There is a lot of green energy information out there, and it can all be a little overwhelming. Continue reading the information that follows to begin using green energy in your home.
In order to conserve energy, try keeping the windows shaded from the sunlight. Shades or curtains can also help. If you do these things, you will cut your use of air conditioning throughout the warm months, as your home will be a bit cooler. You will save energy and money.
Wear lightweight, natural fabric during the summer instead of running your air conditioner. By wearing natural fabrics, such as cotton, you will keep moisture away from your skin and help it stay cooler. Lighter colors also make you feel cooler.
Solar panels can be an excellent investment for the typical homeowner. There are some things that should be further looked in to before doing this. What you need to know first is how much of the sun does your home generally receive? You are not going to get much solar power if your home has too much shade.
You can save electricity by unplugging chargers when they are not in use. 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.
Do you or your family own a farm? If you do happen to own some farmland, try renting some of the land to a power company that specializes in wind energy solutions. You will reap the benefits of this energy and the space needed is minimal.
Close the curtains or blinds before you leave the house. This helps to keep your house at a cooler temperature and lower the amount of energy used. Pay particular attention to covering the windows on the south side of your house. They typically admit the most sun. Dark curtains, roller or roman shades can cover windows well.
If you are thinking of installing a solar power system in your home, you need to calculate the amount of power the system can produce using winter sunshine hours. You will have more than enough energy during the summer months, while avoiding falling short during the winter. Combining this method with a net utilities plan will mean getting back money from the electric company during the summer, too.
Dressing warmly can help you reduce your energy usage. 2 degrees of warmth is added by wearing a light sweater, and 4 degrees with a heavy one. Since it is pointless to wear very little clothing while indoors, you might as well wear a sweater.
Find out about federal and local rebates for updates about renewable energy for your home. Sometimes, your local utility company can give you a rebate based on what the upgrades cost. Tax deductions are also available from the government, sometimes. You’ll find that these discounts can effectively reduce the price of adding green energy alternatives into your home.
Unless you’re freezing to death, don’t turn the heat all the way up. If you feel cold, put on a sweater or blanket instead. Higher levels of heat use a lot of excess energy!
Solar Oven
A solar oven can be an easy and free way to bake. It’s fairly easy to make a solar oven using a discarded window box lined with foil to reflect the heat. Solar ovens can get hotter than 300 degrees, and doesn’t use any energy source besides the sun, so you are reducing your carbon footprint and saving money.
Use LED lights to decorate for the holidays instead of traditional strand lights. A study was conducted by the U.S. The U.S. Department of Energy says we could save over 2 billion kilowatt hours of power if everyone made this change. That amount of power is enough to supply 200,000 homes with electricity for a whole year. You can save money on your electric bill.
Share rides with others in your neighborhood to greatly reduce your fuel usage. Parents can trade off driving duties and carpool neighborhood kids to school together. You can also schedule grocery shopping and other errands with friends that live near you.
Applying these ideas is a lot easier than sorting through all the tips available online. They are all cheap, simple ways to make small changes in your home and in your life, so you can start using green energy. Not only will your family appreciate your efforts, but the planet will, as well.