You will probably be surprised at the range of options available to make your home greener. The following article will give you advice on how you can use green energy and take advantage of its benefits.
Simply cutting back on the amount of electricity you use on a daily basis can save a lot of energy. If there is an appliance you aren’t using, then unplug it. Make sure you turn off lights and electronic appliances when you do not plan on using them. This is an easy way to save cash as well.
Clean or replace the filters on your furnace once each year, and check once a month to see if they need to be cleaned. It’s a good call to add filters to warm air registers. These filters keep children’s toys, dirt or dust from clogging the heating ducts.
When doing laundry, try to use cold water. Almost 90 percent of the consumed energy while washing your clothes is spent on heating up the water. If your laundry detergent is a high quality brand, the use of cold water won’t affect the cleanliness of your clothing. Additionally, always wash with a full load of laundry, as this helps to lower the amount of energy you use.
When you are away from home, use window coverings. This cools the house and cuts energy costs. Generally, the south-facing windows get the most sun because of their position. When possible, however, cover all of your windows with special shades like roller shades, roman shades or dark, thick curtains.
Take time to make sure to properly maintain the fridge. Refrigerators use a large amount of energy, so they should be taken care of to work their best. Make dusting the coils part of your weekly cleaning routine. Also, ensure that the door seals tightly and that it is clean.
If you want to live greener and have a greener home, avoid running electric heaters during the winter. Buy more warm clothing and use a fireplace to add heat to your home. In addition, this is beneficial to your health, as cooler air keeps your airways from getting too dry, allowing you to breathe easier while sleeping.
Dressing warmly can help you reduce your energy usage. By simply putting on a sweater, you can improve your heated temperature by between 2 to 4 degrees. It’s not necessary to wear so little at home, so out on a sweatshirt and save some cash!
Passive Solar Power
Be sure to learn more about passive and active solar power. Passive solar power doesn’t require the costly power-storage cells that active power does. Active power requires the installation of solar panels, mechanical systems, and cells. Passive solar power, on the other hand, just draws heat from the sun and stores it in your walls for heating purposes.
Decide to receive your correspondence through email by opting out of receiving monthly statements. Specifically, go paperless whenever you can. This will help the businesses you deal with cut down on energy costs, and it will also save you a lot of money on energy costs too. An added bonus is that everyone benefits by the protection of our environment.
Consider using a solar over when you wish to bake. You can create a solar over using common household items, including aluminum foil and a clean box. The oven can heat up to well over 300 degrees using no electricity!
Keep up with your watt usage. Gadgets like the Kill-A-Watt and Watt Minder can help you determine exactly which appliances account for the majority of your energy usage. If you connect an appliance to either of these devices, it can calculate the energy savings you could realize over a given period of time if you switched to green power, from an hour to a year. This lets you know how much it costs to operate an appliance.
You can use all of the knowledge you gained from this article for your benefit, so don’t allow yourself to make excuses again and go green. All it takes is some knowledge and time to get that peace of mind. So make some changes now and you will enjoy your future rewards!
