Many people find the prospect of making their home more green to be a daunting one. With so many choices on the market, it can be challenging to know how to start and how to make the best selections. Read this article for some tips on improving the energy use in your home.
Solar water heating is a great way to decrease the expense of heating water used for showers and swimming pools. This is also a very efficient way to heat water and keep it at the proper temperature. Some of these upgrades, while more expensive up-front, may qualify for green energy tax deductions.
You can consider getting solar water heaters to heat your water. If freezing temperatures are never a concern in your area, consider a system that circulates water through solar heaters before sending it into your house. Though you can use this system, it’s best to have a regular water heater for backup purposes, just in case there is a day with little sunlight or more water usage than normal.
Turn off electrical items whenever you aren’t using them. When exiting rooms, turn off the computer, television or lights. Use power strips for home electronics. As well, turn this off when you’re not using your electronics. Products in standby mode still waste power.
The power-storing batteries of your solar system should be installed close to the cells. No power will be lost during the transfer from the cells to the batteries by doing this. This also prevents long cables from casting shadows over the PV cells.
Storm Doors
Storm doors and windows can make air flow in the home better. Storm doors and windows decrease cold air from drafts. Energy efficiency improves by 45% when storm doors and windows are implemented, which are big energy savers.
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 do not have to dress lightly at home, so save money by putting on a sweater and turning down the heat!
Turn the heat down in your house. In colder weather, you can make use of warm pajamas, sweat suits and slippers! Having your heat turned up too high will consume a great deal of unnecessary energy.
Consider using a solar over when you wish to bake. A solar oven can be made by using an old window, a box and for reflection, a piece of foil. They require only sunlight to reach a temperature of more than 300 degrees, and they only take a few minutes to construct.
When decorating for the holidays you should forgo traditional lights and get LED lights instead. According to one study done by the DOE, the United States could save more than 2 billion hours of power, simply by having everyone make this change. The U.S. would be able to save Two billion kilo watt hours of energy if everyone did this change. This is enough energy to power 20,000 houses in one year. All that said, you can at least save some money on your own energy costs!
Every home has a different layout and is in different areas. These differences will dictate which green technologies will be best suited for each home. Some tips are universal and work for everyone, and some are not. Find tips that work for you and your lifestyle, and implement these at home.