You will probably be surprised at how many cheap and easy ways there are to make your home greener.The information gathered here will get you started on your journey toward using green energy at home and reaping its many benefits.
Shade your windows from excessive amounts of sunlight to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Use curtains or blinds as an alternative. Utilizing both of these methods will decrease you need for an air conditioner unit, since your home will not be as warm. Energy and money are both saved this way.
There are numerous grants available for investing in renewable energy. Contact your local government for more information of programs that exist locally. You can qualify for installation or a tax deduction.
Wash clothes with cold water whenever possible. Almost 90 percent of the energy used by a washing your clothes is spent on heating the water for a warm or hot cycle. If your laundry detergent is a high quality brand, cold water will be as effective as hot when cleaning your laundry.
Instead of using your air conditioner in the summer, try to wear fabrics that are natural. Natural fabrics, including cotton, cause moisture to move away from the body, which means it stays cooler. Light colors help you to feel cooler than darker or warmer colors.
Find out what energy sources that are available in your area. Compare costs, and take current or pending energy legislation into consideration.You may find that switching to well water or another may provide a reduction in energy use and cost.
When you calculate the solar panel needs of your home, be sure to run a calculation using the hours of winter sunlight. This will ensure that you are not caught short during winter, and it can leave you ahead in the summer.
You might be able to get a government grant to finance your green energy installation. Contact your local government in order to see the different programs available in your area. You could qualify for a no-cost wind or solar installation, or at the very least, receive a tax deduction.
This will prevent power from dissipating in a long cable.
Instead, make sure each member of your family has sweaters, slippers and socks, and heat your living areas with a pellet stove or fireplace.
Do you currently own a farm? Farms are the perfect place to put a wind turbine. If you don’t have a farm, you might be able to rent from someone. This installation will provide energy while taking little space and it will provide energy to you and perhaps your neighbors.
Solar Power
Learn the differences between passive and active solar power.Passive solar power uses your home in its existing state as heat storage.
Know the available energy options in your community. Calculate the expense of using these types of utilities while noting any recent legislation pertaining to energy costs. You may find that switching to one or another may provide a reduction in energy use and cost.
Keep an eye on how many watts of electricity you are using.Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, and it will tell you how much the unit consumes in energy in one hour, or a year. This gives you a good way to find out how much your appliances are really costing you.
Use LED lights for home and tree decorations at the holidays instead of traditional strand lights. According to a study by the United States That amount of power could run 200,000 home for a whole year. You can at least look forward to saving money on your electric bill.
A solar energy array can be the cheapest way to getting your hot water. Consider investing in a hot-water system that runs off of solar energy. You may pick between a direct or indirect circulation system. Indirect systems are the best if you have frozen pipes during the winter.
Use a microwave instead if you’d like to save energy at home. Ovens use lots more energy to prepare food than microwaves. Take advantage of the microwave whenever you can.
It might be commonly known, but a lot of people don’t turn off their lights, machines and various equipment when they aren’t using them. If you were to get in the habit of turning them off, they would slash their energy bill a great deal.
Storm doors and windows can make air flow in the home better. Storm doors and windows lessen the amount of cold air drafts that come in. Homes which have stormed windows and doors increase their energy efficiency by as much as 45% which also ends up costing you a lot less on your utility bills.
Consider replacing your wooden products with bamboo items when making a wood purchase. This will reduce energy used in production and recycling.
Green technology may be more expensive at first, but you will be paid back through lower energy bills for the life of the appliances. It can also one more positive impact on the environment that compounds.
Use a laptop for your computing needs rather than a power hungry desktop. These portable machines will reduce your electrical use by 75% while you do everyday tasks. The laptop has the added benefit of being portable, so you can use it anywhere!
All the things we went over throughout this article are easy to implement, so don’t let excuses keep you from using them where you live. All it takes is some knowledge and time to get that peace of mind. So make some changes now and you will enjoy your future rewards!