Making the switch to green energy has many home and environmental benefits. Simple modifications at home will increase your energy efficiency and save you money on your utility bills. Keep reading to discover some simple ways to conserve energy in the home.
Replace and clean furnace filters yearly, and check them monthly. It’s a good call to add filters to warm air registers. This not only helps keep debris (and kids’ toys) from entering heating ducts, which reduces efficiency.
Take the time to clean or replace your furnace every season. Monthly checks will assure your furnace never has to work hard. Install filters for your warm-air registers, too. These filters keep debris or toys from entering the duct-work, which could reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system.
If you aren’t home, use a window covering. The result will be a cooler house because the window’s admit less heat. Usually, the windows facing the south get more sun because of where they are in the house. Try using coverings on all of the windows, such as dark curtains, roman shades, or some roller shades.
Do your laundry using cold water, if you can. Almost all of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water. If you are using good quality washing detergent, cold water is effective. Also, don’t wash your clothes until you can completely fill the washer, as this saves energy over time.
Think about heating your water with solar water heaters. 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. Don’t get rid of your conventional water heater though; you may need it if it’s cloudy when you’re ready to use hot water.
Try drying your laundry outside in the sun whenever possible, rather than using a dryer. The sun can dry clothes quickly without using any power, with the added benefit of making your clothes smell extra-fresh. They’ll smell so much better than if you shoved them into a dryer! You will also be saving money on your utility bills.
Make use of your dishwasher only when you have a full load in order to save energy and money. Don’t run it with only two or three dishes inside. A dishwasher can surprisingly hold a lot of dishes. Just make sure to align the dishes in an orderly manner to maximize the available space.
If you are planning a solar system for your home, be sure to calculate your potential energy production using the amount of sun to expect in the cloudiest month. Using this metric means you will meet your energy needs in the winter, while greatly exceeding them in the summer. Net usage plans let you receive money for generated energy!
When you are not using something, turn it off. Upon leaving a room, turn off such things as the lights, computer, television or entertainment center. The easiest way to do this is to plug everything into a power strip and then just switch that power strip to the off position whenever you need to.
Air flow is controlled best in homes with storm windows and doors. Storm doors and windows decrease cold air from drafts. Energy efficiency increases by 45% in houses that contain stormed windows and doors, which could save you lots of money when it comes to electricity.
Using the sun to heat your water is very cost effective. Check into investing in a water system that is solar-powered. There are direct circulation systems and also direct ones. If you have been plagued by frozen or broken pipes in the past, an indirect one could be for you.
Use a model which is tankless and more green instead of a tank style heater. Even though these green versions of water heaters still use electricity or gas, they only need it to warm the water you’re using instead of heating it at all times. There are tankless heaters designed to not only provide one area with hot water, but also to heat entire houses.
If you are planning a solar system for your home, be sure to calculate your potential energy production using the amount of sun to expect in the cloudiest month. This prevents any unanticipated effects from a winter months, and it keeps you ahead of the game for summer months. However, you should also include any refunds you will get from your utility company for excess energy generated in summer!
Try not putting the temperature up too much, as it may be unnecessary. When the temperature drops, reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat. Having the heat up high wastes a lot of energy.
The power-storing batteries of your solar system should be installed close to the cells. Power is less likely to be lost in cables this way. This can reduce chances of cables shading cells and reducing capabilities.
If you’re one of many who wants to live an environmentally friendly life, there’s plenty you can do. While you might not have much money to spend on going green, you can begin by cleaning up furnace filters every month and set the heat to 60 degrees when you aren’t home. You can also help reduce energy usage by reducing the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees. Every little thing you can do will help.
If you are really committed to going green, one way to do so is to limit how often you use your electric heater in winter. Instead, make sure each member of your family has sweaters, robes and slippers, and heat your living areas with a pellet stove or fireplace. It is better to sleep in cooler air, it helps you breathe, and keeps your airways moist.
Share rides with others in your neighborhood to greatly reduce your fuel usage. If you have children that you take to school or sporting activities, try setting up a carpool with other parents, and trade off the days you will drive. Plan your shopping days to correspond with those of your friends. That way you can share a vehicle and the costs of fuel.
Dressing in warm attire can be a great way to cut energy costs while embracing green energy. If you put on a light sweater, you’ll be two degrees warmer, while a heavy sweater will make you four degrees warmer. It’s not necessary to wear so little at home, so out on a sweatshirt and save some cash!
Considering the purchase of a new boiler could save you money in the long run. Old boilers were created without considering energy consumption, and new boilers are more efficient. Newer boilers help by producing less carbon dioxide as well as cut down the cost of your energy bill.
Learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Active power is stored for use at a later time, passive does not require expensive cells to store the power. Active power needs solar panels installed, cells, and mechanical systems. Passive power, instead, just stores the energy gotten from the sun inside your home.
Although turning off lights or electrical equipment that is not being used seems like an obvious change to make, many people don’t remember to do this. If everyone did this on a regular basis, an enormous amount of energy could be saved. Make a conscious effort to ensure your lights and appliances are switched off when not being used.
Use LED lights on the holidays to save electricity. A U.S. Department of Energy study shows that people waste a lot of energy on traditional Christmas lights. A study by the Department of Energy needs everyone to make this change. That’s a large amount of electricity–it would power 200,000 homes over the course of the year. You can save money on your electric bill.
Heat each room separately to save heating costs. The best method for doing this is by getting a heating solution for your floor that gives you the opportunity to monitor many different areas of your home and choose specific temperatures. Choose this type of solution if you own a large home.
Replace any leaky windows with weather-sealed efficient ones. The benefits to new windows will be seen in lower energy bills, less outside noise, less carbon dioxide, and less condensation on the windows.
A good energy-saver is to check frequently for broken seals on your refrigerator. Your refrigerator needs more energy to maintain its temperature if the seal is broken. This wastes energy and raises your energy bills. Test how well your seal works by placing a piece of paper in the door, shutting it, and seeing if the paper slides out easily.
Appliances with the Energy Star certification bear a distinctive logo that makes them easy to identify. The ENERGY STAR seal indicates appliances that meet the guidelines which have been established by the U.S. Department of Energy in addition to the Environmental Protection Agency. You can get a tax rebate from these type of items, as well.
Use your ceiling fan in the winter. Change to the winter clockwise rotation to return the warm air down towards the room and put less stress on your heater. This will save energy so that makes running the fans worth it.
Heat rooms separately. Get yourself a floor heating system that has one main board that lets you review all areas, and choose specific temperatures for each one. So if you have a larger home then this is a great solution to keeping it warm while saving energy at the same time.
You could save money when it comes to you electricity bill by making use of a programmable thermostat at home. With their pre-programmed settings, these thermostats are capable of regulating the temperature within your home during both the winter and summer months. Depending on your preferences, you could also set it to change temperatures for day or night.
Prioritize your efforts to go green by moving light usage to the top of your list. During months that are sunnier, don’t use your lights until later in the evening. Install dimmers so you can reduce the amount of light being used. It is also a good idea to use sensors or timers to make sure that excess lights are not left burning after a room is empty.
Put your freezer and refrigerator in a cool area of the house to save energy. They should be kept out of sunlight as well as away from heating vents. Heat from any source will cause these appliances to run longer.
Cut green energy technology costs by asking for them! You not only have the right to insist on having access to technology that is environmentally friendly, but the power to make companies listen to your demands. The more you and others purchase these products, they more that they will be produced and prices will be lowered. A lot of manufacturers will try and make it profitable for you to purchase items that are in demand.
If you lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees you can save money and be green together. This way, you can save up to ten percent on your energy bill for a four-person family. You will still get enough hot water and it will be safer for children as well.
On your quest to live more green, you can start by doing simple things like changing out old light bulbs to more energy efficient ones. Several small projects that you can easily do yourself can add up to saving a lot of energy, with the bonus of saving money on your utility bills. To begin, select a small project and expand from there.
As you should now see, updating your home with green technology isn’t necessarily going to break the bank. Often, a few small changes can make big differences to your electricity costs. Apply the tips laid out here and share them, so you can start to see improvements to the environment.
A programmable thermostat is a wonderful tool for green energy. Programmable models allow you to automatically set the temperature for times when you are away from home or sleeping, so you are not needlessly heating or cooling an empty home. The newer devices permit programs to be used so you can start and stop power at various times throughout the day.
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