Today, we realize the importance of taking better care of the environment that sustains us. A great way to care for the environment while saving yourself money is to incorporate green energy technology at home. The tips below will give you some great ideas on how you can make green energy work for your home.
Heat your pools, hot tubs and showers more efficiently with a solar hot water system. This is also a very efficient way to heat water and keep it at the proper temperature. You may be eligible for tax deductions for using energy efficient upgrades.
Do your best to keep your windows shaded from any sunlight. You could also try putting in curtains or blinds. Doing these things will let you use less air conditioning in the summer. You will save energy and money as well.
Renewable Energy
There are government grants available for investing in renewable energy. Ask at your local municipality office to research what types of programs might be available to you. Depending on your local energy programs, you could end up getting a renewable energy system set up for your home for free.
When battery chargers and other electronics are not in use, unplug them. Chargers used for cell phones, laptops, mp3 players and other electronic devices use power when they’re plugged in, even if they aren’t charging your device.
Take the time to clean or replace your furnace every season. Monthly checks will assure your furnace never has to work hard. Warm-air registers can also benefit from filters. These filters keep debris or toys from entering the duct-work, which could reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system.
A solar water heater may be a viable option in your home. The heater uses solar energy to heat water before sending it to your home. This can be useful if your home isn’t located in an area with cold temperatures. Though you can use this system, it’s best to have a regular water heater for backup purposes, just in case there is a day with little sunlight or more water usage than normal.
During the summer time, you should consider drying your clothes using the sun as opposed to using the dryer. The sun can give clothing an incredible smell. Line-dried items will be just as clean and dry as they would be if you used the dryer, but they will also smell so much fresher. Additionally, you will save both money and energy.
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. Set up the plates so that you fill it up as much as possible.
Passive Solar Power
When looking at solar power, know the difference between passive solar power and active. Passive solar power doesn’t require the costly power-storage cells that active power does. Installing an active solar system requires more money and work, with panels and an entire system. While passive simply uses the sun in storing thermal energy in your walls in order to heat your house.
A solar oven can be an easy and free way to bake. You can make these with simple items, such as boxes, an old window, and some foil for reflection. These ovens reach temperatures greater than 300 degrees, while using no outside energy besides solar.
Energy Star
Trade in your old major appliances for new ones with the Energy Star rating. Energy Star ratings mean that your new appliances are technologically built to use less energy than previous models. You will find that Energy Star rated refrigerators use about 20% less energy, and clothes washing machines use about 50% less.
Use the microwave instead if you’d like to save energy. Ovens use much more energy than the microwave for cooking. So when you can “nuke” your food, do so to cut down on energy usage.
Switch your toilets to one of the newer, water-saving varieties. It’s estimated that as much as fifty percent of your water usage comes from the toilet. An older model toilet uses a lot more water than a water-saving one, 5 gallons versus 1.6 gallons, almost 70 percent more.
A good green energy technology tip is to use a water heater that is on-demand. Water heaters that are old-fashioned will constantly run, which in turn heats water when not needed, and this ends up wasting lots of energy. On-demand models provide hot water instantly when necessary, instead of continuously throughout the day, saving you money and energy.
Replace your windows with more energy-efficient ones. Some of the benefits you will see include lower electric bills, a more quiet home, less carbon dioxide and a smaller amount of window condensation.
Heat rooms separately to save heating costs. Certain floor heating solutions allow you to set a different temperature for each room on a main board. This works particularly well if you own a larger home.
One way to help the environment and reduce your heating bill is to set your water heater’s temperature to 120 degrees. 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.
You can easily help the environment and have an energy efficient home by using these green energy tips. Watching the savings mount can alter many behaviors pretty fast.