The environmental and monetary costs of powering a home can be greatly reduced through green energy sources. If you’re interested in green energy for your house, keep reading so you can learn how to get it done today.
Solar water heating is a great way to decrease the expense of heating water used for showers and swimming pools. Using gas or electricity to heat water isn’t efficient. However, solar water heaters use the sun to make water comfortable and reduce energy consumption. Although these upgrades could cost a lot, they also might qualify for energy tax deductions.
You can easily get solar panels installed in your home to collect solar energy for your use. It is important, however, that you do your homework before making the leap. The most important thing that needs to be taken into consideration is to determine how much sun your home gets on average. When in a shaded area, or city with less sunny days, there won’t be as many benefits from solar power.
Your furnace filters should be replaced annually, and inspected for monthly cleanings. Also, put filters on vents that dispense warm air. This reduces debris and small toys from falling into the ducts, which will make them less efficient.
During the summer time, you should consider drying your clothes using the sun as opposed to using the dryer. This can cause your clothes to smell really good. They will smell fresher than if you used the dryer. You will also save money on utility bills by doing this.
Turn you appliances off when you are not using them. When you exit a room, be sure to turn off any unused electronics or lights. Use power strips for your electronics, and make sure to turn it of when you are not using it. If it is in standby it’s still wasting power.
Storm Windows
If you want to save energy on heating and cooling costs, install storm windows and doors. These special storm doors and windows prevent cold air and drafts from entering the home. Homes equipped with storm windows and doors can see an increase in energy efficiency of up to 45 percent.
Get rid of your old tank-style water heater, and replace it with a modern tankless model. While heaters that are tankless still need electricity or gas, they will not heat more water than you need, which is what a water tank heater does. You can purchase tankless heaters that supply the whole house, or ones that supply just one faucet.
One of the best ways to go green and cut energy costs is by dressing more warmly. Lighter sweaters can add 2 more degrees of warmth, while heavy sweaters increase warmth by 4 degrees. You don’t have to worry about wearing too little at home so consider getting a sweater to save money.
Active Solar Power
Be sure to learn more about passive and active solar power. Passive solar power is power on demand and does not require cells for power storage. Active solar power has plenty of power storing ability so you will have energy ready anytime you may need it. Active solar power requires a lot of involvement in the form of installation, mechanics, and power cells. While when you use passive they use the thermal energy from the sun in order to store energy inside the walls of your house and heat your household with it.
Making use of green energy today could save you a lot of money, and it will also save the environment as well. Changing to a green energy lifestyle does not have to be expensive and overly complicated, so put the advice received here to good use and embrace these changes today.