Keeping It Green! Six Easy Tips For Cleaner Energy Usage
Making the switch to green energy has many home and environmental benefits. There are simple things that you can do that will make your home more comfortable, save you money, and help you to use less carbon fuels. This article provides useful tips on home-energy conservation.
You can easily get solar panels installed in your home to collect solar energy for your use. But, you must think about some things prior to doing this. One thing to factor into your considerations is the amount of sun your house actually gets over the year. If your home does not get a lot of sunlight, then solar panels will be pretty useless.
Maintain your furnace to save energy. Replace filters annually and clean them once a month. Also install filters on air registers. Register filters will help prevent debris increasing efficiency.
Be sure you maintain your refrigerator properly. With the fridge being a top energy consumer in the home, maintenance is important for efficiency. Be sure to regularly clean out the dust around the heating coils. Check frequently to ensure that the door seals tightly.
If you try to promote living sustainably then use your heater as little as you can during winter. You can invest in warmer clothes and take advantage of your fireplace or pellet stove in order to heat your living areas. Remember, cooler air during sleep is better for breathing, and keeps the airways from drying out.
Make use of energy-efficient products to save both money and energy. If you install double-glazing on your windows, weather-sealed doors, and other similar products, you can drastically decrease the amount of electricity needed for your home. These kinds of products can cut down dramatically on your cooling and heating costs.
Search for available rebates when you use renewable energy. Sometimes your utility company may offer additional rebates which will help pay for the expense of the systems. If not, there might be tax credits or deductions available from the federal or state government. These credits and rebates reduce the price you will pay to install green tech products at home.
If you are apprehensive about what green changes to make to your home, there are many green energy consultants available today. They will let you know how costly your appliances are, and they can give a detailed estimate on how much the costs will be to replace or upgrade your existing systems.
Whenever possible, keep the heat in your home turned down. If it’s a bit chilly, put sweatpants or a sweatshirt on. When your heat is running it uses more energy than necessary.
A solar oven can be made to assist you in your baking needs. You can make these with boxes, old windows or old pieces of foil that can be used for reflection. They require only sunlight to reach a temperature of more than 300 degrees, and they only take a few minutes to construct.
Write reminders for energy-efficient goals and check your utility bills. Just thinking more about your energy usage will help you to change habits that lead you to over-use energy. You will probably make newer, greener habits such as turning off appliances when not in use if you approach energy reduction consciously.
Water-saving toilets can get you started on a greener lifestyle. Experts estimate that almost half of a home’s use of water is flushed. Older toilets use about 5 gallons per flush, while the newer, water-saving toilets need only 1.6 gallons of water for each flush, cutting your annual water usage by up to 70%.
Think about buying products that are made from bamboo when you are purchasing wood items. Bamboo is very green and strong and is technically considered a grass. Because it is fast-growing, bamboo resources are easier to replenish than slow-growing trees. The products are more affordable due to a reduction in the cost of manufacturing products.
If you spend the money on green appliances and electronics now, you’ll save over time. You usually have to pay a bit more upfront for green technologies, but you will save far more than the difference over time with reduced energy costs. The environment will also benefit.
Replace your windows with more energy-efficient ones. These have many benefits, such as reduced spending on energy bills, a quieter home, and less condensation on the interior of your windows.
Use light with greater responsibility to make your home greener. When it is brighter outside, in spring and summer, wait until a certain time to turn on lights indoors. Try using dimmers to reduce the usage of lights.
Place your fridge in a cool room to save energy. Do not install your fridge in the sun light or next to a heating vent or more energy will be used to keep your food cold.
If you lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees you can save money and be green together. Doing this can reduce your electric bill by up to 10 percent while keeping temperatures at a safe rate.
Make your own ice if you want to reduce energy use as well. Automatic ice makers often use excess energy and are prone to breaking down. Additionally, the freezer’s temperature will increase if the ice maker’s seal is damaged. Make your own ice and skip the ice maker!
You read in the first paragraph of this article that going green doesn’t take much time and money. Just making a few small changes in your home can save you on energy costs. Keep these tips in mind, apply them and let your friends know about your good resolutions so that you can all assist the environment.
