Going green benefits your home and your health, as well as leaving a minimal impact on the environment. There are some easy ways to reduce your energy use and save money by being more efficient in your home. Read through this article for great tips on how you can use green energy technology in your own home.
Think about getting solar powered lamps for outdoor lighting. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. You save a lot of energy in the process. You will not have to hook up the lights to an electrical source.
Do you or your family own a farm? Farms are the perfect place to put a wind turbine. If you don’t have a farm, you might be able to rent from someone. The wind turbine will provide free energy without taking up much room. Your neighbors will also benefit from this energy source.
Use a solar-solar powered system to heat water. Using natural gas and electricity is certainly the norm, but it’s not very energy efficient. By contrast, solar energy is very efficient, and it keeps water temperatures steady just as well as traditional heating methods. In the United States there are many tax deductions for energy efficient green products.
During the summer time, you should consider drying your clothes using the sun as opposed to using the dryer. Using the sun can make clothes smell a lot better. They’ll smell so much better than if you shoved them into a dryer! As well, you save quite a bit on monthly utility costs.
Shade the windows from sunlight to conserve energy in summer. Shading the windows with curtains and blinds will keep out the sun in summer and keep the heat from escaping in winter. Since this will make your house cooler, you will use the air conditioner less. You will save energy and money.
Storm Doors
Use natural fabrics in the summer instead of turning up the AC. Natural fabrics, including cotton, cause moisture to move away from the body, which means it stays cooler. You may feel warmer when you wear warm-colored clothing, so wear light-colored clothing in order to use the air conditioner less.
When a home has windows and doors stormed air flow is actually better in that household. Storm doors and windows decrease cold air from drafts. Energy efficiency improves by 45% when storm doors and windows are implemented, which are big energy savers.
Government grants are available to help consumers invest in renewable energies. Speak with the government in your area about these programs. You may qualify for free wind or solar installation, or you may find that you can deduct some of your expenses on your taxes.
Try to learn about passive and active solar power. Using active power means storing energy for later use, while passive energy is about benefiting from the warmth or light of the sun rays right away. Active power uses solar panels, cells and mechanical systems. Passive power uses the simple sun to generate thermal energy to heat your house.
Consult a technician for more information about switching to biodiesel heating if your home currently uses oil for heating. A lot of existing systems can change to some bio-diesel utilization without modifications or using any extra parts. Biodiesel will burn cleaner than petroleum, which helps to protect the environment.
Explore the possibility of using a solar-powered oven for some of your baking needs. You can make one with easy-to-find items like old windows, boxes, and aluminum foil to reflect light. The temperature in these ovens can heat up to 300 degrees, they can be put together in a few minutes, and the only energy they use is the sun.
If you aren’t using something, turn it off. When you leave the room you should think about what is not in use, like the lights, a television or your home theater. Get a power strip so you can turn off all of your electronics at the same time, rather than letting energy get wasted in standby mode.
Purchasing a new boiler can be a good way to save energy. A lot of the old boilers weren’t constructed with energy saving in mind, as opposed to the newer ones which are much more energy efficient. They have two advantages: reducing your energy bill by a large amount, and producing a lesser amount of CO2, which is much more healthy.
Help to control the air flow in your own home by installing a storm door and storm windows too. This is because they decrease the amount of cold air circulating through your home. When homes have windows and doors that are stormed, 45 percent less energy is used, which can decrease electric bills.
Less Energy
Swap out your tank water heater for a tankless type. Although they still use gas or electricity, they only heat on demand rather than maintaining an entire tank of hot water at all times. You can get a tankless heater that will supply the whole house or one that supplies a single hot-water faucet.
Replace your old appliances with new ones featuring high Energy Star ratings. Energy Star appliances are guaranteed to use less energy than those made previously. Fridges and freezers with the rating use at least 20% less energy, dishwashers use 40% less, and washing machines use at least half the energy of non-rated models.
Putting on a few more layers can help you save money in the winter. Sweaters of varying thickness can offer more warmth, from two to four degrees depending on its weight. Wearing slightly heavier clothes is not any less comfortable and can save you significant money.
On-demand water heaters work great as a green device. Instead of constantly heating water, these newer heaters heat it only as necessary so that you don’t waste energy. You’ll get hot water whenever you need it without having to wait for it to heat up. You’ll also save a lot of energy.
If you’re unsure about green investments, get an expert to provide a consultation that will optimize your energy usage. These professionals can explain how efficient your systems are, and how much it will probably cost to change or replace them.
Although this may seem like common sense, many people still keep the lights, appliances and electronics on when they are not using them. If a person put this practice into action, he or she would save a huge amount on the electric bill. Consider what you are doing before it is done, and turn those appliances and lights off when you are finished using them.
Closely monitor how many watts you are using. Watt Minder and Kill-A-Watt are both tools that help to monitor energy consumption. You can plug in various devices into these devices and see how much energy that item uses for periods of time including a hour, month, and even a year. This will show you the cost of your appliance.
An easy to get started in energy efficiency is to ask your electric company for help. Most gas and electric companies offer web-based tools to help you monitor your consumption, and they also provide suggestions for reducing your energy usage and utility bills. You may also be able to find rebates or other programs to help you get energy-efficient light bulbs or appliances.
You should heat your home with biofuel. Biofuels contain wood, oil and fat. Propane furnace mechanics can adjust your furnace so that you can use biofuels in it. The blend you would use could be made up of 20%-99% biodiesel. Just be sure to consult with a professional before attempting to use this fuel in your home.
Energy Star
Get rid of your old appliances and replace them with Energy Star-certified appliances. An Energy Star appliance is built to use less energy than non-Energy Star appliances. This rating guarantees 20% less energy for freezers and refrigerators, 40% difference for dishwashers, and 50% for washing machines!
The easiest way to find these appliances is to look on them for an Energy Star badge. The ENERGY STAR seal indicates appliances that meet the guidelines which have been established by the U.S. Department of Energy plus those of Environmental Protection Agency. Sometimes these products offer tax rebates.
A good green energy technology tip is to use a water heater that is on-demand. Traditional water heaters run constantly, heating the water when it’s completely unnecessary. The on-demand water heater will heat water instantly and save you money on energy.
You can save energy by setting your heat to 60 degrees at night or when you aren’t home. 60 degrees is the target temperature at which your heater will be consuming the least energy. This way, you are saving money and conserving energy.
Green electronics may seem expensive in the beginning; however, the amount of energy saved will pay off over the life of the equipment. Green technologies are often a little more expensive than traditional items but the investment will pay off in the money that you save on decreased utilities. It is also going to ultimately pay off for the environment.
Solar panels can be a great addition for your home, making it more efficient and greener. While solar panels require a significant up-front investment, the cost savings you will enjoy over the course of several years can more than pay for it. Solar energy becomes free when the panels are installed and you may be able to sell power to some local electric companies.
Try setting your heat at 61 degrees or less when you aren’t home, or when you have retired for the night. When your thermostat is set to 60 degrees, your system will use almost no energy. You will decrease energy used and increase money saved.
Don’t neglect your ceiling fans in the winter. Switch them to go clockwise and they will help push the warm air down, reducing demands on your heating fixture. The energy you will save from not having to use the furnace as much will cover what you need for the fan.
You can save energy while doing your laundry in several ways. Provided your dryer has it, the moisture sensor setting will shut down your dryer as soon as your clothes have been dried completely. When you wash your clothes, choose the fastest spin cycle, which reduces the amount of moisture the dryer needs to evaporate. Every time you start a dryer load, make sure the filter and vents are clear of debris.
To have a better understanding of your home energy uses, considering purchasing a monitor that keeps an eye on how much energy you use. This way, you can get a real-time estimate of your energy use. This can be used to predict your electric bills or to size a renewable energy system for your home. Research has shown that people who know exactly what they are using in energy will scale back their overall energy usage.
Put your refrigerator in a cool place within your home. Heating vents and direct sunlight can raise the temperatures of these appliances, making them to run more often.
It takes neither a large time commitment nor a ton of money to green your home. Even a few small changes can make a world of difference in energy consumption. Implement a few of these tips and pass the information on as well. You will be helping your family, your neighbors and the environment as a whole.
Make use of rainwater for washing dishes and flushing the toilet. Not only will your water bills be less, you will be helping the environment. There are many ways to collect rainwater, including sitting glass jars outside to collect rain. Once the jars are filled, simply close the lids.
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