Maintaining green energy in the home is one of the best ways to ensure that the environment is being protected, while cutting energy costs. You do not have to purchase a car that is electric in order to make this work! The following article contains commonsense strategies you can use to “green” your home right now, even if you’re poor.
If you heat your home with fuel oil, inquire about switching over to biodiesel. Many systems allow a switch to biodiesel or biofuel with slight modifications. Bio-diesel is more efficient and burns cleaner than conventional petroleum, which in turn, reduces the environmental impact from your home during the winter.
Turn it off. Turn it off. Turn it off. For example, if you are not in a certain room, turn off the lights, TV or computer. You can save a lot of money on energy by investing into a new power strip for all of your electronics and turning it off when those electronics aren’t in use.
When using a dishwasher to do the dishes, don’t let it run unless it’s all the way full. A half load uses the exact same amount of water and energy as a full one. Run your dishwasher using the energy-saving mode so that you can air-dry dishes and save energy.
When you consider solar heat for your home calculate potential hours of sunshine for energy generation during the winter months. You will avoid unpleasant surprises during winter, and you will also ensure your energy needs are met in summer. Combining this method with a net utilities plan will mean getting back money from the electric company during the summer, too.
Keep your refrigerator properly maintained. Your fridge consumes a ton of energy, so make sure it’s in good shape. Keep heating coils dust free. It’s important to check that the seal is tight and clean around the refrigerator door.
Upgrading your water heater to a tankless style saves a lot of energy. Tankless heaters require less energy to heat water, as they only heat it as needed. You can purchase tankless water heaters that are small enough to heat one faucet, or large enough to heat your entire house.
Pay attention to federal and local rebates associated with renewable energy for your house. In some situations, your local utility company may provide rebates to offset some of the cost of such upgrades. Also, you will find that you can get a tax deduction or a credit from the federal or state government. These credits and rebates can cut costs greatly when installing green technology in your dwelling.
Energy Star
Trade in your old major appliances for new ones with the Energy Star rating. This rating ensures that the appliance was built to use less energy than the other non Energy Star products. Energy Star ratings promise 40% less energy for dishwashers and 50% less for washing machines.
When you cook at home, use a microwave as much as you can. Any time you use the oven or stove, you’re using a lot of energy. Any time you could perform a task in the microwave without altering the results, such as boiling water, do so. You can conserve a significant amount of energy this way.
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, of course, save a lot of money on your energy bill, as well.
Even though people know better, they often forget to turn off unused appliances, lights and computer equipment. If you do this every day, your energy bills will plummet. Before doing something, be sure to remember to turn these things off.
Turn your thermostat to 60 when you are away from home and also at bedtime. At this temperature, your home will use as little energy as possible. You can save money on your utility bills by reducing your energy consumption in this way.
Solar Panels
The addition of solar panels on your home will make your home greener. Adding solar panels won’t require a big investment in the beginning, and the savings will be quite significant down the road. Once you have the solar panels hooked up to your home’s energy system, your solar energy will be free, and can even earn you money if you sell the surplus to your local energy company.
Using light bulbs that are energy-efficient, or cleaning your furnace filter, are great ways to save energy. Set forth a good example for the members of your family, and this will teach others to go green as well. Remember to start implementing these tips today.
