure no water falls on the electrical wiring and motor during cleaning process.
4. Remove the side covers and wash the pad cloth externally. When it dries fix the side covers to the air cooler.
5. Change of cooling pads is recommended annually. But if you are observe a foul smell, it is high time you changed the khas khas grass/ vetivar root pads. You need to replace atleast once in two years to keep away bacterial infestation and foul smell.
6. Oil the motor such that it runs smoothly and no jarring noise.
7. Clean the fan blades of the air cooler with a damp cloth to wipe away dirt.
8. Once the cleaning is completed, fill water in the tank and 1 cap of Dettol/ Lizol disinfectant. This will keep away bacteria and the room will smell good and clean too.
9. Preferably avoid local made perfumes for air cooler as this will bring down the life of the vetivar root pads . The grass will deteriorate and start smelling.

Avoid surprises during Start up

We had two big surprises this year . Initially the air cooler did not start , we called the technician and he checked the wiring and the cooler started. It was a simple loose connection problem as an outcome of rigorous cleaning.

The second surprise was that the air was blowing at one place only and not getting distributed in the room, the technician confirmed that the ASM (Auto Swing Motor) was not working. This caused lot of inconvenience as the other occupants were not getting cool air.

After request and negotiation for price he decided to replace the spare. The ASM was replaced and then what a relief…. there was a big smile on the faces of kids too. The sweat that settled on our faces and clothes slowly started to evaporate and we were feeling fresh.

Read on: Tips to Keep Your Fruits and Vegetables Fresh in Summer

Regularly clean and enjoy clean air. Likewise when the monsoon sets in it is time to pack the air cooler. Follow proper cleaning methods and shift the air cooler to a dry area.

Tips to clean the air cooler (when not in use)

Follow Points no.1 to 4 and 7. Wrap the air cooler with a large old bed sheet. Wrap a polythene cover to prevent dust, water entry. Tie the ends securely with a plastic rope and shift it to the allocated place. Remember the resting time is 7 to 8 months therefore let the pads dry sufficiently. Securing completely will prevent any insects making their base in the air cooler that not in use.

Read on: How to keep your Home cool during Hot summer