Going Green With Electronics: The Definitive Guide
Have you always wanted to go green, but didn’t know what to do to start the process? Does it seem like it would be a personal or financial hardship to go green? Don’t think about the past; read this article and change your home to how you’d really like it.
People can get government grants to invest in some renewable energies. Talk to your local representative to see if programs operate in your neighborhood. Depending on your local energy programs, you could end up getting a renewable energy system set up for your home for free.
There are government grants available for investing in renewable energy. Check with the local government and see what programs are available to you. Some areas provide rebates for green energy product installation, or provide tax relief as an incentive.
Solar panels that collect solar energy to be used are easy to have installed at your home. However, there are several things to consider before making any decisions. The number one to think about is the amount of sun your home gets. If you live somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine often, or in a shady location, you won’t get as much benefit from solar power.
Are you lucky enough to own a farm? Consider renting out a small space where a power company can place a wind turbine. You and the neighbors can relish in the free energy and installation, if it doesn’t require too much space.
If possible, use cold water in your clothes washer. 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. Only wash when you have a full load of clothes to put in the washer.
Your furnace filters should be cleaned monthly and replaced yearly. If your air intakes and registers do not have filters, take the time to install them. Doing so will prevent debris in heating ducts and it reduces energy.
If you aren’t home, use a window covering. This keeps the interior of your home cooler or warmer, depending on the season, and reduces your energy bill. Usually the windows that face south tend to get more sun exposure. Dark, lined curtains, roman shades or roller shades may be something to consider using on your windows.
Whenever possible, you should use cold water to wash your clothes. Most of the energy used to wash clothes is actually used in heating up the water. As long as the washing detergent you use is reliable, using cold water instead of hot water will wash your clothes just as well. In addition, remember that a washing machine will be most energy efficient when it is full.
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. Even though solar water heaters are useful, it is still necessary to have a normal water heater for periods of extended cloudy weather or unusually high hot water use.
Wait until your dishwasher is full before running it if you want to save energy. It’s sacrilege to turn it on with just one or two dishes inside. A dishwasher can surprisingly hold a lot of dishes. Set up the plates so that you fill it up as much as possible.
During the summer months, hang your clothes outside instead of drying them in the dryer. Your clothing will have a great smell from the sun. Your clothes will smell fresher when dried naturally rather than in the dryer. You will also save money on utility bills by doing this.
A good benchmark to use when determining how much power a new solar system is likely to generate is the number of hours of sunlight in the winter. This prevents any unanticipated effects from a winter months, and it keeps you ahead of the game for summer months. And even more exciting, on some plans, you can receive money from utility companies if you use less energy than you generate.
When not using things, turn them off. Upon leaving a particular room, remember to turn of the lights, television, computer or even the entertainment center. Use power strips for your electronics, and make sure to turn it of when you are not using it. If it is in standby it’s still wasting power.
Storm Windows
Storm doors and windows can make air flow in the home better. Storm windows and storm doors reduce the amount of cold air entering the home in the form of drafts. Storm windows and doors boosts energy efficiency as much as 45%, which can cut electricity costs.
When a home has windows and doors stormed air flow is actually better in that household. This is because storm windows and doors prevent drafts, which means less cold air enters the home. Energy efficiency can be increased up to 45% in a home with storm windows and doors.
Replace your water heater and get a tankless model. Although tankless heaters require electricity or gas to heat water, they only do this on the amount you need as opposed to storing it in a large tank that is kept hot all the time. Tankless heaters can be acquired in models that could give the whole house or even just a single water faucet with water that is hot.
Use a green and tankless model as opposed to a tank-style water heater. Tankless versions still need electricity or gas to heat water, but they are more effective in heating solely the water necessary instead of a huge tank of water constantly. Tankless heaters can supply the entire home or certain faucets.
If you aren’t sold on making a large green energy investment at home, then bring in a professional heating expert or plumber to take a look at your existing systems. They’ll tell you the amount you’re losing due to inefficiency, and they will provide estimates on the cost to upgrade.
Wearing warmer clothes helps slash energy costs as you go green. A sweater that is heavy adds 4 more degrees of warmth, and a lighter sweater adds 2 degrees. Since it is pointless to wear very little clothing while indoors, you might as well wear a sweater.
Consider using a solar over when you wish to bake. Common items, such as a heavy cardboard box, some shiny foil and an old window are all that you need. These ovens are no slouches. They can be heated up to 300 degrees, consume no energy, and are simple to construct.
Convert your home into a more efficient place by investing into energy saving products. Installing efficient windows and doors, window coverings, and insulation are just some of the ways to save big. Using this type of product will cut down on heating and cooling energy costs.
Another great idea would be to use bio-fuels for house heating. This type of fuel is made of oils, wood and vegetable or animal fats. If you have a propane furnace a professional may be able to convert your furnace to a bio-fuel furnace. Most furnaces use between 20 to 99% bio-diesel fuels. Professionals should be consulted before any changes are made to your current furnace.
Think of using a laptop computer instead of a desktop model to save on your electricity usage. Laptops use only about one quarter of the power consumption of a full desktop, and is ideal for those that use their computer for surfing the Internet or word processing. An added bonus is the portability of a laptop- you can take it anywhere you go!
For room that are heavily occupied, add motion detecting light sensors. These lights only go off when someone is the room, so you will save money and energy when no one is in the room. Don’t forget to use this with outdoor lighting!
What will it take for you to take advantage of green energy, to improve your home and reduce your energy bill? Hopefully this article has answered your many questions, and it is up to you now to implement the tips and techniques into your own home and life. Once you begin you’ll see results before you know it and be amazed!
A good way to save on energy is to set your heat to 60 degrees while you aren’t home, or at night when you’re asleep. 60 degrees is the target temperature at which your heater will be consuming the least energy. You will decrease energy used and increase money saved.
