It’s simple to reduce the amount of energy your home is using, or make it more green. A couple of small changes (or big ones) and both your environmental footprint and your energy budget will decrease. The article below is here to help you get started.
Using less energy daily means large energy and financial savings. When you are not using certain appliances, unplug them until you are ready to use them again. Turn off lights and the television when you are finished using them. This simple suggestion helps cut your electricity bills.
Do you live on a farm? If you have a lot of land, energy companies will pay you for the right to set up a wind turbine on it. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won’t take up much space.
Maintain your furnace to save energy. Replace filters annually and clean them once a month. Install filters for your warm-air registers, too. This can prevent anything from getting caught in the ducts.
If your home is heated with fuel oil, ask a technician if you can switch to biodiesel. A lot of times this can be done with minimal modifications to your existing system. Biodiesel burns more cleanly and will improve your carbon footprint.
Maybe you can use solar water heaters instead of traditional heating methods. If you live somewhere where you don’t have to be concerned with temperatures that are freezing, you can use a system that circulates water through the solar heater before it gets pumped into your home. However, you should still have a traditional water heater as backup for times when the sun won’t come out or if you’re going to be using a lot of hot water.
One of the simplest ways that you can go green is by dressing warmly. A light sweater offers 2 degrees of more warmth, and a heavy sweater adds 4 degrees. There is no need to be fashionable while at home watching TV, so put on some layers and put some money back in your pocket!
Use a laptop for your computing needs rather than a power hungry desktop. You can actually save up to 75% on your electrical usage, especially if you use your computer all the time. Additionally, you can carry a laptop with you, so it’s possible to use it wherever you want.
If you’re unsure about green investments, get an expert to provide a consultation that will optimize your energy usage. They will be able to tell you how much money you are losing on inefficient appliances, and they can also give you an accurate estimate of what it will cost to upgrade or replace your systems.
Watch watt usage carefully. Try using gadgets like the Kill-A-Watt and the Watt Minder to see what in your home uses too much energy. Plug these gadgets into an appliance to find out how much energy is used in an hour, a month or a year. You can then use this information to find out how much the appliance really 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. For example, making a decision to reduce electricity usage will help you develop a habit to turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
Start carpooling to take care of many of your daily tasks. Don’t think of it as just an option for commuting to work. If you have children that you take to school or sporting activities, try setting up a carpool with other parents, and trade off the days you will drive. Plan your shopping days to correspond with those of your friends. That way you can share a vehicle and the costs of fuel.
One of the oldest tips in the book is to make sure that you turn off all electronics and lights when you leave any room to save energy. Just turning off lights helps to conserve quite a bit of energy. You will also see a decrease in your power bill.
A good energy product is an on demand water heater. Water heaters normally run all the time, even if hot water isn’t needed. These tankless water heaters instantly heat water as you need it, which saves a significant amount on your utility bills.
If you can, check into windows for your home that are energy-efficient. These windows reduce energy costs, makes your home quieter, releases less carbon dioxide, and your windows will acquire less condensation.
Incorporate the ideas you just read into your daily activities. You’ll see your energy bills drop and be proud of the service you are performing for the environment. Even small changes can set you on a path toward a greener lifestyle.