What will green energy help you accomplish? It can lower your bills by reducing your family’s reliance on the city’s electrical grid and it can help you to give back to the earth. What is it that you can do to help? In the next few paragraphs, you’ll learn some useful techniques that will let you contribute to this important cause.
Lower the cost of heating your indoor water, pools and hot tubs by switching to solar water heating systems. Both natural gas and electricity are inefficient heating methods, while solar water heaters use the sun to constantly heat your water. While some upgrades cost more initially, they can qualify you for deductions on your tax return for using green energy.
Solar Panels
You can easily get solar panels installed in your home to collect solar energy for your use. Before you do this, you should research just a few things first. Think about how much sun your house typically gets. If your home does not get a lot of sunlight, then solar panels will be pretty useless.
If you use fuel oil to heat your home, speak with a technician to see if it’s possible to change to bio-diesel. Some systems can easily be changed to biodiesel without having to make major modifications or installing extra parts. Biodiesel is a better fuel because it has a cleaner burn and is more efficient.
Cover your windows when you are away from home. This will help save energy. This will keep the house cool and reduce energy costs. Usually the windows with the most sun are the one’s which face south. Dark, lined curtains, roman shades or roller shades may be something to consider using on your windows.
You can consider getting solar water heaters to heat your water. If you live somewhere where you don’t have to be concerned with temperatures that are freezing, you can use a system that circulates water through the solar heater before it gets pumped into your home. However, it’s best to keep a traditional heater for times when you need a lot of heated water, or if the sun does not come out.
Dry clothes on a clothelines during the summer. The sun can give clothing an incredible smell. They will feel and smell fresher than machine-dried clothes. This will save you a ton on your utility bills, leaving you extra money to turn your air conditioning on instead.
Turn off electrical items when you’re not using them. When exiting rooms, turn off the computer, television or lights. If you run your electronics through a power strip, you can turn everything off in that room with one switch.
One very easy way to save money on your heating bills is to dress more warmly around the house during the winter months. If you wear a light sweater, you’ll feel two degrees warmer. A thicker sweater adds about four degrees. You don’t have to worry about wearing too little at home so consider getting a sweater to save money.
Energy Consumption
One way to help reduce energy consumption is to develop an energy savings plan. You should compare your goals with your utility bills to ensure you are staying on track. Increasing your consciousness of your energy consumption can help you cut back. Cut down electricity and water consumption so you are likely to turn off appliances.
A great way to save energy is to switch your boiler. Previously, boilers were no made to be energy efficient; however, now they are. They create less carbon dioxide, something that can greatly be good for anyone’s health, and it also cuts your electricity bill significantly.
Consider bamboo items when making a wood purchase. Bamboo is very green and strong and is technically considered a grass. It grows quickly and can be used and sold for a variety of purposes, from cutting boards to flooring. This saves energy when it comes to the production and recycling of manufacturing products.
Green Electronics
Spending the extra money on buying green electronics and appliances pays off in the long run. 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. These electronics will also be beneficial to the environment in the future.
Heat each room separately to save money on heat. In order to do this, you will need to add a central control to your heating system that will allow you to select the temperature for each room. This is a good solution if you have a large home.
Program your thermostat in order to save energy and money. These types of thermostats are already programmed, or preset, to adjust temperatures accordingly for colder and warmer months throughout the year. You can also program them to regulate temperatures during night and day hours.
There are many techniques to save energy when doing your laundry. Most dryers have a moisture setting that will shut your dryer off when the clothes are dry. Use the high speed setting on your washer to make drying time shorter. Always clean your dryer filters, and check your dryer vent for any blockages.
Most people know that green energy technologies can save money on energy bills, but many people never actually make the switch because they assume that it is difficult or expensive. The preceding article has given you a starting point for making your home more green without spending a lot of money.
