Have you been wanting you go green but are not sure how to go about it? Perhaps you thought it was too difficult or expensive? Don’t think about the past; read this article and change your home to how you’d really like it.
Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Both natural gas and electricity are inefficient heating methods, while solar water heaters use the sun to constantly heat your water. Although some of these systems cost more initially, many qualify for tax credits or deductions.
Shading windows from sunlight whelps to save energy. Closing your blinds and curtains will keep out the sun in summer and keep heat from escaping in winter. If you do both of these it will cool your house down so you won’t have to use as much air conditioning in the summer. You will save both energy and money.
The government has grants available to those who are willing to invest in alternative renewable energies. Check with the local government and find out about any possible programs you may be eligible for. You can qualify for installation of solar power at little to no cost.
Do you live on a farm? If you own a farm, consider installing an energy turbine on your property, or renting land to a utility company for that purpose. You will benefit from the wind turbine’s free energy and it will take up minimal space.
Do things like wash your clothes inside some cold water, if you can. Almost 90% of the power you use to do laundry is simply used to heat the water. Cold water will do the job just as well; all you need is an effective clothes washing detergent. Don’t forget to only wash clothes when you have a full load s you are as efficient with your energy as possible!
Window Coverings
When you are away from home, use window coverings. This will keep the house cool and reduce energy costs. Typically windows on the southern side of the home receive the most sun. Therefore, it is especially important to use heavy window coverings on these windows.
Find out more about the different energy solutions in your community. Compare the costs of operating your home using several of these utilities, making sure to take into consideration any legislation with regard to energy costs that has recently been passed. You may find that natural gas will be better for your home than electric, or that well water is an available alternative to city water.
Try drying your laundry outside in the sun whenever possible, rather than using a dryer. In addition to the energy savings, you clothes will smell incredible. Laundry will smell fresher and cleaner, much more so than when they were in the dryer. You can save a significant amount on your utility bills, too, because the dryer uses energy and heats up the air, causing the air conditioner to run more often.
When you are not using something, turn it off. When you leave a room, take the time to turn off lights, the tv or the computer. Use a power strip for your home electronics, and turn it off when you aren’t using the equipment. If something is left in standby mode, it is still wasting power.
Solar Power
Try to learn about passive and active solar power. Activer solar power lets stored energy be used later, while passive power doesn’t require expensive storage cells. Active solar powers requires solar panels that need installations as well as mechanical systems and cells. Passive energy is about using windows and insulation to keep your home warm and well-lit.
Don’t turn your heat up too far in the home, unless you need to. If you’re chilly, add a layer of clothing, such as a sweatshirt and some sweatpants. Having your heat turned up too high will consume a great deal of unnecessary energy.
Keep track of how many watts you’re using. Use great gadgets such as the Kill-A-Watt or the Watt Minder to find out which fixtures and appliances use up the most energy. Plug your appliance or gadget into the watt-checking device, and it will tell you how much the unit consumes in energy in one hour, month or year. You can learn how much your appliances are costing you.
When you exit a room, turn off the lights. 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 will also save on your electric bill.
Switch your toilets to one of the newer, water-saving varieties. You can save a lot of water from being flushed away if you upgrade to an energy efficient model. An older model toilet uses a lot more water than a water-saving one, 5 gallons versus 1.6 gallons, almost 70 percent more.
A great green energy device is the on-demand water heater. Traditional water heaters heat water all day long, even when hot water is not needed; this wastes energy. On-demand heaters only heat water when necessary, which greatly reduces energy costs.
You can use ceiling fans in the winter. They can be used to push the warmer air away from the ceiling when you put them in clockwise rotation. This will reduce the amount of time you need to run the furnace. This will save energy so that makes running the fans worth it.
So exactly what changes do you need to make in order to make your home a greener one? This article provides many tips and solutions, so you can begin using green energy in your life today. You will love the results you get from going green. They will exceed your wildest hopes.
