Make Your Money Go Further With These Green Energy Tips
Getting in on the green energy trend doesn’t have to involve a time-consuming or costly effort. Simply making small changes in your home could reduce electricity bills, and offer a lot of benefits to our environment. This article will show you how to benefit from using green energy.
Instead of using fuel oil to heat your home, try to make a switch to biodiesel. Switching to biodiesel is often doable without system modification. Biodiesel fuel runs more efficiently and is cleaner for the environment, reducing your home’s impact on the environment during winter months.
If you aren’t using something, turn it off. Whenever you leave a room, get into the habit of turning off lights, televisions, and computers. If you run your electronics through a power strip, you can turn everything off in that room with one switch.
It is important that if you take advantage of a dishwasher, that you only use it when you have a full load. The dishwasher uses the same energy when full that it uses when empty, but you’ll have to run it less often. When the dishwasher is used, it is also important to use the main energy-saving feature, which air-dries the dishes.
Using the sun to heat your water is very cost effective. Upgrade your hot water system to one that’s solar-powered. You can select from direct circulation systems or indirect varieties. You’re better off with an indirect system if you are worried about pipes freezing during the winter.
Winter Months
When you consider solar heat for your home calculate potential hours of sunshine for energy generation during the winter months. This will prevent any unpleasant surprises during the winter months, while leaving you safely ahead of your needs during the summer. If you generate excess energy during the summer, with the right plan, your utility company will send you a check!
When doing any updates to your home, look for energy-efficient products. Installing efficient windows and doors, window coverings, and insulation are just some of the ways to save big. If you use these products extensively, you will see quite a bit of savings on your energy bills.
Look for rebates at the local and federal levels for updating your home to renewable energy sources. Some utility companies also provide rebate opportunities for the installation of green technologies. In other cases, there may be tax deductions or credits available from either the state or federal government. These offers make installing and using a green energy system much more affordable.
Hire experts to check your plumbing and heating systems before investing a lot of money in installing new, greener systems. You can be shown where your money is being lost through inefficient products, and some great estimates on upgrades or replacements.
Trim your fuel usage by carpooling to more places than just work. Ask other parents in the neighborhood if they are interested in carpooling for their children and trade days with them. If you are located close to other families, agree to do your grocery shopping at the same time and rotate who drives each week.
Energy Star
Replace aging major appliances with ENERGY STAR appliances. An appliance that has Energy Star uses less energy than an appliance that doesn’t have it. This rating can promise anywhere from a 20-50% difference in energy costs, depending on the brand and the specific appliance.
Water heaters with on-demand technology exist today, and they are a great way to use green energy. Traditional water heaters run constantly, heating the water when it’s completely unnecessary. Water heaters that use on-demand, will heat water instantly when needed, which ends up saving you a lot in energy costs.
Start making your house more green by talking to your local electric company. Lots of utility companies have information on their websites about your energy consumption and tips you can implement to save cash. Be sure to also check out any programs they have to help you purchase energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs.
Keep an eye out for Energy Star labels when shopping for energy-efficient appliances. Any products that have the ENERGY STAR logo are in compliance with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. You will find tax rebates available for these types of products, specifically.
Energy Consumption
One way to reduce energy consumption is to lower your thermostat in the winter. Consider setting your thermostat to 60 degrees during the night or while you are away. Keeping your thermostat on a low temperature will allow you to lower your overall energy usage. The result is lower energy consumption and cost.
To maximize energy efficiency, you should plan to weatherize your home. Insulating your home and installing more efficient windows, doors, and heating and cooling systems will let you use less energy in your home. These items will also mean lower energy costs on your monthly bill.
There’s lots of ways to reduce energy when you do laundry. For example use the moisture sensor on your dryer; once the laundry is dry the dryer will automatically shut off. If your dryer has a higher spin speed, utilize this feature to cut drying time. It is also important to consistently clean your filter and prevent blockage in your vent.
While solar energy may not be a whole-house option for your home, consider a partial solar set-up that can offset part of your utility consumption. For example, get panels installed which will only heat hot water, or ones that specifically heat your basement.
Make use of rainwater for washing dishes and flushing the toilet. That will cut down on things like your water bill, and impact the environment positively as well. It’s very easy to collect rainwater; just place jars and buckets outside if it’s about to rain, and when they are full, close the lid.
Anyone can see benefits from using green energy, even if they don’t believe global warming is harmful. With just a few minor alterations to your daily routine, you can realize significant savings on your energy bill.