Environmental maintenance has become an important issue today. Using green energy around your home is just one of the ways that you can care for your environment and save money. Read on for good information about utilizing green energy resources at home.
When designing outdoor lighting for your patio or garden path, consider solar-powered lamps. These lamps aren’t very expensive and can save you on power bills because they’re powered by the sun. This will save a lot of energy. It also ensures that there is no need to wire lights outdoor.
Lower heating costs with solar heating systems for your pools or hot tubs. This is also a very efficient way to heat water and keep it at the proper temperature. While many of these upgrades have high up-front costs, they may qualify for tax credits or other rebates.
There are government grants available to help people invest in green energy. Check with the local government and see what programs are available to you. It may be possible for you to get wind or solar installation for free, or you may be able to get a deductions on your taxes.
Unplug your chargers when they aren’t being used to charge your devices. Your charger still uses energy while it’s plugged in, even if it isn’t charging anything.
Do you have a farm? Farms are the perfect place to put a wind turbine. If you don’t have a farm, you might be able to rent from someone. Not only will the turbine use minimal land, it can provide you with free energy.
Use cold water for laundry, whenever you can. When you heat up water, you consume much more energy as opposed to using colder water. Provided you are using the right laundry detergent, you will not see a cleanliness difference by washing in cold water. Furthermore, remember to always wash a full load, as this is more energy efficient.
Consider solar water heaters to make your home more energy efficient. If you live in a region that is not at risk for freezing, it is possible to install a system that pumps water into a solar heater, then pumps it into your house. Having a conventional heater as a back up if you expect a surge in hot water use can be wise.
Do some research to gain information on the energy sources available to your area. Check to see how much it would cost to run your home with these other utilities, and remember to take into account the government bonuses that are sometimes available. You might be able to save money by switching to well water or natural gas heat.
Turn off appliances you aren’t using. When you exit a room, be sure that everything has been fully turned off. Try using a power strip so you can turn off all of your electronics at once, instead of letting power be wasted in standby mode.
Never run a dishwasher that is partly empty. A half load uses the exact same amount of water and energy as a full one. When you run a dishwasher, use the ‘energy-saver’ setting so dishes can air-dry.
Storm Doors
Homes with storm doors and windows have better airflow than homes without these upgrades. Storm windows and doors prevent cold air drafts filtering into openings. Energy efficiency improves by 45% when storm doors and windows are implemented, which are big energy savers.
Don’t use electric heaters unless you have to during the winter months. You can save electricity by avoiding these devices. Ways to cut down on electricity include wearing warm clothing indoors and using a fireplace to heat your home. Also, it has been shown that people sleep better in cool environments.
Have your friends and business associates contact you via email rather than snail mail. Go paperless with any company that has the option. This kills two birds with one stone: you save energy and encourage businesses with whom you correspond to do so, as well. An added bonus is that everyone benefits by the protection of our environment.
When Christmas or other holidays roll around, try LED decorative lights instead of traditional lights to spruce up your home. Research was performed by the United States. Department of Energy stated that Americans could collectively reduce their energy consumption by over 2 billion kW/h if they all changed over to LED lights. Over 200,000 homes can be powered for a full year with that amount of energy. Your holiday power bill will be smaller too!
Carpool so you can use less fuel. 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.
As you can see, there are many ways to lessen your carbon footprint by making practical changes in the energy efficiency of your home. If all you consider is your own financial gain, you still might find that these options are worth investigating!
