What is green energy and how can you incorporate it into your life? It can lower your bills by reducing your family’s reliance on the city’s electrical grid and it can help you to give back to the earth. How do you approach going green? Keep reading for a few easy ideas!
Using less energy daily means large energy and financial savings. When you aren’t using an appliance, unplug it. Turn off all lights and televisions when they are not being used. These simple tips can save you money, as well as saving electricity.
Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Using electricity or gas to heat water is not terribly efficient, but water heaters that use solar power maintain water temperatures using only the sun’s rays by way of solar panels. Making some of these changes will cost you some money up front, but you can recoup some of these costs with tax deductions for using green energy.
When not at home, use window coverings. This cools your home’s interior and keeps energy usage down while you’re away. More often than not, south-facing windows will let in the most sun due to their positioning. Install window coverings like heavy curtains, drapes, roman or roller shades, or blinds on all windows.
If you prefer to use your dishwasher to wash your dishes, only run it when it is full to capacity. You will use just as much water and energy to run a half-empty dishwasher as a full one. When it is time to do a load of dishes, use the dishwasher’s energy-saving mode. This makes it so that the dishes air-dry rather than being dried by heat.
Using solar energy is one good way to heat water. Buy a hot-water system that is solar-powered. Indirect or direct circulation systems are both available. You’re better off with an indirect system if you are worried about pipes freezing during the winter.
Replace an energy-hogging water heating tank with a greener, tankless variety. Tankless heaters still use electricity or gas to provide hot water, but they only heat the water you actually need. You can purchase tankless water heaters that are small enough to heat one faucet, or large enough to heat your entire house.
If you love green energy and green living, consider using electric heaters less during the winter months. Wear several layers of warm clothes instead, and heat main rooms with a pellet stove or fireplace. It is better to sleep in cooler air, it helps you breathe, and keeps your airways moist.
Research solar panels to see if an active or passive set-up is right for your needs. While active power requires storage cells, passive power doesn’t. To use active power it requires mechanical systems, solar panels and cells. Passive systems use the sun’s rays to store energy withing the walls of your home and are significantly cheaper.
Everyone talks about green energy, but not many are actually using it. You have just read some great ideas that can help your home become green and sustainable without spending too much time or money.…