Are you living on a farm? If you do, or if you are aware of someone that does, you may be able to rent some of the property to a local energy company that will install a type of wind turbine. You and the neighbors can benefit from this free installation and energy which won’t take up much space.
With the multitude of green-energy information available online today, it can be overwhelming to try and find a plan of action that will work for you. This article is going to give you information that will help you on the path to making use of green energy at home.
Hot water can be obtained in a low cost, environmentally friendly manner through solar energy. There are many solar hot-water appliances to get the job done. You have the choice for an indirect or direct circulation system. Indirect is best if you have cold winters and worry about pipes freezing.
Think about getting solar powered lamps for outdoor lighting. They are not only affordable, but they do not have to be hooked up to any power source, needing only good access to sunlight. This does more than just save energy. Another added convenience is that they do not require any wiring for you to enjoy outside lighting.
Learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Passive solar power doesn’t require the costly power-storage cells that active power does. In order to use active power, you will need to install a few things, including solar cells, mechanical systems, and most importantly, solar panels. Passive solar power is simply making use of the sun to keep thermal energy in your walls so you can heat your home.
Use a solar water heat system to lower water and heating costs. Using natural gas and electricity is certainly the norm, but it’s not very energy efficient. By contrast, solar energy is very efficient, and it keeps water temperatures steady just as well as traditional heating methods. While many of these upgrades have high up-front costs, they may qualify for tax credits or other rebates.
If you are someone who is seeking out ways to live green so you can help save the planet’s energy, there’s a lot you can do. You do not have to spend money to help, but you can clean your furnace filters once each month and set your heat to 60 degrees if you are not home. Lowering the temperature of your water heater can save energy as well. Every little thing you do helps!
Check your furnace and air conditioning filters monthly. Clean or replace them as needed. You should also install filters on any warm-air registers included with your furnace. This can prevent anything from getting caught in the ducts.
When Christmas or other holidays roll around, try LED decorative lights instead of traditional lights to spruce up your home. A study conducted by the United States The U.S. Department of Energy says we could save over 2 billion kilowatt hours of power if everyone made this change. That is the equivalent to the power it would take to run 200,000 homes for a year. At least you will be saving money on your power bill.
Try solar water heaters instead of traditional ones. If you live in an area where freezing temperatures are unlikely, you can purchase systems that circulate water through solar heating systems before pumping it inside for use. Even though solar water heaters are useful, it is still necessary to have a normal water heater for periods of extended cloudy weather or unusually high hot water use.
Although this may seem like common sense, many people still keep the lights, appliances and electronics on when they are not using them. If you do this every day, your energy bills will plummet. Always take a few minutes to think before you leave your home and turn off all your appliances.
During the summer time, you should consider drying your clothes using the sun as opposed to using the dryer. The smell of clothes dried in the fresh air cannot be topped. They’ll be smelling much fresher than if they were just dried in a dryer. Also, using your dryer less will save you money in energy costs on your utility bills each month.
If you want to transform your home into a “green home,” the iconic way to do this is by installing solar panels. Adding solar panels won’t require a big investment in the beginning, and the savings will be quite significant down the road. After the panels are installed, solar power is free and excess can often be sold to supplant the grid.
While sometimes going through a lot of information may not be fun, applying the tips laid out here will be. These are great, east ways to improve both your home and your life through green energy. The environment will appreciate it, and so will your family!
There are many ways you can conserve energy while doing laundry. Use the correct setting to turn your dryer off once the laundry is dry. Use the high-spin speed to reduce moisture in clothes and thereby shorten drying time. Be sure that the dryer filters are clean and look for dryer vent blockages.