Ways You Can Use Solar Power To Heat Your Water
Many people are looking to live a green but really have no idea how to go about it. There are many ways that renewable and alternative energy sources can protect the environment. This article contains useful tips to help you use green energy now.
Wear natural fabrics instead of running your air conditioner during summer months. Cotton and other natural fibers, draw the moisture away from your skin, and allow you to stay cooler. Wearing lighter colors will also help, because they tend to reflect light.
Solar water heaters use the sun’s energy to heat to warm water resulting in energy savings. You may be eligible for tax deductions to offset the expense of installing some of this technology.
Save on the use of electricity in your home, and become a better consumer of energy by unplugging your electronic devices and gadgets when they are not in use. Chargers for devices like phones, music players, computers and others use small amounts of power any time they are in an outlet, even if you aren’t charging anything.
One way to help conserve energy is to make sure your windows aren’t exposed to direct sunlight. You can do this by putting in curtains or blinds. You will save money and energy in the same time.
Consider how many hours of sunlight you can expect in the winter as you plan your solar system, so that you know how much energy you can expect it to generate. When you do this, you understand how much you should be consuming on a daily basis during winter, and you won’t become surprised one day. An even better benefit is that you can sell your energy back to the grid in the sunniest of times!
Wear natural fabrics instead of always using the air conditioner during summer. Wear light colors; dark colors tend to make you feel warm and cause you to rely on the air conditioner.
If you have storm windows and doors in your home it helps control air flow. Storm doors and windows decrease cold air from drafts. Energy efficiency can be increased up to 45% in a home with storm windows and doors.
Be a better consumer of energy, and unplug electric chargers for all devices that don’t need immediate charging.Chargers for devices like phones, music players, laptops and other devices draw some power when they are plugged in, even if they aren’t charging your device.
Rather than using an energy-hogging desktop computer, switch to a laptop. This can lower your electrical use by as much as 75%, particularly if you are someone who stays on the Internet for long periods of time. An added bonus is the portability of a laptop- you can take it anywhere you go!
Keep drapes drawn when you are not in your home.This cools the house cool and reduce energy costs down when you’re not there. Try adding window coverings that block heat, such as shades or darker, and dark curtains.
If you are not sure about making improvements to your home, hire professionals that can look over your systems and offer you ideas of what you can do to make your home more green. These professionals can point out inefficient appliances and systems, and they can also help you determine how much it might cost to upgrade them.
Turn off appliances if you aren’t using. When you leave an area take the time to turn off lights, go around and turn off appliances such as computers, televisions, computers, the overhead light. A power strip is an easy way to turn off multiple appliances at once, since the standby mode is still utilizing power.
Avoid cranking the heat in your home unless it’s absolutely necessary. Put on a sweater and sweatpants when it’s cold. Having the heat up high wastes a lot of energy.
Take the time to maintain your refrigerator. Refrigerators take up lots of energy, and keeping it in good condition ensures this energy footprint is as low as it can be. Make sure you clean the dust from around heating coils. Make sure door seal is clean and also tight.
Keep written track to remind yourself of your green energy goals, and look for progress in your energy consumption by comparing current bills to the previous year’s. Just thinking more about your energy usage will help you to change habits that lead you to over-use energy. For instance, should you consciously decide to decrease your electricity or water use, you are also likelier to turn off appliances or unused lights.
Use LED holiday lights on your Christmas tree or when decorating your home for Christmas. A study was conducted by the United StatesThat is the equivalent to the power it would take to run 200,000 homes for one whole year. You can at least look forward to saving money on your electric bill.
The venerable habit of turning of unnecessary lights when leaving a room is still very effective. You would be surprised how much energy you could end up saving over time if you get into the habit of turning off your lights. You will also save on your electric bill.
You can use biofuels to add heat your house. This type of fuel is made of oils, vegetable oil and wood. This could be anywhere up to 99% biodiesel. Make sure you ask a professional first before you attempt to utilize this fuel out.
Ask your electric company for tips and advice on how to cut your electric bill. A lot of them have the option on their website that will show you how much energy your household is using. They may also show ways you can lower your energy usage. You may also be able to find rebates or other programs to help you get energy-efficient light bulbs or appliances.
If your kids share activities with other children in the neighborhood, you can have a neighborhood carpool and switch with the other parents every day. You can also schedule grocery shopping and other errands with your neighbors.
Investing more money up front in green energy appliances will pay off by saving you money over time. Oftentimes, green technologies are a bit more expensive than their traditional counterpart; however, investing in green electronics and appliances will pay off with savings from decreased energy consumption. It also has the long-term benefit of saving the planet.
Try bamboo models when buying wood products. This saves energy needed to recycle and reclamation ends of the manufacturing process.
Heat each room of your home separately to save money each month. You can do this my getting a main board and a heating solution that will let you choose a certain temperature for each area. This is a great idea for large homes.
Green tech products are a bit more pricey than conventional products, but your utility bills will be reduced. It will also going to ultimately pay off for the environment.
Ceiling fans can help keep your home warm during the winter months. Run fans clockwise to help circulate warm air throughout the house and reduce the need to use external heaters. It takes a minimal amount of electricity to run ceiling fans, especially when compared to running your furnace.
Replace any leaky windows with more energy-efficient ones.These have many benefits, such as reduced spending on energy bills, releases less carbon dioxide, and your windows will acquire less condensation.
Thaw your food in the refrigerator to save energy. You will find that this is one of the safest options for thawing your meats, and you will also help to cool the other foods in your refrigerator by allowing your frozen products to release cold air as they thaw.
Energy Star
Even if you cannot use renewable energy to power your entire house, check into a smaller installation which can meet some of your energy needs. For instance, maybe you can get solar panels that just heat the water in your home.
Energy efficient appliances will feature the bright Energy Star logos. ENERGY STAR appliances meet guidelines which have been established by the U.S.Department of Energy and the EPAThese appliances are usually the only ones eligible for tax rebates.
Reducing your water heater temperature to 120 degrees can save energy and money in your home. This way, you can save up to ten percent on your energy bill for a four-person family. You will still get enough hot water and it will be safer for children as well.
During the bright months, keep light usage to certain times of the day. Try installing timers and dimmers to reduce the usage of lights.
In order to track your home energy use, get a monitoring device. Monitoring devices measure your electricity use as you use it, so they can give you an idea of how much you will spend on power service for the month. Research has shown that people will go to greater lengths to reduce their energy consumption if they can readily determine the costs of running their lights, appliances, and other electrical items.
Save some money by looking into placing your freezer or refrigerator in a cooler location. Don’t put them in sunlight or by heating vents since this unnecessarily raises the temperature.
Use rainwater for your toilet and other household items. Your water bill will decrease and this also benefits the environment. It is very easy to collect rainwater; you just have to put jars and pots outside when you expect rain, and put a lid on all the jars and pots when they are full.
Bottled water comes from other city’s taps, bottling water wastes lots of energy. If you want to drink tap water but don’t trust the source, buy a re-usable, and invest in a replaceable filter.
Try a dehumidifier. In the summer, humid air feels warmer on your skin than drier air. Running a dehumidifier will suck moisture out of the air and make it feel cooler while using less energy and costing you less to run. This may allow you to wait on using AC for a longer period of time.
Choose a small projects and get started right now!
Support watchdog legislation so that companies are encouraged to use green energy. Speaking out for awareness is powerful, and it is not done enough. A lot of companies would lose their positive image if their customers knew more about their energy choices. Ensuring companies are held publicly accountable for their choices is the best method to encourage green corporate behavior.
Green Energy
Eco-friendly lighting solutions are a great option that every homeowner should consider. More efficient bulbs, such as compact fluorescent or LED styles, do cost more, but can pay for themselves in the energy they save. These bulbs provide the same amount of light as standard bulbs, but they use far less electricity. You can keep your home environmentally friendly easily and effectively in this manner.
In conclusion, not only are many politicians speaking about green energy, but it has become important since cheap oil cannot be found anymore. If you have the proper information, it becomes much easier to incorporate green energy into your life. Utilize advice found in this article, and you can enjoy a greener life today!
Set the thermostat five degrees warmer in the summer to save energy. This could cut your energy bill by almost 20%. In order to cool down your home, you can always opt to use fans instead of placing extra energy into running an air conditioner.
