Going green doesn’t have to be hard on your wallet, nor be time-consuming. There are a few simple changes you can make to your home that will drastically reduce your utility bills while helping the environment. Keep reading to discover how green energy can be used for your advantage, as well as making a permanent positive impact on the environment.
Check whether your furnace filters need to be replaced each month. Make sure that you actually replace these filters at least once each year. It’s a good call to add filters to warm air registers. Having filters prevents debris from building up inside your heating ducts, which would hinder the energy efficiency of your heating system.
Use cold water in your washing machine. Almost 90 percent of energy consumed by washing machines is used when heating the water. If your laundry detergent is a high quality brand, the use of cold water won’t affect the cleanliness of your clothing. Also, don’t wash your clothes until you can completely fill the washer, as this saves energy over time.
Check with a technician and see if switching to biodiesel for your home instead of fuel oil is a viable option for you. There are many systems that can switch to biodiesel with needing significant modification. Bio-diesel is more efficient and burns cleaner than conventional petroleum, which in turn, reduces the environmental impact from your home during the winter.
Keep drapes drawn when you are not home. This simple act blocks the sun from entering and heating your house in the summer, while in the winter, it keeps the heat from escaping through drafty windows. Windows that face south tend to get more sun due to their orientation. Install window coverings like heavy curtains, drapes, roman or roller shades, or blinds on all windows.
Solar water heaters are a great option for your home. Using a solar water heater to warm your water with the energy of the sun works to save money and energy. You should still retain traditional water heaters for backup when the sun doesn’t show, or if you use a lot of heated water.
During the summer time, you should consider drying your clothes using the sun as opposed to using the dryer. The sun can give clothing an incredible smell. Sun-drying clothes gives them a fresh smell. Additionally, you will end up saving lots of money each month on utility bills.
Make sure when you aren’t using something to turn it off. When you leave any room, turn off lights, tvs, computers or any other electrical devices. A power strip offers a handy way to shut down multiple devices at once, and it prevents passive electrical use due to standby modes.
Solar hot water heaters are an excellent way to have lower costs on your hot water energy use. Purchase a solar water heating system. Research the benefits of an indirect versus direct circulation system. Most individuals will find the indirect option to be their best choice, as this option has methods in place to alleviate the problem of pipes freezing in the coldest months of winter.
Use electric heating sparingly in the winter. A fireplace for the living area, wearing warmer clothing and purchasing some slippers are all greener ways of keeping the family warm. You want to remember that sleeping in cooler air is better for your breathing, and it also prevents the airways from becoming dry.
Dressing warmly can help you reduce energy and go green. A thin sweater will provide you with two degrees of additional heat, while a heavier item will add four. It is unnecessary to dress scantily at home, so pick up a sweater and save some money!
Solar Power
Learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Passive solar power doesn’t need expensive cells in order to store power, although active is stored for later use. To use active power, you must install mechanical systems, cells and solar panels. While passive simply uses the sun in storing thermal energy in your walls in order to heat your house.
Think about baking with a solar oven. A solar oven is very easy to make. All you need is a window, a piece of foil and a sturdy box. These ovens can reach temperatures of over 300 degrees, and use no outside energy other than the sun. They can be made in minutes.
Try using LED lights as opposed to conventional ones for the next holiday season. A US study shows The Department of Energy says that if everyone did this, the country would conserve more than 2 billion kilowatt power hours. That amount of electricity could power 200,000 homes for an entire year. Even if you don’t care about those big numbers, you should care that you can personally save money by going green.
A great way to save energy is to switch your boiler. Boilers that are more than a few years old were not made to conserve energy, while many modern boilers are quite efficient. New boilers create less carbon dioxide, keep you healthier, and save you money.
While many people do not see global warming as a threat, everyone can benefit from indoor green energy. By making a couple small changes like turning off lights when not needed, can really help save you lots of money on your electric bill.
