Going green doesn’t have to be hard on your wallet, nor be time-consuming. There are a few simple changes you can make to your home that will drastically reduce your utility bills while helping the environment. Continue below for some helpful green energy tips you can take advantage of, while also making a long lasting impression on the environment.
Be sure to cover your windows with drapes or blinds when not at home. The result will be a cooler house because the window’s admit less heat. More often than not, south-facing windows will let in the most sun due to their positioning. Use dark curtains, roman shades, roller shades or other coverings on all windows.
Just start using less energy every day. When not using a certain appliance, unplug it from the outlet. Turn off all lights and televisions when they are not being used. This helps to save money without much effort.
If you are planning a solar system for your home, be sure to calculate your potential energy production using the amount of sun to expect in the cloudiest month. This way, you aren’t beyond your capacity in the winter, and you have plenty of excess power in the summer. If you’re using a net-usage plan, in the summer you’ll get cash back from your utility provider.
Solar Lamps
Keep your refrigerator well maintained. Since the refrigerator is an appliance that consumes a lot of energy, it is important to keep it in top-working order. Make dusting the coils part of your weekly cleaning routine. Don’t forget to be certain to keep the seal surrounding the door tight and clean.
If you are considering purchasing outdoor lighting look into solar lamps. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. Not only does this save energy. It means you don’t have to wire up outdoor lights.
When a home has stormed windows and doors, air flows better. Storm windows are good at cutting down on the cool air that tries to get in. Energy efficiency increases by 45% in houses that contain stormed windows and doors, which could save you lots of money when it comes to electricity.
A solar water heater may be a viable option in your home. 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. You should still retain traditional water heaters for backup when the sun doesn’t show, or if you use a lot of heated water.
Change up the way you dress in your home and warm yourself up to avoid turning on the heater if possible. If you wear a light sweater, you’ll feel two degrees warmer. A thicker sweater adds about four degrees. Since it is pointless to wear very little clothing while indoors, you might as well wear a sweater.
Only using the dishwasher when it is full will save you money and energy. It is wasteful to run the dishwasher with just a few items inside. 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. Set up the plates so that you fill it up as much as possible.
Take the time to learn about active, and passive solar power. Activer solar power lets stored energy be used later, while passive power doesn’t require expensive storage cells. Active systems are what you would normally think of when you think of solar–PV cells, mechanical parts, and storage devices. Passive is just used via the sun for storing the thermal energy in the walls of your home to heat it.
Make sure when you aren’t using something to turn it off. When you leave a room, shut off the lights, TV, computer, game systems, etc. A power strip is an easy way to turn off multiple appliances at once, so consider placing one in a conspicuous place where many electronics are located.
Use e-mail over snail mail as much as possible. In short, try to be paperless all the time. This helps businesses you deal with reduce their energy expenses, and it helps you reduce energy expenses, as well. An added bonus is that everyone benefits by the protection of our environment.
If you would like to reduce the cost of your hot water, use solar energy. Upgrade your hot water system to one that’s solar-powered. There are direct and indirect circulation systems available. If you have concerns about your pipes freezing when it is cold, you should pick an indirect one.
Try not to turn the heat up too high in your home, unless it is absolutely necessary for you to do so. When the temperature drops, reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat. Higher levels of heat use a lot of excess energy!
Storm Doors
Take the time to evaluate your watt usage. There are many items on the market you can buy to track your energy use, such as the Kill-a-Watt. Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, a month, or a year. You can get a real idea of what your appliance is costing you and the environment.
Storm doors and windows help control air flow into a home. Storm’s windows and doors cut down on the cold air that drafts can let in. Storm doors and windows can help save as much as 45 percent on energy costs.
Carpooling for work and school activities can cut down on fuel usage. If you have children, organize a carpooling system with your neighbors and trade off driving days among all the participating parents. If you are near friends and family, go food shopping together and take turns driving.
Learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Active power is power that is stored to be used for a later time, while passive power doesn’t require power storage cells. Active power needs solar panels installed, cells, and mechanical systems. Passive energy is using the sun’s thermal energy to heat your house.
Switch to a low-flow water-saving toilet. Experts estimate that almost half of a home’s use of water is flushed. An older model toilet uses a lot more water than a water-saving one, 5 gallons versus 1.6 gallons, almost 70 percent more.
Instead of buying that new desktop computer, purchase a laptop, as desktops use much more electricity. Laptops use only about one quarter of the power consumption of a full desktop, and is ideal for those that use their computer for surfing the Internet or word processing. You can also bring your computer anywhere if you have a laptop.
You can reduce the amount of time your refrigerator or freezers runs by locating it in a cool place. Do not install your fridge in the sun light or next to a heating vent or more energy will be used to keep your food cold.
Decide to receive your correspondence through email by opting out of receiving monthly statements. Go paperless with any company that has the option. This will not only help businesses lower their energy costs, but you as well. Most importantly, it helps to protect the environment.
Demand green energy technologies, and help to lower their cost. Consumers have the power to ignite significant change in the products that are being developed. The more you request them, the more products that will be available at reduced prices. It also encourages businesses to manufacture their products differently in order to remain profitable.
Write yourself reminders to stay on top of new energy efficiency goals, and check every utility bill against the previous year’s to see if you are making gains. Simply by being aware of your energy costs will help you be more efficient in your energy output. So when you make true conscious efforts to reduce your electrical or water usage you make up a good habit of turning off appliances or lights which in turn helps your bill and the environment.
Did you know that it is not wise to use bottled water? In many cases, bottled water is simply municipal water that has been bottled, and bottling and shipping it wastes lots of energy. If you think your community’s tap water is either unhealthy or tastes bad, buy a metal water bottle that can be used over and over again, and invest in a replaceable filter.
Replace your toilet with a water-saving model. Some studies show that flushing the toilet accounts for half the water used in a typical home. A traditional toilet uses about five gallons of water each time it is flushed, compared to a water-conserving toilet, which uses just 1.6 gallons. This is a 70% water savings.
A home-energy monitor can help you stay on top of your energy use. These monitors gather real-time electricity usage numbers and can provide you with an estimate of your power bill. Studies suggest that if people know exactly how much it costs to use electrical equipment in their homes, they tend to be more vigilant about conserving energy.
Many people don’t turn off appliances when not using them. If everyone did this on a regular basis, an enormous amount of energy could be saved. Resolve to turn off lights and equipment when you are not using them.
Flip off your light switches! Use your lights after dark when you need them, but make sure to switch them off when leaving a room. Unless you need to, do not leave cabinet or porch lights on. This can save energy.
You should seek out help from your electric company as you begin to make your home energy-efficient. Utility companies provide some powerful tools online to measure and control your electricity usage. Check out programs that help you buy energy-efficient light bulbs or appliances.
Take into consideration using lighting that is Eco-friendly. A variety of new bulbs, including compact fluorescent varieties, provide affordable alternatives to the incandescent bulbs homes have used for decades. You can save energy and money without sacrificing light by using these bulbs. Doing something as simple as switching light bulbs can help make your home more environmentally friendly.
Put lights sensors with motion detectors in the rooms you use the most. Use these sensors to turn the lights off when no one is in the room, which will save you money as you use less energy. Make sure outdoor lighting, such as above your garage, in also included.
If you are finding it difficult to reduce your energy consumption significantly, consider creating renewable energy yourself, through wind, sun, or many of the other new technologies available. Renewable energies will reduce or eliminate your energy costs, carbon footprint and can actually make you money if you create more energy than you use. It a great step towards going green, and there are different options that you can choose from to accomplish it.
Checking seals in fridges and ovens are good ways to keep from wasting energy. A damaged seal will cause your fridge to use more energy than necessary, wasting both energy and money. To see whether your seal needs replacing, insert a sheet of paper in your door and make sure that it does not slide out easily.
Think about using a geothermal system to upgrade your home’s energy efficiency. A geothermal system places the pipes underground and filling them with the refrigerant and water needed to heat and cool your home. The pipes are then routed to a controller that will cause them to heat or cool the home accordingly. This system is more efficient than other systems because underground temperatures are more stable than the air temperature in your home.
If you want to be green while saving money in the process, then consider lowering your hot water heater temperature to 120 degrees. This can cut your monthly electric bill by up to 10 percent for a four person family.
Adjust the setting on your thermostat according to the seasonal temperatures. Lower the thermostat in winter and raise it in summer. Adjusting what you wear will let you use less energy in order to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Everyone can benefit somehow from green energy use in their homes. Using some of the ideas above, you can make changes one at a time can save money yearly on your electric bill.
Find an experienced, knowledgeable professional to help you. Before you invest into any type of alternative energy system make sure you find out all that you can about it so you can decide whether or not it is actually going to benefit you. Avoid salespeople who don’t seem to be able to prove that their system is energy efficient and seem more interested in making a sale than answering your questions.
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