Green energy technology benefits your home as well as the environment. You can make simple changes inside your household in order to go green, and make your home more energy efficient. This will greatly reduce your energy costs. Use the tips from this article to help you conserve energy and be green in your home.
If you are considering purchasing outdoor lighting look into solar lamps. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. This will save significant energy. It means you don’t have to wire up outdoor lights.
One way to help conserve energy is to use window treatment to block sunlight. You can do this by putting up blinds or curtains. Doing these things will let you use less air conditioning in the summer. By blocking the sun’s rays, you will save energy and money.
If possible, use cold water in your clothes washer. When you heat up water, you consume much more energy as opposed to using colder water. Washing your clothing in cold water will get them just as clean as washing them in hot water if you have a good laundry detergent. In addition, remember that a washing machine will be most energy efficient when it is full.
Save money and energy by only running your dishwasher with a full load of dishes. The machine should not be used when only a few dishes need to be washed. The amount of dishes that can be placed in a washer is astounding. Align the dishes so several can fit inside.
Don’t leave anything on that you aren’t using. Turn off lights, televisions and computers if you leave a room and have no plans to return. Connect your home electronics to a power strip and unplug it when they are not in use. Phantom power draws from electronics in standby mode is a big problem.
Solar energy is a great way to get hot water at a low cost. Consider a solar water heater. It is possible to chose between direct and indirect circulation systems. Indirect systems are the best option for those who have frozen pipes during the winter.
You can save on your energy bill by dressing warmly. 2 degrees of warmth is added by wearing a light sweater, and 4 degrees with a heavy one. You don’t need to dress lightly inside, so wear a sweater!
If you don’t know what changes to make, consider having a heating expert or plumber come to your home and give you a list of changes you can make to cut your energy costs. These professionals can explain how efficient your systems are, and how much it will probably cost to change or replace them.
Try to get your mail, like bills, sent to you through email. Don’t use paper whenever you can afford to do so. This doesn’t only help you communicate and save electricity, it will lower your bills as well. In addition, it also protects the environment.
Use LED lights on your Christmas tree or when decorating your home for Christmas. According to one study done by the DOE, the United States could save more than 2 billion hours of power, simply by having everyone make this change. The Department of Energy says that if everyone did this, the country would conserve more than 2 billion kilowatt power hours. That’s a large amount of electricity–it would power 200,000 homes over the course of the year. At least you will be saving money on your power bill.
Switch out an old boiler. Previously, boilers were no made to be energy efficient; however, now they are. Newer boilers produce far less carbon dioxide and reduce energy bills.
A water heater that provides hot water on demand is a wonderful appliance for green energy. The older models are constantly running, which ends up wasting energy. On-demand heaters only heat water when necessary, which greatly reduces energy costs.
Investing more money up front in green energy appliances will pay off by saving you money over time. Although green technology is a bit more expensive, it quickly pays for itself in lower bills. It will also have a positive impact on the environment.
Energy Star
Look for appliances with the Energy Star label to find the most energy efficient appliances. ENERGY STAR appliances meet guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. ENERGY STAR products are useful for tax credits.
It is a good idea to check the seal of your fridge and freezer frequently to avoid wasting energy. Seals that are broken can cause your appliances to run more than they normally would require. This will waste energy and your money! To test the seal, put paper in the crack of your door and test how easily it slides out. If it slides out easily, it is time to replace your seal.
You can shave a significant amount from your utility bills by installing a programmable thermostat. These thermostats can be programmed with your own preferred settings to regulate the air temperature in your home year-round. They can also be programmed for different temperatures based on whether it’s night or day.
Water heaters take up a lot of energy, so simply by lowering the temperature to around 120 degrees can save a lot of money. This can cut your monthly electric bill by up to 10 percent for a four person family.
Ice Makers
People who want to save energy should create their own ice. Automatic ice makers tend to use more energy than necessary, and they malfunction frequently. Ice makers generally increase the temperature in your freezer if they develop a leaky seal. By making ice the old fashioned way, you can save yourself money and energy.
As said previously in this article, going green doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming! You can save a lot of money in utility costs by just making a couple changes. This article has tips that are perfect for positively impacting the environment so share them.
