You may have heard about green energy before, and you were just not sure how to implement it into your home. If you are curious about green energy and want to learn more about it, you’ve found your source. Keep reading to learn how green tech can help your home.
Think about getting solar powered lamps for outdoor lighting. They don’t use any energy other than solar energy and they are cost effective. This not only saves money. It will also save you money by not having to wire the outdoor lights to your home.
Use solar-powered lamps for outdoor lighting. These lamps aren’t very expensive and can save you on power bills because they’re powered by the sun. This, of course, will save you a lot of money. You will not have to hook up the lights to an electrical source.
There are government grants available to help people invest in green energy. Speak with the government in your area about these programs. You can qualify for installation of solar power at little to no cost.
Shade the windows from sunlight to conserve energy in summer. Shades or curtains can also help. Doing both these things will decrease your usage of the air conditioning during the summer because your house will be cooler. You will save both energy and money.
Do your laundry using cold water, if you can. Almost 90 percent of the consumed energy while washing your clothes is spent on heating up the water. Most good quality laundry detergents work just as well in cold water. Another great tip is to always fill up the washer with a full load so that you’re being as efficient as possible.
There are government grants available to help people invest in green energy. Check out your local government so that you can see what type of programs are available in your area. It may be possible for you to get wind or solar installation for free, or you may be able to get a deductions on your taxes.
If you use fuel to heat your home, ask a professional about using biodiesel instead. A lot of times this can be done with minimal modifications to your existing system. When you use biodiesel it burns a lot cleaner than conventional petroleum, which reduces the impact your home has on energy during the colder months of the year.
Solar Panels
Think about getting solar heaters to heat up your water at home. If your location does not get too cold, purchase a system that puts the water in a solar heater prior to coming to your home. Though you can use this system, it’s best to have a regular water heater for backup purposes, just in case there is a day with little sunlight or more water usage than normal.
Solar panels are an easy addition to your home that helps you and your family go green. There are some things that should be further looked in to before doing this. One of the main things to consider prior to installing solar panels is the amount of sunlight your home gets. If the area is shady, or you are in a region that doesn’t receive much sunshine, then you won’t be gaining much power.
Turn off electrical items whenever you aren’t using them. When you leave the room you should think about what is not in use, like the lights, a television or your home theater. Use a power strip for your home electronics, and turn it off when you aren’t using the equipment. If something is left in standby mode, it is still wasting power.
Do you have a farm? Companies are actually looking for space to put wind turbines in, and a small part of your property can be used as one of those spots. You and your neighbors will benefit from free energy and this installation will not take a lot of space.
Solar energy can provide cheap hot water. Build a hot-water system based on solar energy. There are direct circulation systems and indirect ones. Most individuals will find the indirect option to be their best choice, as this option has methods in place to alleviate the problem of pipes freezing in the coldest months of winter.
One thing you might consider is heating your water with solar water heaters. If you live in a sunny climate, you can use a solar water heater year-round. You should still retain traditional water heaters for backup when the sun doesn’t show, or if you use a lot of heated water.
If you are a fan of green living and green energy, try using your electric heaters as little as possible during the winter. Instead, invest in some warm clothing and slippers for family members and use a fireplace or pellet stove to heat living areas. Also, it has been shown that people sleep better in cooler temperatures.
Check what other energy sources are available in your neighborhood. Be sure to look at the legislation and incentives available for using green utilities. Switching from electricity to gas, or from your city water supply to a well, may save you money.
When choosing new windows or doors, consider the energy ratings as you shop. There are many options for green products, such as double-glazed windows or doors that are energy conscious. These products offer much more efficiency to your home. If you use these products extensively, you will see quite a bit of savings on your energy bills.
Storm Windows
Try not to set the heat very high in your home unless it’s an absolute must. If you are feeling cold, add a layer of clothing instead of reaching for the thermostat. When heat is raised to a higher level you end up using a lot of energy you didn’t really need to use.
To help prevent drafts, install storm doors and storm windows. Storm windows and storm doors reduce the amount of cold air entering the home in the form of drafts. Homes equipped with storm windows and doors can see an increase in energy efficiency of up to 45 percent.
Keep track of how many watts you’re using. Devices like Watt Minder and Kill-A-Watt can help you determine the highest energy-usage culprits in your home. Plug the appliance into the device, and it can tell you the amount of energy it uses within an hour, month, or even a year. You’ll be able to calculate how much each appliance costs you in electricity and replace those which are power hogs.
Use a laptop instead of a desktop computer. You can save a ton of electricity by using a laptop. Both the Internet and most word processing software packages use a lot of energy on desktop computers, so getting a laptop can really save money if you use these features. Plus, you can take your laptop with you anywhere you go!
Check your utility bills against previous years’ bills to see how you’re doing in your efforts to go green. You should also write down your goals for energy efficiency and reminders to help you stay on track. Simply by being aware of your energy costs will help you be more efficient in your energy output. For instance, should you consciously decide to decrease your electricity or water use, you are also likelier to turn off appliances or unused lights.
If you, like many other people, wish to lead a greener life in order to help save our environment, there are many things you can start doing now. Even if you don’t have a ton of money, you can do simple things, like monthly cleaning of the filters in your furnace or lowering the thermostat to 60 degrees when you’re not going to be home. Setting your water heater’s temperature to a maximum 120 degrees will also save money. Any little effort helps!
Replace your traditional holiday lights with strings of LED’s. A study conducted by the U.S. One study conducted by the Department of Energy found that if everyone in the U.S. switched to these lights, more than two billion kilowatt hours worth of power would be saved. That amount of power is enough to supply 200,000 homes with electricity for a whole year. You could reduce the amount of your own utility bill as well.
Switch out an old boiler. Older boilers weren’t built to be energy efficient, and they’re costing you an arm and a leg compared to a newer unit. Newer models have multiple benefits; not only can they lower your energy bills, but they often create a lower amount of carbon dioxide, which can will be lot better for your family’s health.
To cut back on your fuel usage, consider carpooling for more than just work. Kids can also form carpools to school by alternating parents days. You can even carpool to the supermarket with your neighbors.
A tankless water heater that heats water on-demand is a great energy saving device. Older water heaters are always running and always heating water whether it is needed or not, which is a waste of energy. The on-demand water heater will heat water instantly and save you money on energy.
Use an on-demand water heater to save energy. Instead of constantly heating water, these newer heaters heat it only as necessary so that you don’t waste energy. Water heaters that use on-demand, will heat water instantly when needed, which ends up saving you a lot in energy costs.
Attach solar panels to the roof of your home to make it greener. While solar panels are a bit of an investment, they save a ton of money in the long run. Once you have the solar panels hooked up to your home’s energy system, your solar energy will be free, and can even earn you money if you sell the surplus to your local energy company.
Look for appliances that have the Energy Star sticker or logo. Appliances that have been ENERGY STAR rated follow energy consumption guidelines promulgated by the U.S.
Department of Energy and those of the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to this, only ENERGY STAR appliances can be used for tax rebates.
Heat the rooms in your home separately. Get a system that heats the house from underneath the floors. This will let you monitor each area of your home, and control the temperature in each room. If you live in a large home, this is a wonderful solution.
To increase your home’s energy efficiency, try weatherizing your home. Seal the ducts, add insulation and install energy-efficient windows, and you will consume much less energy. In addition to the energy saved you will also receive a lower energy bill.
Make better use of ceiling fans during cold weather. A ceiling fan spinning clockwise will push warmer air downward from the ceiling, reducing the amount of heat your home needs to produce. The fans use much less electricity than your heater or furnace, which will cut your electric bill.
A good green energy tip is to regularly inspect the seals on your freezer and fridge to keep from wasting energy. Broken or compromised seals allow cold air to leak, causing your appliance to run more often, and your energy bills to increase. Put a piece of paper in the door: if it slides out easily, you need to replace your seal.
Program your thermostat in order to save energy and money. With their pre-programmed settings, these thermostats are capable of regulating the temperature within your home during both the winter and summer months. Depending on your preferences, you could also set it to change temperatures for day or night.
Use your refrigerator to thaw out food. This is a better way to thaw food, and the cold air that comes from your frozen foods will make your refrigerator cooler, thereby, cutting the energy consumption from your fridge.
Now that you’re aware of green tech, hopefully you begin using it at home. Use these tips to start using green technology in your own home. There will be more than your wallet thanking you, when you begin to improve the environment through green energy methods.
Keeping your refrigerator and freezer in a cooler spot can save you energy. Keep them away from sunlight and heating vents, since this can increase the temperature and make them run longer.
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