If you do not know a lot when it comes to green energy, this guide will supply you the information that you need. You will be able to help not only yourself, but your environment as well. There are plenty of things available that you can do to make your home utilize green energy.
You can save a phenomenal amount of energy just by using less electricity every day. Unplug your electrical appliances from outlets when not in use. Lights and televisions should be off when not in use. This simple little suggestion can save you money.
Solar Panels
It is fairly simple to have solar panels installed to tap into solar energy to use in your home. But before you do this, there are a few things you must take into account. What you need to know first is how much of the sun does your home generally receive? If you home is shaded, the amount of energy collected from solar panels will be greatly reduced.
If you utilize a dishwasher, avoiding using it until it’s filled up. A half load uses the exact same amount of water and energy as a full one. When you run the dishwasher, see to it that you are using its energy-saving setting; that will allow the dishes to dry using air.
When you install a solar energy system, place the batteries close to the cells. This helps prevent power loss in the cables. It also reduces the chances of the cable shading the cells and reducing their generation capability.
Storm Windows
Help to control the air flow in your own home by installing a storm door and storm windows too. Storm windows are good at cutting down on the cool air that tries to get in. Your home’s energy efficiency will increase by as much as 45% if you install storm windows and doors!
Wearing warmer clothes helps slash energy costs as you go green. Sweaters of varying thickness can offer more warmth, from two to four degrees depending on its weight. You do not have to dress lightly at home, so save money by putting on a sweater and turning down the heat!
Learn all you can about solar power that is active and passive. Active power is the power stored for later use and passive doesn’t require pricey cells for storing power. Active solar power requires a lot of involvement in the form of installation, mechanics, and power cells. While when you use passive they use the thermal energy from the sun in order to store energy inside the walls of your house and heat your household with it.
Instead of using a desktop computer, which sucks up more electricity, buy a laptop. 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. The other benefit to using laptop over a desktop is that it is portable, so it can be taken anywhere!
If you don’t know about investing a lot into green energy in your home, hire pros, such as heating experts and plumbers, to give you an assessment of your current systems. They’ll tell you the amount you’re losing due to inefficiency, and they will provide estimates on the cost to upgrade.
A solar oven is a fun and effective way to reduce your energy needs for cooking. These can even be made yourself using items such as a box, a discarded window, and some tin foil. These ovens are no slouches. They can be heated up to 300 degrees, consume no energy, and are simple to construct.
If you would like to save the environment, remember that it can be done in small steps as well as big ones. You may not be able to spend a lot of money going green, but you can start by cleaning furnace filters each month and setting heat at 60 degrees when not at home. Setting the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees will help reduce energy costs, too. No change is too small.
Create written reminders of your goals regarding energy efficiency, and compare your utility bills to those of the previous year to determine whether you are making positive steps. By being aware of the energy you use, you can start to reduce that consumption. For instance, reducing your electricity or water usage will get you into the habit of turning off appliance and lights when not used.
You should heat your home with biofuel. These fuels are made up of animal or vegetable fats, oils and wood. If you have a propane furnace, a professional will be able to adjust your system so you can heat your home using a fuel blend. That would be around 20-99% biodiesel. Make sure you talk with a professional first before you try this fuel out.
Energy Star Ratings
Energy Star appliances help save energy. ENERGY STAR ratings mean that the appliance has met standards of the EPA and is especially crafted to use less energy than older models. Energy Star ratings promise 40% less energy for dishwashers and 50% less for washing machines.
Put solar panels on the roof to make the home greener. While solar panels are a bit of an investment, they save a ton of money in the long run. Once you’ve made the initial investment in solar panels, you can actually pay them off and make money by selling energy back to the grid.
Weatherizing your home is a great way to make it more energy efficient. Weatherization involves retrofitting the heating and cooling systems for energy efficiency, upgrading the insulation, sealing ducts, and installing energy-efficient windows. All of these things make your home more energy efficient. The biggest benefit next to helping the environment is the money that you will save on energy costs.
Now that you’re aware of where to start with green energy, you can see how it’ll benefit you. Of course, green energy is good for the environment, too. Implement what you’ve just learned. Contrary to what you’ve heard, it is easy being green.