Lower the cost of heating your indoor water, pools and hot tubs by switching to solar water heating systems. Solar water heaters use the sun’s energy to heat water resulting in energy savings. Even though these upgrades can involve considerable expense, some of them might qualify as green energy tax savings.
Some homeowners may be uncertain how to convert their energy usage into more environmentally friendly forms. You might be confused by the many different choices, or even feel anxious about where to begin making your own transitions. Read these suggestions to discover the green energy options available for you.
When you can, wash your laundry in cold water. Almost 90% of the energy you use when you do laundry is due to heating water. As long as your detergent is good, cold water washing can be just as effective as warm water. It is also better to clean a full load, not smaller loads.
Shade your windows from the sun to prevent energy usage. Additionally, curtains and blinds can enhance the energy-saving effect you achieve. Since this will make your house cooler, you will use the air conditioner less. By blocking the sun’s rays, you will save energy and money.
Only using the dishwasher when it is full will save you money and energy. If you only have a couple of dishes, do not put them in the dishwasher and turn it on. If you do this, you’ll become used to filling the dishwasher with as many dishes as you can. Place the dishes in your dishwasher so you can fit in as many dishes as possible.
Solar Panels
Use electric heaters minimally in the winter. Use a fireplace in place of the heater and wear warm layers of clothing. An additional benefit to limiting the amount of electrical heaters is that it helps prevent your airways from becoming dry, resulting in better breathing.
Install solar panels and reap the benefits easily. But, you must think about some things prior to doing this. One major factor to consider with solar panels is the amount of sunlight your home receives. When in a shaded area, or city with less sunny days, there won’t be as many benefits from solar power.
Decide to receive your correspondence through email by opting out of receiving monthly statements. In other words, go paperless as much as possible. This kills two birds with one stone: you save energy and encourage businesses with whom you correspond to do so, as well. Finally, it will also save trees and reduce pollution a great deal in very little time.
Do you live on a farm? If you or someone you know does, you can rent a piece of your land to a company looking to put in a wind turbine. You will reap the benefits of this energy and the space needed is minimal.
Switching out your boiler for a newer, more efficient model can be a great way to save energy. Older boilers are not as energy efficient as new ones because people didn’t worry about the environment when they were made. Newer boilers produce far less carbon dioxide and reduce energy bills.
Check your furnace and air conditioning filters monthly. Clean or replace them as needed. Also, you may want your warm-air registers to have filters. This will help ensure debris doesn’t enter heating ducts, thereby reducing your efficiency.
Use a toilet designed to conserve water. Estimates show that about 50% of your home’s water is used by flushing toilets. Older models used 5 or more gallons of water to flush; today’s water saving models uses a little over 1.5 gallons per flush. That is a 70 percent water savings.
Using solar energy is one good way to heat water. Buy a hot-water system that is solar-powered. There are systems available that circulate the heat both directly and indirectly. Indirect systems are the best if you have frozen pipes during the winter.
Investing more money up front in green energy appliances will pay off by saving you money over time. Green technologies are often a little more expensive than traditional items but the investment will pay off in the money that you save on decreased utilities. It can also have a beneficial impact on the environment in the long term.
Storm Windows
Use your refrigerator to thaw out food. This is a better way to thaw food, and the cold air that comes from your frozen foods will make your refrigerator cooler, thereby, cutting the energy consumption from your fridge.
When a home has windows and doors stormed air flow is actually better in that household. Storm windows are good at cutting down on the cool air that tries to get in. Homes equipped with storm windows and doors can see an increase in energy efficiency of up to 45 percent.
Try using rainwater for items in your home, such as your toilet. This saves money on the water bill and is good for the environment, too. To collect large amounts of water, install rain barrels to collect water from your gutters. If you only need small amounts of water, just set out jars or buckets to collect water during a rainstorm.
Use a tankless water heater instead of one that uses a tank. Tankless versions still need electricity or gas to heat water, but they are more effective in heating solely the water necessary instead of a huge tank of water constantly. Tankless heaters are available in models that supply the entire house or a single faucet with hot water.
Those looking to go green would be wise to invest in a front loading washing machine. These machines use much less water than top loading machines and are actually more efficient at cleaning your clothes. This saves energy, and consequentially, reduces the amount of money you spend each month.
Homes greatly vary in layout and geographical area. With all of the different variables, green energy technology will vary significantly for each area. Some tips are universal and work for everyone, and some are not. Use the advice given here to determine which technologies are best suited for your particular situation.
Choose environmentally-friendly lighting for your home. There are several alternatives to incandescent lighting which are much more eco-friendly. They don’t use as much energy as regular bulbs and give you a good amount of lighting in your house. Using these light bulbs is an easy, quick way to make your home greener.