Switching to green sounds onerous, but it’s easier than you think. Whether you are looking to make minor changes or something a lot bigger, either way, you are still helping the environment. Below are tips that will get you on the path to using green energy sources.
The government has grants available to those who are willing to invest in alternative renewable energies. Contact your local government for more information of programs near you. There might be programs in your area that can allow you to install solar or wind energy solutions for free or with taxable deductions if you qualify for them.
Make your home more energy efficient by unplugging your unused electronic devices. Anytime a charger is plugged in, it is using a bit of energy.
Replace or clean your furnace filters yearly, and recheck them monthly. Also, put filters on vents that dispense warm air. This not only helps keep debris (and kids’ toys) from entering heating ducts, which reduces efficiency.
Wash clothes with cold water. Almost 90% of the power you use to do laundry is simply used to heat the water. As long as the washing detergent you use is reliable, using cold water instead of hot water will wash your clothes just as well. In addition, remember to wash full loads to maximize energy efficiency.
During the summer months, hang your clothes outside instead of drying them in the dryer. Your laundry will smell fantastic after a day in the sun. They’ll be smelling much fresher than if they were just dried in a dryer. You can save a significant amount on your utility bills, too, because the dryer uses energy and heats up the air, causing the air conditioner to run more often.
The power-storing batteries of your solar system should be installed close to the cells. This prevents energy from dissipating in a long cable. It can also reduce the chance of a cable shading a cell, and reducing its generation capability.
Take time to maintain your fridge properly. With the fridge being a top energy consumer in the home, maintenance is important for efficiency. Make certain to clean the dust that surrounds heating coils periodically. Additionally, you should ensure that the door seal is both tight and free of dirt.
A green tankless model of water heater can replace a regular tank styled water heater. Tankless water heaters do require energy for operation, but since they heat water on demand, power is not wasted by keeping a full tank hot 24/7. You can get a tankless water heater to heat your entire home’s water supply or you can get a smaller one that heats only water that comes out of a particular faucet.
Degrees Warmer
Dressing warmly can help you reduce energy and go green. If you put on a light sweater, you’ll be two degrees warmer, while a heavy sweater will make you four degrees warmer. You do not have to wear a small amount of clothing at home, so put on a sweater and increase your savings.
Be aware of federal and state rebates for updating your home with renewable energy. In many cases, the electric company will pay for part of the upgrades. If not, there might be tax credits or deductions available from the federal or state government. The combination of rebates and tax credits will make it much more affordable to install green energy systems.
Turn the heat down in your house. Put on a sweater and sweatpants when it’s cold. When you keep the heat unnecessarily high you use far more energy than you need to–and that is expensive!
If you would like to save the environment, remember that it can be done in small steps as well as big ones. You might not be capable of spending lots of money in going green, but there are simple things that you could do such as cleaning your furnace’s filters each month or by setting your heat at sixty degrees when you are not at home. Reducing the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees could save you a lot of money as well. Every little bit helps!
Heat your home with biofuels. This type of fuel is made of oils, wood and vegetable or animal fats. If you are currently using propane to heat your home, adjustments can be made to your system that will allow you to switch to using a blend of fuels. You would be able to use anywhere from 20 to 99 percent biodiesel. Because this is a significant alteration, talk with a professional about the substitution before attempting to make any changes on your own.
While it is an old idea on saving energy, it is a great idea to make it a habit to turn off the lights when you exit a room or your home. Simply turning off the lights when you aren’t using them can really save energy. Another benefit of turning lights off is that you can save money.
Install a water-saving toilet. Some estimates report that about half of the water consumption in a home is from the toilet. An older model of toilet might use up to 5 gallons per flush, as compared to a lean 1.6 gallons for a water-saving model.
Going green is not very complicated. As you have just read, you can make your life greener by using a variety of different methods. Make sure you use the advice given here today. If each person just takes a minute to make a small green change, the impact on the environment will be huge.