Looking For Information About Green Energy? Start Here!
Nowadays, people are becoming more aware that it is important to protect the environment. An important option that can help to protect the environment and also reduce your costs is the use of green energy sources for your home. In this article, you will find many tips for using green energy in your home or business.
Instead of turning on the air conditioner, wear fabrics made of natural materials. Cotton and other natural fibers, draw the moisture away from your skin, and allow you to stay cooler. Wear lighter colors, as warmer colors make you feel warmer and more likely to put on artificial cold air.
If you plan to purchase lighting for your deck or patio, you should give solar-powered lamps a try. These lamps are very cheap, as they require no external power source, just the sun. This does more than just save energy. It will also save you money by not having to wire the outdoor lights to your home.
The government has set up several incentive programs to help consumers switch to renewable energy sources. Contact your local government for more information of programs near you. You may be eligible for free wind or solar installation, or at the very least be allowed to deduct your costs when you do your taxes.
Cut down on air conditioning by wearing natural fibers in the summer. Moisture-wicking athletic fabrics pull moisture away from your skin, creating a cooling sensation. Choose lighter colors so that you feel cooler and can resist turning up the air conditioning.
Do not use your dishwasher unless it contains a full load of dishes. No matter how many dishes you have in there, it still uses the same level of energy. Try using the energy-saving air-drying setting on your dishwasher.
Solar Panels
Solar energy is a great way to get hot water at a low cost. You can go shopping for a solar system that will heat your water. You can choose from a direct circulation system or an indirect one. For colder regions,indirect is a better option.
Solar panels that collect solar energy to be used are easy to have installed at your home. There are several things that should be considered prior to installing solar panels. One thing to factor into your considerations is the amount of sun your house actually gets over the year. You can’t take as much advantage of solar energy if your house gets a lot of shade rather than sun.
Plan out and calculate your energy consumption rates for your home solar system for the winter months so that you know what you can consumer on a daily basis. This can prevent any nasty surprises during winter, and it can leave you ahead in the summer. If you have a net usage program you will get money returned to you from your utility company for energy generated by you.
Use windows covering for when you’re 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. 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.
Get rid of your old tank-style water heater, and replace it with a modern tankless model. While heaters that are tankless still need electricity or gas, they will not heat more water than you need, which is what a water tank heater does. There are various options when it comes to tankless water heaters, from heating enough water for your entire home to ones that only serve one faucet.
If you have a dishwasher, do not turn it on until it is full. The energy used is the same whether you are washing a small load of dishes, or one that is larger. When running the dishwasher, ensure that you are using the energy-saving option, which allows the air-drying of your dishes.
Explore the possibility of using a solar-powered oven for some of your baking needs. A solar oven can be made by using an old window, a box and for reflection, a piece of foil. Ovens like this can be assembled quickly, reach temperatures in excess of 300 degrees, and do not require any energy besides the sun.
Solar power can heat water for a low cost. Check into investing in a water system that is solar-powered. You have a choice between both an indirect or direct circulation system. The indirect one is your best option if you have to worry about frozen pipes in the winter.
If you would like to save the environment, remember that it can be done in small steps as well as big ones. Going green doesn’t mean you have to spend tons of money, as you can begin simply by setting the thermostat to 60 degrees for those periods when you are not home.
You can also conduct monthly cleanings of your furnace filters. Setting the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees will help reduce energy costs, too. Anything you can do will help!
Storm Windows
Make reminders for yourself. These reminders can help make sure you are doing all you can to conserve energy. Increasing your consciousness of your energy consumption can help you cut back. For instance, if your stated goal is to reduce your consumption of electricity and water, you are more apt to remember to turn off the lights and shut off the faucet when not using them.
Storm doors and windows offer better air flow in the home. Storm windows and doors prevent cold air drafts filtering into openings. Storm windows and doors boosts energy efficiency as much as 45%, which can cut electricity costs.
You can use biofuel to heat your house. What these fuels are composed of are wood, oil and vegetable or animal fats. If you have a propane furnace, sometimes a technician can make modifications to enable you to use a blend of different fuels. Most furnaces use between 20 to 99% bio-diesel fuels. If you decide that you want to use this type of fuel to heat your home, make sure that you talk to a professional first.
Electric heaters should only be used when necessary in order to be more green. You can wear warmer clothing instead, and warm up your home with your fireplace. This is good for your health as well as your electric bill. Breathing cooler air at night helps keep your respiratory system healthy; you’ll avoid drying out your airways.
If you really want to take a bit out of your fuel consumption, try making more extensive use of carpools, even to destinations other than the office. Set up carpooling with other parents to get the kids to soccer practice or band camp. Join with friends and family to do grocery shopping, visit the mall or even go to the movies.
Dress more warmly to be green and reduce energy costs. Light or heavy sweaters will both provide you with additional warmth of up to 4 degrees. Since it is pointless to wear very little clothing while indoors, you might as well wear a sweater.
A really good energy saving tip is to change your boiler. Many old boilers were not made with saving energy in mind, whereas new boilers tend to be more energy efficient. They have two advantages: reducing your energy bill by a large amount, and producing a lesser amount of CO2, which is much more healthy.
Keep an eye on how many watts of electricity you use. If you do not know the formula to figure out the energy each appliance uses, there are tools like a Kill-A-Watt that can give you the information instantly. Plug these gadgets into an appliance to find out how much energy is used in an hour, a month or a year. It gives concrete information about how much energy the appliance is wasting.
Use your microwave whenever you can reasonably use it. Any time you cook something on the stove or in the oven it tends to use up a ton of energy. So, when you’re microwaving things, remember you are saving on energy.
Carpooling for work and school activities can cut down on fuel usage. If you are a parent, carpool with other adults. If you are located close to other families, agree to do your grocery shopping at the same time and rotate who drives each week.
You should turn off all appliances, lights, and any other devices when they’re not in use. If you do this every day, your energy bills will plummet. Raise your consciousness about your electricity use in order to save electricity and money. Don’t leave appliances or lights on that nobody is using.
The venerable habit of turning of unnecessary lights when leaving a room is still very effective. You may be shocked by the amount of electricity you can save by starting this simple habit. The money that you will save is an added bonus.
You should find an Energy Star logo or seal right on the product, so be sure to look for it. When you see any appliance that has ENERGY STAR on it, then that means it meets guidelines approved by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. These appliances are usually the only ones that can be used for tax rebates.
One of the simplest ways to be environmentally friendly is to install a water-saving toilet. Some estimates report that about half of the water consumption in a home is from the toilet. Older models typically waste 5 gallons to flush, whereas newer models that are water-saving use about 10.6 gallons. This can save 70% of your water usage each year.
Check your refrigerator and freezer seal on a reguar basis to make sure you are not wasting energy. Broken seals can make your refrigerator run when it does not need to be, which wastes energy and hurts your pocketbook. An easy way to check to see if your seal is intact is to insert a piece of paper in the door of your refrigerator. If the paper can easily slide out, your seal needs to be replaced.
If you prioritize the environment in your life, then these tips should help your efforts. You should put them to practical and consistent use within your home and you will know your impact is positive. Saving money should be a big incentive!
Thaw your food in the refrigerator to save energy. This is a safer and cheaper way to thaw your foods.
