What do you think green energy could do for you? It will bring your utility bills down significantly and help you contribute to a cleaner environment. What is it that you can do to help? Read the article below to find some of the best ways to go green.
Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Solar water heaters use solar energy in an efficient way to heat your water. Certain upgrades, though expensive, qualify for specific tax deductions.
Use natural fabrics in the summer instead of turning up the AC. Cotton and other natural fibers, draw the moisture away from your skin, and allow you to stay cooler. If you wear lighter colors, you will also feel cooler than if you wore black or another dark color.
Device Chargers
Be a smarter energy consumer by unplugging your electronic device chargers when they are not in use. Mp3, cell phone, laptop, and various other device chargers draw power when they’re plugged in, no matter if it’s charging or not.
Clean or replace the filters on your furnace once each year, and check once a month to see if they need to be cleaned. If your air intakes and registers do not have filters, take the time to install them. These filters keep children’s toys, dirt or dust from clogging the heating ducts.
When you are away from home, use window coverings. This keeps the interior of your home cooler or warmer, depending on the season, and reduces your energy bill. Typically windows on the southern side of the home receive the most sun. Use dark curtains, roman shades, roller shades or other coverings on all windows.
Research the different energy sources available in your community. Compare the costs of operating your home using several of these utilities, making sure to take into consideration any legislation with regard to energy costs that has recently been passed. 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.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s full in order to save energy and money. Don’t run it when there are a low number of dishes present. You may be shocked to learn the number of dishes that can be loaded into a dishwasher. Carefully align your dishes so that you can place as many dishes into it as possible.
If you’re installing a solar energy system, be sure to place the batteries in close proximity to the cells. This can stop power loss in the cable. The cable also is less likely to block power generation by providing shade if you do this.
Maintaining your refrigerator is an easy way to save energy. Since refrigerators are one of the high-consumption appliances, it’s crucial that you keep it running efficiently. Make a regular habit of removing dust from the refrigerator’s heating coils. Don’t forget to be certain to keep the seal surrounding the door tight and clean.
One of the simplest ways that you can go green is by dressing warmly. Lighter sweaters can add 2 more degrees of warmth, while heavy sweaters increase warmth by 4 degrees. Since it is pointless to wear very little clothing while indoors, you might as well wear a sweater.
Unless cold temperatures become a real problem, it is better to keep the heat turned down. If you’re chilly, add a layer of clothing, such as a sweatshirt and some sweatpants. When your heat is turned to a higher temperature, unnecessary energy is being used too much.
See exactly how many watts of power you are using. Use gadgets such as Kill-A-Watt or Watt Minder and figure out what your consumption is and where it is coming from. You can tell how much energy it uses by plugging the appliance into it. This is helpful in showing you exactly what each appliance costs to run.
If you are serious about becoming more green, you should keep track of your energy usage from month-to-month and then year-to-year. You can reduce your energy use just by being aware of what you are spending. Taking the time to use less resources will help you get into a habit of preventing energy waste through unattended appliances.
Instead of using standard lights for your next holiday season, make sure to use LED lights to decorate your tree and home. According to a report from the U.S. The Department of Energy has shown that the United States could conserve over 2 billion kWh of electricity if all households switched light types. That amount of power could run 200,000 homes for one full year. Even if you don’t care about those big numbers, you should care that you can personally save money by going green.
A simple way to begin incorporating energy-efficient changes to your home is to get help from your electric company. You can look on the company’s website for tool that track your energy consumption and tips for saving energy. Make sure you investigate all programs and rebates offered if you buy energy-efficient items, from large appliances to light bulbs.
A lot of people consider alternative energy sources, but most people don’t take time to actually implement it. As you have seen here, there are many ways you can start to make your home greener without spending a large amount of time or money doing it!
