Cutting back on how many resources run your home can be easy. You can decrease your carbon footprint by implementing a few changes, big or small, that will help you save money in the long term. Here are some places you can start.
Putting in solar panels in your home for solar energy is easy. There are some things that should be further looked in to before doing this. The most important consideration is how much your home is exposed to sunlight. If your home does not get a lot of sunlight, then solar panels will be pretty useless.
Solar water heaters are an inexpensive and efficient way to heat your home’s water. If you live where freezing temperatures aren’t prevalent, you can purchase a system that can circulate water via a solar heater prior to being pumped to 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.
Try drying your laundry outside in the sun whenever possible, rather than using a dryer. The sun can really make your clothes smell incredible. The smell of sun-dried clothes is much nicer than clothing tumbled in a dryer. In addition, you’ll save money on your utility bills.
If you are a fan of green living and green energy, try using your electric heaters as little as possible during the winter. Rather, purchase some warmer clothes for your family and use a pellet stove or fireplace to heat up the living areas. You will breathe better during your sleep if the air is cool.
One very easy way to save money on your heating bills is to dress more warmly around the house during the winter months. A sweater that is light can provide 2 degrees of extra warmth, while a heavy one provides 4. It’s not necessary to dress good at home, so grab a sweater to save money.
Passive Solar Power
When looking at solar power, know the difference between passive solar power and active. Active solar power is stored so it can be used later, but passive doesn’t need pricey solar panel cells to store power. Active systems are what you would normally think of when you think of solar–PV cells, mechanical parts, and storage devices. Passive solar power uses the heat of the sun to hold thermal energy within your home.
Use a laptop instead of a desktop computer. 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. You can also bring your computer anywhere if you have a laptop.
If you aren’t sold on making a large green energy investment at home, then bring in a professional heating expert or plumber to take a look at your existing systems. These consultants will visit your home, assess your energy usage, and provide options at several price points for making smart and economical green upgrades.
Try not putting the temperature up too much, as it may be unnecessary. If it is a little chilly, simply put on a sweatshirt, and pair of sweatpants. High levels of heat use too much energy.
Switching out your boiler for a newer, more efficient model can be a great way to save energy. Boilers that are more than a few years old were not made to conserve energy, while many modern boilers are quite efficient. Not only can they shave money off your energy bill, but they benefit your health by releasing less carbon dioxide.
Rating Guarantees
Get appliances that have an Energy Star rating. This rating guarantees the appliance utilizes a lot less energy than something that is not rated. For freezers and refrigerators, the rating guarantees 20 percent less energy used, 40 percent for dishwashers, and at least 50 percent when it comes to washing machines.
Do not forget to turn off anything you do not use, including lights, appliances and electronics. If a person was to practice this daily, it would save them an enormous amount on their energy bills. By thinking about the costs involved and how much extra energy you use, should get you to shut off those appliances and lights when not in use.
Consider replacing your wooden products with bamboo when buying new. Bamboo is a product that grass-based and a lot stronger than many of the commercially available wood products on the market. This fast-growing product is used in a wide variety of wood items. Everything from floors to cutting boards can be made with bamboo. This saves energy when it comes to the production and recycling of manufacturing products.
Overpaying initially for green technology eventually pays for itself. Energy savings, coupled with monetary savings, will make the investment worthwhile over the longer term. It is also one more positive impact on the environment that compounds.
Install automatic light sensors with motion detection into your most highly trafficked rooms. These sensors will automatically turn off the lights of rooms that are currently not in use, saving on energy and, in turn, a lot of money! Remember to do the same thing with the lighting over your garage, as well!
Use some of the information you read in the preceding paragraphs to make your household a greener one. You will see a significant decrease in your energy bills while benefiting and helping the environment. Before long, you will have one of the greenest homes around!
