Going green is a good thing to do for you, your family and your community. You can switch up some things where you live to use less electricity and save money as well. Continue on for some helpful green energy tips at home.
Save Energy
Shading windows from sunlight whelps to save energy. Installing blinds and curtains will also help. By using heavy window covering you house will remain cooler which will decrease the amount of air conditioning needed. This means that you will save energy as well as money.
Are you a farm owner? If you own a farm, consider installing an energy turbine on your property, or renting land to a utility company for that purpose. You and your neighbors will benefit from free energy and this installation will not take a lot of space.
Clean filters or replace them to ensure your furnace is appropriating at prime efficiency. Adding filters to warm-air registers is also beneficial. This will keep everything out of the air ducts, keeping your energy efficiency high.
Whenever possible, you should use cold water to wash your clothes. Almost 90% of the energy you use when you do laundry is due to heating water. If your detergent is decent, cold water will be as effective as hot when cleaning your laundry. In addition, remember to wash full loads to maximize energy efficiency.
If you use fuel to heat your home, ask a professional about using biodiesel instead. Some systems do not need any modifications in order to use biodiesels. 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.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it is filled to capacity. It uses the same amount of energy and water, no matter how full it is. Also ensure that it is set to air-dry if you are aiming to reduce your energy consumption.
Take advantage of solar energy to heat your home’s water without breaking the bank. Purchase a solar water heating system. It is possible to chose between direct and indirect circulation systems. You’re better off with an indirect system if you are worried about pipes freezing during the winter.
Passive Solar Power
When looking at solar power, know the difference between passive solar power and active. Passive solar power doesn’t need expensive cells in order to store power, although active is stored for later use. To use active power it requires mechanical systems, solar panels and cells. Passive solar power is simply making use of the sun to keep thermal energy in your walls so you can heat your home.
Rather than using an energy-hogging desktop computer, switch to a laptop. Laptops use about 75% less electricity than desktops, especially if the desktop is being used for the Internet or software programs. The other benefit to using laptop over a desktop is that it is portable, so it can be taken anywhere!
Try not to set the heat very high in your home unless it’s an absolute must. If your home is cold, wear warmer clothing, like a sweatshirt and sweatpants. High levels of heat use too much energy.
Biofuels can be used to heat your home. Oil, wood and animal or vegetable fats are used to make this fuel. If you have a propane furnace, you may be able to have a professional retrofit your furnace to work with biofuel blend. Your fuel choices are likely to be between 20 and 99 percent biofuel. Schedule a consultation with a professional prior to making the switch to biofuels in your home.
If you really want to take a bit out of your fuel consumption, try making more extensive use of carpools, even to destinations other than the office. If you are a parent, set up a neighborhood carpool and take turns with the other parents. If you have family or friends close to you, you could also plan your grocery trips together and share the driving responsibilities.
As you should now see, updating your home with green technology isn’t necessarily going to break the bank. Saving energy is just a matter of making a few minor changes to how you live. Keep these tips in mind, apply them and let your friends know about your good resolutions so that you can all assist the environment.
