There are quite a few ways to use energy that’s green in your house, and you’ll be surprised at how easy and cost effective they are to use. This article provides you with the information needed to make your own home more green.
Solar powered outdoor lighting is a wonderful enhancement to your outdoor living areas. Solar-powered lamps are usually inexpensive, and they don’t need any power source besides the sun. You will not only reduce the energy you use. It also ensures that there is no need to wire lights outdoor.
Solar Panels
Install solar panels and reap the benefits easily. 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.
If you have a farm try some energy saving alternatives. If you have a lot of land, energy companies will pay you for the right to set up a wind turbine on it. The wind turbine will provide free energy without taking up much room. Your neighbors will also benefit from this energy source.
Consider installing a solar water heating system. If freezing temperatures are never a concern in your area, consider a system that circulates water through solar heaters before sending it into your house. It’s a good idea to use a supplemental water heater, however, if you cannot count on constant sunshine or if your hot water consumption is high.
As you plan for a solar energy array, use winter time sunshine hours to calculate from. This prevents unpleasant surprises in the winter, and it saves money during the summer. If you generate excess energy during the summer, with the right plan, your utility company will send you a check!
Air flow is better controlled in home that has stormed doors and windows installed. The cold air which comes in from drafts can be reduced with proper care for doors and windows. Homes equipped with storm windows and doors can see an increase in energy efficiency of up to 45 percent.
Use electric heaters minimally 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. Also, it has been shown that people sleep better in cooler temperatures.
Active 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. To use active power it requires mechanical systems, solar panels and cells. Passive power uses the sun for thermal energy in the home.
If you don’t know about investing a lot into green energy in your home, hire pros, such as heating experts and plumbers, to give you an assessment of your current systems. These professionals can explain how efficient your systems are, and how much it will probably cost to change or replace them.
Try receiving as much messaging as you can via email. Live a paperless lifestyle whenever possible. This kills two birds with one stone: you save energy and encourage businesses with whom you correspond to do so, as well. In addition, going paperless helps the environment, something that everyone benefits from.
Keep an eye on how many watts of electricity you use. Use gadgets like the Watt Minder and the Kill-A-Watt so that you can discover what uses the most energy. Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, a month, or a year. This way, you will know how much that appliance costs you, and you can adjust your usage or settings accordingly.
Create reminders for yourself in order to stay focused on your energy efficiency goals. Try to check your utility bill occasionally in order to see the progress you are making. Just thinking more about your energy usage will help you to change habits that lead you to over-use energy. So when you make true conscious efforts to reduce your electrical or water usage you make up a good habit of turning off appliances or lights which in turn helps your bill and the environment.
Try and invest in LED lights when you decide to decorate your home for any holiday season. Research has shown that in the United States alone, more than two billion kilowatt hours worth of power could be saved if everyone made this transition. A study by the Department of Energy needs everyone to make this change. That is enough electricity to power 200 thousand homes for a whole year. At least you will be saving money on your power bill.
Energy Star
Replace your old appliances for newer ones that have an Energy Star rating. This is your guarantee that your new appliances will use less energy, and therefore cost you less to run. The amount of energy saved varies by appliances; you can save a lot of energy on your washing machine, refrigerator and dishwasher use if you switch to Energy Star appliances.
Try a water-saving commode in your bathroom. You can save a lot of water from being flushed away if you upgrade to an energy efficient model. Older models of toilets can have a capacity of 5 gallons. That is 5 gallons of wasted water per flush. New water saving models use closer to a gallon and a half of water per flush. This can save 70 percent of the water you used previously.
Replace your windows with more energy-efficient ones. These windows reduce energy costs, makes your home quieter, releases less carbon dioxide, and your windows will acquire less condensation.
It is a good idea to check the seal of your fridge and freezer frequently to avoid wasting energy. Broken seals let the cold or hot air escape from your oven and fridge, wasting that energy and costing you money. A good seal test involves placing a piece of paper in the door of the fridge or freezer and see how easily it slides out.
Everything you’ve read here is easy to get started with, so make sure you take the initiative and put them to use. Taking the time to green your energy will give you peace of mind, so make the changes today to enjoy the rewards, tomorrow!
