Green Energy Tips That Can Help Anyone!
The environmental and monetary costs of powering a home can be greatly reduced through green energy sources. If you want to incorporate green habits in your home immediately, read the following article to learn how to save money and the planet.
Renewable Energy
You can get a grant from the government to help you invest into some renewable energy. Contact local government and discover the programs that exist locally. Depending on your local energy programs, you could end up getting a renewable energy system set up for your home for free.
Try to use cold water for washing clothes. Almost 90% of the power you use to do laundry is simply used to heat the water. Washing your clothing in cold water will get them just as clean as washing them in hot water if you have a good laundry detergent. Only wash when you have a full load of clothes to put in the washer.
If your home is heated with fuel oil, ask a technician if you can switch to biodiesel. There are many systems that can switch to biodiesel with needing significant modification. When you use biodiesel it burns a lot cleaner than conventional petroleum, which reduces the impact your home has on energy during the colder months of the year.
Investigate all of the energy sources your community has to offer. Compare the costs of various utilities, and take current or pending energy legislation into consideration. For example, it may be cheaper for you to heat your home with natural gas as opposed to electricity, or use well water instead of city water.
Storm Windows
To help prevent drafts, install storm doors and storm windows. This will reduce drafts, make your home more comfortable, and reduce your energy usage. Energy efficiency can be increased up to 45% in a home with storm windows and doors.
If you aren’t sold on making a large green energy investment at home, then bring in a professional heating expert or plumber to take a look at your existing systems. They can tell you if your appliances are running efficiently, and if there are changes you can make. They may also be able to offer estimates as to what it would cost to replace or upgrade your existing systems.
Monitor how many watts you’re using. Gadgets like the Kill-A-Watt and Watt Minder can help you determine exactly which appliances account for the majority of your energy usage. By plugging any device into this gadget, it will tell you how much energy it consumes. This can let you see how much your devices really cost you.
Write yourself reminders to stay on top of new energy efficiency goals, and check every utility bill against the previous year’s to see if you are making gains. Just thinking more about your energy usage will help you to change habits that lead you to over-use energy. So when you make true conscious efforts to reduce your electrical or water usage you make up a good habit of turning off appliances or lights which in turn helps your bill and the environment.
Try using LED lights as opposed to conventional ones for the next holiday season. A US study shows A study by the Department of Energy needs everyone to make this change. That’s enough to power a quarter of a million houses for a year! An additional benefit to using LED lights is the savings you will receive on your electric bill.
Carpool so you can use less fuel. If you live in a neighborhood with lots of children, try setting up a ride-sharing service, where you trade rides with other parents in the neighborhood. If you live near another family and friends, then synchronize your grocery shopping days and take turns being the driver.
Percent Less Energy
Replace your old appliances with new ones featuring high Energy Star ratings. The Energy Star rating guarantees that the appliance you are using has been built to use much less energy than its non-rated predecessor. For freezers and refrigerators the rating guarantees 20 percent less energy utilized, dishwashers 40 percent, and washing machines as much as 50 percent less energy used!
As odd as it sounds, the majority of people do not bother to disconnect or turn off lights and electronics when they are not being used. Just by simply being aware of things that are on, and making an effort to turn things off when not in use, you can substantially save on your energy bills. Put the idea in your consciousness and remember to turn them off.
When you are shopping for items made of wood, consider things made from bamboo. Bamboo is a very green product and is technically a grass, but it is stronger than many commercially available woods. Many items are now available in bamboo. Try bamboo in your flooring, utensils, or cutting surfaces instead of traditional woods. This saves on recycling energy and the production of manufacturing products.
Search for an Energy Star logo when shopping for appliances in order to find the most energy-efficient ones. ENERGY STAR appliances have been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy as well as the EPA. Products that meet ENERGY STAR criteria are usually eligible for some form of tax rebate.
Don’t stop using ceiling fans in the winter. Change to the winter clockwise rotation to return the warm air down towards the room and put less stress on your heater. It takes less energy to power the fan than it does your furnace.
You can save energy while doing laundry, too. Use the setting that controls moisture to turn your dryer off as soon as the load is dry. Using the high-spin speed will reduce the moisture in clothing and decrease the time needed for drying. Regular cleaning of filters and vents for your dryer will make it more efficient.
By starting now with green energy technology, it means greater savings for you and healthier planet in the future. As this article shows, going green isn’t all that difficult and costly. Put this excellent advice to use and build a more environmentally friendly and efficient home today.