Have you been thinking about green energy before but didn’t know what to do about it? Does it seem like it would be a personal or financial hardship to go green? The time to start is now, and this article will show you some simple, but effective ways to color your home green!
You can conserve energy by shading your windows from sunlight. You can also try putting blinds or curtains in. By doing these things, you’ll lower the amount you need to run your air conditioner in the summer, as your home will already be cooler. You’ll save money as well as energy.
Consider installing solar powered lamps for outdoor lighting. Not only are these lamps cheap, but they only need power from the sun. This, of course, will save you a lot of money. As an added benefit, you are spared the trouble of running an outdoor wiring system.
Install solar panels and reap the benefits easily. But, you must think about some things prior to doing this. Think about how much sun your house typically gets. If you home is shaded, the amount of energy collected from solar panels will be greatly reduced.
One way to help conserve energy is to use window treatment to block sunlight. Installing blinds and curtains will also help. Keeping your home cool in the summer means you will not be tempted to use the air conditioning as much. You’ll save money as well as energy.
Use cold water for laundry, whenever you can. Hot water takes up 90% of energy used to wash clothing. Using a quality detergent means it is unnecessary to use hot water. Also, be as energy efficient as possible by only washing full loads of clothing.
You will find that it’s easy to get solar panels and they’re a great way to get energy for your home. It is important, however, that you do your homework before making the leap. The biggest thing to consider is how much sun does your house get on average? If your home is shaded, or you live in a relatively cloudy area, your power savings will not be as much.
Be sure to cover your windows with drapes or blinds when not at home. This allows your home to be kept cool when you aren’t there, and in addition, it helps keep energy costs down. Typically, the south facing windows are the ones that get the most amount of sun due to their location. Try using coverings on all of the windows, such as dark curtains, roman shades, or some roller shades.
When battery chargers and other electronics are not in use, unplug them. Chargers for devices like phones, music players, computers and others use small amounts of power any time they are in an outlet, even if you aren’t charging anything.
If you are thinking of installing a solar power system in your home, you need to calculate the amount of power the system can produce using winter sunshine hours. This will guarantee you energy no matter the weather, and it will have you entering the summer safely without energy concerns as well. You may even get rebates from your utility company in summer months if you sign up for net usage and use solar panels.
Are you living on a farm? If you own your farm property, you could allow an energy company to rent a small plot of your land, so they can install an energy-generating wind turbine. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won’t take up much space.
If you are someone who is seeking out ways to live green so you can help save the planet’s energy, there’s a lot you can do. Start with the simplest methods, such as setting your heating thermostat to 60 degrees while you are away from home, and cleaning your furnace filters every few months. Lowering the temperature of the water heater to 120 degrees will save you money too. Each little bit makes a difference!
Keep drapes drawn when you are not home. You will lower your energy costs since this will help keep your home nice and cool. South-facing windows get maximum sun. Make sure that all the windows are covered with dark curtains, blinds, roman shades, or whatever shade you choose.
The next time you decorate your home or tree for the holiday season, use LED lights instead of standard light strands. A US study shows The Department of Energy estimates that everyone can save well over 2 billion kilowatts including hours of power and energy if everyone did this type of change. That amount of power is enough to supply 200,000 homes with electricity for a whole year. At a minimum, you will lower your energy bill.
Maybe you can use solar water heaters instead of traditional heating methods. If freezing temperatures are never a concern in your area, consider a system that circulates water through solar heaters before sending it into your house. Having a conventional heater as a back up if you expect a surge in hot water use can be wise.
Heat your home with biofuels. Oil, wood and animal or vegetable fats are used to make this fuel. You can hire a professional to adjust your propane furnace to be capable of using any type of fuel you desire. Fuels are anywhere from 20-99 percent biodiesel. Just be sure to consult with a professional before attempting to use this fuel in your home.
Rather than using a dryer, dry your clothes outside, as long as the weather permits. The sun can give clothing an incredible smell. Your clothes will smell fresher when dried naturally rather than in the dryer. Also, using your dryer less will save you money in energy costs on your utility bills each month.
If you are not in a room, do not keep the lights on. Shutting off your lights when you leave a room is a simple act, but it will surprise you by the amount of energy it saves. You will also save on your electric bill.
As you plan for a solar energy array, use winter time sunshine hours to calculate from. Using this metric means you will meet your energy needs in the winter, while greatly exceeding them in the summer. If you are on a net usage plan, during the summer, you’ll receive money back from the utility company for the energy you generate!
It might be commonly known, but people still do not make sure they turn off lights, machines and various equipment when they aren’t using them. Just this single habit could prevent a lot of unnecessary energy use and save much money. Consider what you are doing before it is done, and turn those appliances and lights off when you are finished using them.
Replace your water heater and get a tankless model. These heaters only heat water when you need it rather than heating the tank constantly. This saves you on your gas or electricity costs. You can get a tankless heater that will supply the whole house or one that supplies a single hot-water faucet.
When purchasing wood items, consider getting products that are crafted from bamboo. Although bamboo is technically a grass, it has more strength than most commercial woods. This fast-growing product is used in a wide variety of wood items. Everything from floors to cutting boards can be made with bamboo. This saves on recycling energy and the production of manufacturing products.
A solar oven is a fun and effective way to reduce your energy needs for cooking. You can make one out of a box, wood, and some foil. They don’t use any outside energy and can get up to 300 degrees.
Eventually, it will pay off to get green appliances and electronics. Although green technology is a bit more expensive, it quickly pays for itself in lower bills. The environment will also benefit.
Another great idea would be to use bio-fuels for house heating. Biofuels are usually composed of vegetable fats, animal fats, wood and oil. If your existing furnace runs on propane, it is quite easy for a professional to make the alterations required so it can perform as efficiently using a fuel blend. The blend you would use could be made up of 20%-99% biodiesel. Make sure you consult an energy professional before using biofuels in your home.
In your high traffic rooms, place automatic light sensors that have motion detection to light the area. These sensors automatically turn the lights off in rooms that aren’t being used, which saves energy, and in the long run, lots of money. Add these sensors to your outdoor lights, as well.
A good energy saving tip is to switch your boiler. Most older boilers weren’t made with energy conservation in mind, but newer ones are often fairly 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.
One way to make your home use less energy is to weatherize it. 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. That’s not the only benefit; you’ll also have a lower power bill.
When you are shopping for items made of wood, consider things made from bamboo. Bamboo is a very green product and is technically a grass, but it is stronger than many commercially available woods. It grows quickly and can be made into many products, such as cutting boards or flooring. This saves energy via recycling and manufacturer production.
Heat each individual room separately to save energy and money on your heat bill. A floor heating system that allows individual room control is a great investment. This is a great idea for large homes.
If you spend the additional money to purchase green appliances and electronics, over a period of time it will pay off. Although green technology is a bit more expensive, it quickly pays for itself in lower bills. It also has the long-term benefit of saving the planet.
You can save on energy costs by checking the seals on your refrigerator and freezer. Broken seals can make your fridge run for no reason, waste energy, and cost you a lot of money. You can determine if you need to replace your seal by inserting one sheet of paper in the door jam. If it slides out too easily, your seal is not up to par.
Energy Star Logo
You can save energy while doing your laundry in several ways. First, turn on any moisture control settings, so the dryer powers down when laundry has dried. Using the high-spin speed will reduce the moisture in clothing and decrease the time needed for drying. You should also keep the dryer lint traps clean and look for any blockages in dryer vents.
One simple way to spot energy-efficient appliances is to check for an ENERGY STAR logo. Any appliance that has an ENERGY STAR logo meets guidelines for the U.S. Department of Energy plus the Environmental Protection Agency In order to receive a tax rebate, the product must meet these guidelines.
If you lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees you can save money and be green together. Doing so can save you up to 10 percent each month on your power bill, and it will provide you with an adequate amount of hot water.
What is the best way to use green energy in your home? This article has given you the information you need to get started, but you’ll need to make use of it. Once you start, you’ll be amazed by the results!
Cut green energy technology costs by asking for them! All consumers have the power and right to encourage technologies that are environmentally friendly. As demand increases for green products, costs will begin to reduce. You will also encourage businesses to change their practices, and use green technology in the manufacturing process.
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