While it might seem difficult to incorporate green energy into your everyday life, it’s really not that hard. Whether you desire to make simple changes or if you decide to do something big, you will be helping our environment. The next few paragraphs will give you information on green energy sources that might work for you.
If you want to preserve energy, keep your windows so they are shaded from sunlight. You can do this by putting up blinds or curtains. By doing these things, you’ll lower the amount you need to run your air conditioner in the summer, as your home will already be cooler. You will save energy, which will in turn save you substantial money.
Solar panels are easy to install. Before you do this though, you need to think about a few things first. How much sun is your house getting on average? If you home is shaded, the amount of energy collected from solar panels will be greatly reduced.
Take the time to clean or replace your furnace every season. Monthly checks will assure your furnace never has to work hard. Adding filters to your warm-air registers is not a bad idea, either. This will help keep debris from clogging up heating ducts and becoming inoperable.
Be sure to cover your windows with drapes or blinds when not at home. The result will be a cooler house because the window’s admit less heat. Typically, the south facing windows are the ones that get the most amount of sun due to their location. Try using coverings on all of the windows, such as dark curtains, roman shades, or some roller shades.
Hot water can be obtained in a low cost, environmentally friendly manner through solar energy. Upgrade your hot water system to one that’s solar-powered. It is possible to use either a direct or indirect circulation system. The best option for you is the indirect one if you might have frozen pipes.
Electric heaters are an energy hog and should be avoided as much as possible in the winter. They are not environmentally friendly. Dress more warmly when around the house. Wear slippers and a heavy top, and light up your fireplace or pellet stove for increased warmth at low cost. By inhaling cooler air during the sleeping hours, your breathing will be better as your airways are less likely to get dry.
If you can afford it, invest in a laptop rather than using a desktop as they tend to use more energy. Laptops use about 75% less electricity than desktops, especially if the desktop is being used for the Internet or software programs. You can also bring your computer anywhere if you have a laptop.
Look for rebates at the local and federal levels for updating your home to renewable energy sources. In some cases, the local utility company will offer rebates for the cost of the upgrades. 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.
If you are unsure about making big green energy investments in your home, then hire professionals like a plumber or heating expert to come in and give you an overview of your existing systems. They’ll tell you the amount you’re losing due to inefficiency, and they will provide estimates on the cost to upgrade.
Try using LED lights as opposed to conventional ones for the next holiday season. A US study shows The United States Department of Energy states over 2 billion hours of kilowatt power could by saved by a nationwide change. This amount could actually power around 200,000 homes for a whole year. You can save money on your electric bill.
One option available to you for heating your home is biofuels. These fuels use fats, wood or oil to create energy. If you have a propane furnace, a professional can usually make changes that allow you to use this blend of fuels. This would be about 20-99 percent biodiesel. Be sure you discuss any new fuel use in your home with a pro before starting.
Use your microwave whenever you can reasonably use it. Any time you cook something on the stove or in the oven it tends to use up a ton of energy. When you can cook food in your microwave, do it and cut down on your energy usage.
An on-demand (tankless) water heater is very green. Old fashioned water heaters would constantly run, heating water even when it is not needed, and therefore wasting energy. Water heaters that are on-demand, heat water when hot water is needed, and helps save money in energy costs.
You may want to get bamboo items when you’re in the market for something made out of wood. Bamboo is a green alternative to wood products and very strong. Since it grows so quickly, it can cheaply and efficiently be made into all kinds of home goods without damaging the environment. This saves energy on both the production and reclamation ends of the manufacturing process.
A simple way to begin incorporating energy-efficient changes to your home is to get help from your electric company. Most utility companies have an area on their website that will show you your exact energy usage hourly, along with various ways to lower the amount of energy used and lessen your costs. Look into programs that help you buy energy-efficient appliances.
Going green isn’t always so complicated. As you have just read in the above article, there are a lot of simple ways of making your life greener. Start with of few of these simple tips today. It might not take a ton of effort, but using green energy can be a positive change.
