Options such as sun, water or wind are great producers of energy without negative impacts to the environment. They also offer cost effective solutions for your home. If you are interested in greener sources of energy for the technology in your home, keep reading for some useful tips on what you can do and how to do it today.
Solar water heaters are a great option and can significantly decrease the cost involved with heating all of the water in your home. Using natural gas or electricity is not as efficient as solar power, and solar water heaters can keep the water temperature steady. Making some of these changes will cost you some money up front, but you can recoup some of these costs with tax deductions for using green energy.
Instead of using your air conditioner in the summer, try to wear fabrics that are natural. Cotton and other natural fibers, draw the moisture away from your skin, and allow you to stay cooler. Wearing lighter colors will also help, because they tend to reflect light.
The government has grants available to those who are willing to invest in alternative renewable energies. Check with the local government and find out about any possible programs you may be eligible for. You could possibly qualify for wind or solar installation at little or no cost, or you can deduct these kind of expenses from taxes.
Do you or your family own a farm? Farms are the perfect place to put a wind turbine. If you don’t have a farm, you might be able to rent from someone. You could take advantage of the energy offered and the space requirements are minimal.
If you use fuel oil to heat your home, ask a professional if you can use biodiesel. Sometimes you can make the switch to some use of biodiesel fuels without having to purchase new parts or make costly modifications. Bio-diesel fuels burn more efficiently and cleaner than conventional petroleum- based fuel oil.
A good way to save money is to only turn on your dishwasher when you have a full load ready to go. A lot of energy is wasted when only a few dishes are washed at a time. Your dishwasher can probably hold a lot more dishes than you think. Experiment with different ways of loading the dishwasher in order to fit in as many dishes as possible.
Replace a water heater that is tank-style, with a model that is green and has no tank. Instead of keeping a whole tank of water hot at all times, tankless models only heat the water you are actually going to use. You can find tankless heaters that either supply an entire house, or just a single faucet.
Instead of utilizing a desktop computer which eat up lots more energy, purchase a laptop. It can mean a savings of up to seventy-five percent on the electricity if you are a frequent Internet user or if you use word-processing software. Another benefit of the laptop is that it’s portable, so it can be used anywhere.
Keep up-to-date with tax rebates for making your home more energy-efficient. Ask your utility company if they offer rebates for green energy upgrades. In other cases, there may be tax deductions or credits available from either the state or federal government. These credits and rebates could reduce the cost associated to installing green technology in your house.
Create reminders for yourself in order to stay focused on your energy efficiency goals. Try to check your utility bill occasionally in order to see the progress you are making. When you’re aware of energy expenses, you’re better positioned to reduce them. 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.
Make use of the microwave when possible to cut down on energy usage. Cooking food using the stove or the oven consumes a large amount of power. Take advantage of the microwave whenever you can to cut down on your overall energy consumption.
When you exit a room, make it a habit to flip off the light switch. If you establish a habit of extinguishing your lights, you will be amazed at the amount of energy you can save in the long run. There’s also the extra benefit of having a lower electric bill.
Install a water-saving toilet. It’s estimated that as much as fifty percent of your water usage comes from the toilet. Older toilets use about 5 gallons per flush, while the newer, water-saving toilets need only 1.6 gallons of water for each flush, cutting your annual water usage by up to 70%.
60 Degrees
One way to conserve energy at home is setting your furnace to 60 degrees during the night and while you are out of the house. 60 degrees uses the smallest amount of possible energy. In this case, you would cut down on energy usage and save cash.
Solar panels can be a great addition for your home, making it more efficient and greener. There is of course an initial investment that is not cheap, however, long term use and the resulting savings, will far outweigh the up-front cost. Once solar panels are in place the energy is free, and you might have the chance to sell some of the power to your electric company.
To maximize energy efficiency, you should plan to weatherize your home. Insulating your home and installing more efficient windows, doors, and heating and cooling systems will let you use less energy in your home. This will reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home, thereby, saving you money on your utility bills.
Going green with energy use in your home now will equate to savings financially and environmentally in the future. This article has shown that it is neither expensive nor difficult to go green.