Great Advice For Someone Seeking Information About Green Energy Technology
You may have heard of individuals that talk about using green technology, and you are not sure of what they are talking about. This article can help you learn more about green energy’s benefits. Keep reading to find out what you can do to bring green energy into your home.
Wear natural fabrics instead of using the air conditioning in the summer. Natural materials like cotton repel moisture from your skin and allow it to stay cool. Wear light colors because these will make you warmer and it will be less likely for you to use artificial cold air.
You will find that it’s easy to get solar panels and they’re a great way to get energy for your home. However, before you do this, there are a few things that you need to take care of. A major factor in choosing if you can use a solar system is the amount of sunlight your home receives on average. If you home is under a lot of shade, or in an area where you do not have a lot of sunny days, the power gained from your solar unit will not be very significant.
Check with a technician and see if switching to biodiesel for your home instead of fuel oil is a viable option for you. Some current systems can use forms of biodiesel without the need for modifications. Biodiesel is a better fuel because it has a cleaner burn and is more efficient.
Maintain your furnace to save energy. Replace filters annually and clean them once a month. Adding filters to your warm-air registers is not a bad idea, either. Doing so will prevent debris in heating ducts and it reduces energy.
Use window treatments to shade the inside of your home when you aren’t home. Your house will stay cool and you won’t use as much energy this way. Generally, the south-facing windows get the most sun because of their position. Make sure that all the windows are covered with dark curtains, blinds, roman shades, or whatever shade you choose.
If you use oil to heat your home, see if biofuel can be used instead. A lot of existing systems can change to some bio-diesel utilization without modifications or using any extra parts. Biodiesel burns cleaner and more efficiently than conventional petroleum, reducing your home’s environmental impact during the winter.
A solar water heater may be a viable option in your home. If you live in a region that is not at risk for freezing, it is possible to install a system that pumps water into a solar heater, then pumps it into your house. However, it’s best to keep a traditional heater for times when you need a lot of heated water, or if the sun does not come out.
Use drapes or curtains in your windows for 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. Usually the windows that face south tend to get more sun exposure. Make sure that all the windows are covered with dark curtains, blinds, roman shades, or whatever shade you choose.
Turn off electrical items whenever you aren’t using them. When you are ready to leave a room, go around and turn off appliances such as computers, televisions, and most importantly, the overhead light. Power strips are handy, because you can turn a number of devices off with the flip of one switch.
Consider installing a solar water heating system. Using a solar water heater to warm your water with the energy of the sun works to save money and energy. Yet make sure that you also have a regular water heater as well just in case the sun decides to not come out for awhile.
If you clean your dishes using a dishwasher, do not operate before it fills up. The energy used is the same whether you are washing a small load of dishes, or one that is larger. When you do run the dishwasher, make sure to use the energy saving setting, which will allow your dishes to air-dry.
If you clean your dishes using a dishwasher, do not operate before it fills up. Dishwashers consume a similar amount of water and electricity regardless of whether it contains one dish or 20. Make sure you are using the energy saving settings on your dishwasher that will air-dry your dishes.
Using the sun to heat your water is very cost effective. Purchase a hot water system that uses solar energy. There are systems available that circulate the heat both directly and indirectly. For colder regions,indirect is a better option.
When you consider solar heat for your home calculate potential hours of sunshine for energy generation during the winter months. This will ensure that you are not caught short during winter, and you have excess during the summer. If you generate excess energy during the summer, with the right plan, your utility company will send you a check!
When implementing a solar energy system, put the batteries as close to the cells as possible. Power is less likely to be lost in cables this way. This also prevents long cables from casting shadows over the PV cells.
When implementing a solar energy system, put the batteries as close to the cells as possible. By doing so, energy loss through the cable is reduced. It also reduces the chances of the cable shading the cells and reducing their generation capability.
Storm doors and windows offer better air flow in the home. Storm’s windows and doors cut down on the cold air that drafts can let in. Energy efficiency improves by 45% when storm doors and windows are implemented, which are big energy savers.
Replace a water heater that is tank-style, with a model that is green and has no tank. Tankless water heaters do require energy for operation, but since they heat water on demand, power is not wasted by keeping a full tank hot 24/7. There are tankless heaters designed to not only provide one area with hot water, but also to heat entire houses.
Use electric heaters minimally in the winter. Instead, wear multiple layers, slippers and socks, or even consider investing in a stove or fireplace. Also, it has been shown that people sleep better in cool environments.
Passive Solar Power
Look around for ways to “go green;” if you want to help conserve natural resources, there are many options available. You might not have the money to invest in a solar panel array, but you can commit to cleaning your furnace filters once per month and setting your thermostat to 60 degrees while you are out. Lowering the temperature of the water heater to 120 degrees will save you money too. No matter how small, everything helps!
When looking at solar power, know the difference between passive solar power and active. Active solar power is stored so it can be used later, but passive doesn’t need pricey solar panel cells to store power. Active systems are what you would normally think of when you think of solar–PV cells, mechanical parts, and storage devices. Passive solar power uses the heat of the sun to hold thermal energy within your home.
Use LED lights on the holidays to save electricity. According to research by the United States The United States Department of Energy states over 2 billion hours of kilowatt power could by saved by a nationwide change. To put this in perspective, that amount of power could supply the energy needs of 200000 homes for a whole year. But for your own part, this is a great way to cut that power bill down.
Hopefully, you’ve learned something from this article that can help you use green energy technology to make your home more energy efficient. By incorporating the tips and techniques of this article, you too can begin using green energy. Both your wallet and the environment will thank you when you use this type of technology.
Save money and fuel by carpooling for errands as well as work and school. Carpooling with other neighborhood parents to transport children back and forth to school not only saves you time, it sames you money. Those who live close to friends or family can go grocery shopping together.
