It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money nor take a lot of time to go green. Just a few changes at home and you can slash electricity costs and provide many positive things to the environment. Continue reading to learn how you can use green energy and help our environment.
Do your best to keep your windows shaded from any sunlight. Closing your blinds and curtains will keep out the sun in summer and keep heat from escaping in winter. By using heavy window covering you house will remain cooler which will decrease the amount of air conditioning needed. You will save both energy and money.
Check monthly to determine if your furnace’s filters need cleaning and replace them yearly. Installing the filters in warm-air registers is also a great idea. This helps keep debris (or Hot Wheels cars) from getting into heating ducts and reducing efficiency.
Air flow can be better controller when stormed windows and doors are installed in a home. This is because they decrease the amount of cold air circulating through your home. Storm doors and windows can help save as much as 45 percent on energy costs.
Take the time to learn about active, and passive solar power. When it comes to active power, the energy is stored for later use, while passive doesn’t need expensive cells in order to store power. Active solar powers requires solar panels that need installations as well as mechanical systems and cells. Passive power, on the other hand, stores the power in your walls and allows it to radiate outward, heating your home.
Pay attention to federal and local rebates associated with renewable energy for your house. In some situations, your local utility company may provide rebates to offset some of the cost of such upgrades. Other times, you may be eligible for credits or tax deductions from the federal or state government. Rebates and credits will help to offset the cost of implementing green energy technology you want to add to your home.
If you don’t know what changes to make, consider having a heating expert or plumber come to your home and give you a list of changes you can make to cut your energy costs. They can provide an estimate of how much money inefficient appliances and systems are costing you, and they can tell you what upgrading or replacing such systems will cost.
Buy a solar oven to provide for the needs of your kitchen. Common items, such as a heavy cardboard box, some shiny foil and an old window are all that you need. These makeshift ovens can achieve temperatures of 300 degrees or more with no help from traditional energy sources, and they are simple to produce.
Try using LED lights as opposed to conventional ones for the next holiday season. There are many studies from the U.S. to back this up. We could save at least a couple billion kilowatt hours if each person would make this change. That is enough electricity to power 200 thousand homes for a whole year. At the very least, you can shave some money from your own power bill!
Use biofuels as a heat source. Biofuels consist of vegetable or animal fats, wood and oils. If your existing furnace runs on propane, it is quite easy for a professional to make the alterations required so it can perform as efficiently using a fuel blend. The blend you would use could be made up of 20%-99% biodiesel. Talk to a professional before using biofuel in the home.
While many people do not see global warming as a threat, everyone can benefit from indoor green energy. You can save on utility bills by doing simple things like turning the lights off when you aren’t using them.