Converting to a green home does not have to be a difficult or expensive venture. In a few simple steps, you can reduce your energy use and help improve the environment. Continue reading to learn how you can use green energy and help our environment.
If you want to preserve energy, keep your windows so they are shaded from sunlight. Shades or curtains can also help. These actions will reduce the air conditioning usage during the hot summer months, and yet your home will still remain cooler. Energy and money are both saved this way.
Outdoors, solar-powered lights are very convenient for patios and garden paths. These lamps require now power source, except the sun, and are generally inexpensive. They also save energy. This saves you money, and it also means you don’t need to wire the outdoor lights.
Solar panels are easy to install. Before undertaking this project however, there are a few things to consider. One thing to factor into your considerations is the amount of sun your house actually gets over the year. If your home is shaded, or you live in a relatively cloudy area, your power savings will not be as much.
Are you living on a farm? If you do happen to own some farmland, try renting some of the land to a power company that specializes in wind energy solutions. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won’t take up much space.
Do you have a farm? If so, you can rent some property to energy companies for installing wind turbines. This will provide you with free energy with only a small space investment.
Furnace filters should be replaced annually, and check them monthly for cleanliness. Warm-air registers can also benefit from filters. This helps keep debris (or Hot Wheels cars) from getting into heating ducts and reducing efficiency.
Be sure to cover your windows with drapes or blinds when not at home. This cools the house and cuts energy costs. South facing windows will receive the most sun, and therefore heat. Use coverings on each of your home’s windows, such as roman shades, dark curtains, or roller shades.
If you heat your home with fuel, talk to a technician about using biodiesel. Depending on your system, you may be able to switch to biodiesel without having to make any modifications to your system. Biodiesel is cleaner to burn than petroleum, making it more efficient to use in the wintertime.
Research the different energy sources available in your community. Check the cost of running your home using these utilities, taking into consideration any recent legislation regarding energy costs. For example, it might be wise to use natural gas instead of electric heat or water from the well rather than city water.
Do some research to gain information on the energy sources available to your area. Calculate the expense of using these types of utilities while noting any recent legislation pertaining to energy costs. For example, you might see a savings if you switch from electricity to natural gas, or even switch from electricity to solar or wind power.
Only run your dishwasher when it is completely full. Don’t run it when there are only a few dishes there. Once you learn how to properly fill a dishwasher, you will be amazed at the number of dishes that can be washed in one load. By properly loading a dishwasher you will ensure that the maximum amount of dishes can be washed using the least amount of energy.
When you are installing a solar energy system, you want to be sure the batteries you will be using to store the solar power are situated as close to the solar cells as possible. This prevents power from getting lost in the cables. The cable will also be less likely to shade the cells, something that can lessen their capability of generating energy.
Make sure your refrigerator is properly maintained. Refrigerators take up lots of energy, so making sure they’re in working order is always good to know. Be sure to regularly clean out the dust around the heating coils. It’s important to check that the seal is tight and clean around the refrigerator door.
Maintain your refrigerator well. The refrigerator hogs energy, so it should work well. Make dusting the coils part of your weekly cleaning routine. In addition, be sure your door seal is tight and clean.
Learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Active solar power is stored so it can be used later, but passive doesn’t need pricey solar panel cells to store power. Active power will require a large installation process and can cost a great deal more. Passive solar power is simply making use of the sun to keep thermal energy in your walls so you can heat your home.
Passive Solar Power
Try to communicate to people as much as possible through email rather than traditional means. Don’t use paper whenever you can afford to do so. Going paperless helps the environment by limiting the amount of deforestation as well as the energy costs associated with paper communications. It also helps save the planet, of course.
Learn about the differences between passive and active solar power. Passive solar power doesn’t require the costly power-storage cells that active power does. To use active power it requires mechanical systems, solar panels and cells. Passive solar power is simply making use of the sun to keep thermal energy in your walls so you can heat your home.
Whenever possible, keep the heat in your home turned down. Put on a sweater and sweatpants when it’s cold. You use a lot of wasted energy when you have heat levels turned up too high.
Monitor how many watts you use. There are many items on the market you can buy to track your energy use, such as the Kill-a-Watt. If you attach the device to the appliances in your home, it will let you know how much energy that appliance uses for different lengths of time. You can get a real idea of what your appliance is costing you and the environment.
Think about using a carpool more often than commuting to work if you want to cut the amount of fuel you use. If you live in a neighborhood with lots of children, try setting up a ride-sharing service, where you trade rides with other parents in the neighborhood. If you are located close to other families, agree to do your grocery shopping at the same time and rotate who drives each week.
There is a lot you can do to change your lifestyle and live in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world. Perhaps you don’t have money to spend on making your home more green, but it is possible to start by maintaining smaller things, like clean filters and regulated temperatures. Reducing the water heater temperature to 120 degrees can save money too. Every little thing you can do will help.
A simple way to jump on the green energy bandwagon is through your utility provider. Many electric companies can give you data showing your peak hours of energy consumption and ways to reduce energy consumption. Look into programs that include discounts or rebates for purchasing more efficient appliances, light bulbs, thermostats or other products.
Even though people know better, they often forget to turn off unused appliances, lights and computer equipment. What they don’t understand is that doing so would save them a great deal on their utility bills. Think about your actions and turn off things you are not using.
The initial cost of green technology is overshadowed by the long term savings. Oftentimes, green technologies are a bit more expensive than their traditional counterpart; however, investing in green electronics and appliances will pay off with savings from decreased energy consumption. A bonus is that you will be helping to protect the environment.
Investing more money up front in green energy appliances will pay off by saving you money over time. While they are usually going to be more expensive, green technology products greatly reduce energy usage and, thereby, save money. It is also one more positive impact on the environment that compounds.
You can use ceiling fans in the winter. A ceiling fan spinning clockwise will push warmer air downward from the ceiling, reducing the amount of heat your home needs to produce. Although these fans use a little bit of electricity, you’ll save a ton because you won’t have to use your furnace as much.
If it’s feasible, replace old, leaky windows with energy-efficient models. You’ll not only see a reduction in your energy bill, but you will also reduce carbon dioxide, condensation on the inside of your windows and a reduction of outside noise in your home.
When you cannot make complete use of renewable energy throughout your home, consider options that will power specific areas of the home. For instance, just installing enough solar panels to provide hot water helps a lot.
Add motion-detecting light sensors to the rooms in your house that you use most. These sensors will turn lights on and off automatically depending on if someone’s in the room, saving energy and money. Don’t forget to also include the outdoor lighting above your garage, too!
If you lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees you can save money and be green together. That can save you almost 10% on your power bill if your family size is 4, and will provide you with a safe and adequate temperature for your hot water.
Solar Panels
Rainwater can be effectively used in some household items, for example the toilet. Using rainwater will not only save you money, but will also help save the environment. Collecting rainwater is actually quite simple; simply place multiple glass jars outside when you know it is going to rain and close the lid once they have filled.
The addition of solar panels on your home will make your home greener. The cost of installing solar panels is small compared to the amount you will save over the years on energy bills. Once the panels are in, solar power is free; you might even be able to sell power to local utility companies.
You can make small improvements to your home to make it more energy efficient, such as changing the type of light bulbs you use. Of course, you can also make large-scale improvements such as putting in solar panels. Just a few different projects you can do yourself will allow you to save money and energy in your home. You just need to choose one small project to begin making your home greener.
Weatherizing your home can help make it more energy efficient. By sealing ducts, adding insulation, and putting in more energy efficient windows, heaters, and cooling systems, you are reducing the amount of energy needed to run your home. These items will also mean lower energy costs on your monthly bill.
When you aren’t using the lights in your home, turn them off. For instance, keep your usage of lights only to night time, and make it a priority to turn them off before exiting the room. Porch lights are almost a tradition for some people, but keep them off unless they are actually necessary. Doing this will lower your energy consumption.
Green Energy
Be sure that the solar panels you install are installed at the proper angle. For instance, panels in Northern Hemisphere locations need to face south at a 15 degree angle. This ensures you are getting plenty of power.
Although not everyone believes that global warming is a threat, anyone can benefit from using green energy in the home. Green energy is cheap to use and easy to implement with some small, daily changes.
Adjust the thermostat according to the season. Lower your thermostat slightly in the winter and raise it slightly in the summer. In addition to doing this, try wearing less or more clothing (depending on the weather), and reduce energy usage in your home and keep your temperature reasonable.
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