The environmental and monetary costs of powering a home can be greatly reduced through green energy sources. If you would like to know more about the ways you can put green energy to work in your home, read on for some valuable advice and interesting tips.
Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Heating water with electricity or natural gas is not very efficient, but solar water heaters harness energy from the sun to keep water at a steady temperature. Some of these upgrades, while more expensive up-front, may qualify for green energy tax deductions.
You can save electricity by unplugging chargers when they are not in use. All the chargers you use for mp3 players, cell phones, laptops and any other devices draw in some charge when they’re plugged in and aren’t being used.
Instead of using fuel oil to heat your home, try to make a switch to biodiesel. Many heating systems are able to change over to some biodiesel use without needing modifications or extra parts. Biodiesel burns more cleanly and will improve your carbon footprint.
Research the different energy sources available in your community. Calculate the expense of using these types of utilities while noting any recent legislation pertaining to energy costs. You might be able to save money by switching to well water or natural gas heat.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it is filled to capacity. Your dishwasher consumes the same energy and water, even if it is half full. When you run a dishwasher, use the ‘energy-saver’ setting so dishes can air-dry.
Storm Doors
Storm doors and windows offer better air flow in the home. Storm windows and storm doors reduce the amount of cold air entering the home in the form of drafts. Installing storm windows and doors can increase energy efficiency by up to 45%.
Make energy efficiency a priority by buying products to assist you to reduce energy. Some green products such as eco-friendly doors, windows, and double-glazed windows can help you save energy and run the home efficiently. Using these products is a great way to save money on heating and cooling.
Keep up-to-date with tax rebates for making your home more energy-efficient. Sometimes your utility company may offer additional rebates which will help pay for the expense of the systems. Tax deductions are also available from the government, sometimes. Rebates and credits will help to offset the cost of implementing green energy technology you want to add to your home.
Hire experts to check your plumbing and heating systems before investing a lot of money in installing new, greener systems. They can advise you about how much inefficient appliances cause you to lose financially, and they can estimate the price of upgrading or simply replacing your old systems.
Try using a carpool if you want to reduce fuel consumption. Talk with other parents and try to arrange a carpool schedule so that you all take turns driving your kids to school. If you have family or friends close to you, try going to the grocery store together and taking turns driving.
A really good energy saving tip is to change your boiler. Many old boilers were not made with saving energy in mind, whereas new boilers tend to be more energy efficient. Not only do they create less carbon dioxide, a poisonous gas, they can also lower your energy bill.
Less Energy
Replace your older appliances with the newer, energy-efficient ones that have Energy Star ratings. This is your guarantee that your new appliances will use less energy, and therefore cost you less to run. For refrigerators and freezers, the rating promises 20% less energy used, for dishwashers 40% less energy used, and for washing machines at least 50% less energy used!
Do not forget the most basic ways to save energy, such as turning off the lights you don’t need. You can actually save a lot of energy if you just take the time to turn off all the lights in your house when you aren’t using them. You not only save a lot of energy but you save money, as well.
It might seem like common sense, but a lot of people don’t turn off their lights, machines and other electronics when they are not being used. If everyone did this on a regular basis, an enormous amount of energy could be saved. Think in advance about what you need to do, and make it a habit to turn off anything that you are no longer using.
The sooner you start using green energy, the sooner both you and the environment will start seeing the benefits. Changing to a green energy lifestyle does not have to be expensive and overly complicated, so put the advice received here to good use and embrace these changes today.
