You may be surprised at how many cheap and easy ways there are to make your home more energy efficient. This article is your go-to guide for going green. It will tell you how you can make green energy a part of your life and realize the benefits of doing so.
Have solar panels installed on your home for an easy, renewable way to power some or all of your home’s appliances. However, before beginning this process, you need to realize a few things. The major thing you have to consider before going ahead with solar panels is the amount of sunlight your home gets over the course of a day. If you live somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine often, or in a shady location, you won’t get as much benefit from solar power.
You can reduce the amount of electricity that you use, and be a better energy user by removing chargers that power your devices from outlets when they are not in use. Chargers for laptops, mp3 players, cell phones and other devices use power when they’re plugged in. This happens regardless of whether you’re using the device or not.
Do you currently own a farm? If so, you can rent a portion of it so wind turbines can be installed. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won’t take up much space.
When you can, wash your laundry in cold water. When you heat up water, you consume much more energy as opposed to using colder water. As long as your detergent is good, cold water washing can be just as effective as warm water. Also, don’t wash your clothes until you can completely fill the washer, as this saves energy over time.
Keep your refrigerator properly maintained. Refrigerators constantly use energy to maintain cooler temperatures. If it is not properly cared for, it will use much more energy than it needs to. Clean the dust off of the heating coils on a regular basis. Also, make sure that the seal around the door is clean and tight.
Storm Windows
Storm doors and storm windows help to better control air flow in the home. They will help prevent cold air drafts in your home. Homes equipped with storm windows and doors can see an increase in energy efficiency of up to 45 percent.
A green tankless model of water heater can replace a regular tank styled water heater. Tankless water heaters still require power to heat the water, but they heat only the water that you want to use, rather than heating a tank of water that you’re not always using. Tankless water heaters are available to purchase in many different sizes; you can heat water for your whole house, or just a single faucet.
Check your utility bills against previous years’ bills to see how you’re doing in your efforts to go green. You should also write down your goals for energy efficiency and reminders to help you stay on track. Simply being more conscious of your energy expenditures can help you to significantly reduce them. For instance, reducing your electricity or water usage will get you into the habit of turning off appliance and lights when not used.
Switch out an old boiler. Many older boilers weren’t made to save energy, whereas the newer ones tend to be much more energy efficient. Not only do they create less carbon dioxide, a poisonous gas, they can also lower your energy bill.
Many people forget to turn off machines and lights that they aren’t using, even though it seems obvious. If you do this every day, your energy bills will plummet. Resolve to turn off lights and equipment when you are not using them.
Ask the electric company to help you figure out how to increase the energy efficiency in your home. You can look on the company’s website for tool that track your energy consumption and tips for saving energy. You may also be able to find rebates or other programs to help you get energy-efficient light bulbs or appliances.
Paying a little more for electronics and appliances that use less energy will pay you back over time. Oftentimes, green technologies are a bit more expensive than their traditional counterpart; however, investing in green electronics and appliances will pay off with savings from decreased energy consumption. It also has the long-term benefit of saving the planet.
The tips you just read are easy to use, so there is no excuse not to use them. Take the time to use green energy so you can see the changes!