Now we understand why taking care of nature is so important. One method for treating the environment better and saving money is to convert to green energy in the home. This article will introduce you to a few of the many ways that you can put green energy to work at home today.
Use window treatments to shade the inside of your home when you aren’t home. Heavy drapes help keep you home cool, resulting in energy savings. More often than not, south-facing windows will let in the most sun due to their positioning. Dark drapes, or even energy-efficient lined drapes, are your best bet.
One thing you might consider is heating your water with solar water heaters. 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. Having a conventional heater as a back up if you expect a surge in hot water use can be wise.
Make sure when you aren’t using something to turn it off. Upon leaving a particular room, remember to turn of the lights, television, computer or even the entertainment center. Try using a power strip so you can turn off all of your electronics at once, instead of letting power be wasted in standby mode.
Don’t run your dishwasher if it is less than totally full. Dishwashers do not allow for minimizing water or power consumption. It is the same, full or not. Using the air-dry setting will save energy when you run the dishwasher.
Storm doors and windows can make air flow in the home better. Storm windows are good at cutting down on the cool air that tries to get in. Energy efficiency increases by 45% in houses that contain stormed windows and doors, which could save you lots of money when it comes to electricity.
Replace a water heater that is tank-style, with a model that is green and has no tank. While tankless heaters still require gas or electricity to heat your water, they only heat the amount of water you need, rather than keeping a large tank hot around the clock. You can get a tankless heater that will supply the whole house or one that supplies a single hot-water faucet.
Keep an eye on how many watts of electricity you use. Devices like Watt Minder and Kill-A-Watt can help you determine the highest energy-usage culprits in your home. When you plug an electrical appliance into the monitor, it displays how much energy it requires each hour, month, or year. You’ll be able to calculate how much each appliance costs you in electricity and replace those which are power hogs.
There are countless things you can do it you want to live a environmentally friendly lifestyle. You don’t have to invest a lot of time or money; simply clean out your furnace filters and adjust your thermostat while you’re gone. Lowering the temperature on your water heater to 120 can also help reduce costs. Every little thing you do helps!
An old, yet good tip, for those looking to save on energy is to turn off your lights whenever you leave a room. You may be shocked by the amount of electricity you can save by starting this simple habit. The money that you will save is an added bonus.
You can easily help the environment and have an energy efficient home by using these green energy tips. The financial savings alone is enough to make you want to go green!