Electricity makes the world go ’round, but have you ever considered the sources it comes from? Green energy is found in many environmentally friendly sources, and you can use it within your own home to ensure that your appliances are powered without damaging the Earth. Read on for some simple strategies to get you started. Have solar panels installed on your home for an easy, renewable way to power some or all of your home’s appliances? But before you do this, there are a few things you must take into account. The biggest thing to consider is how much sun your house gets on average. If your home is shaded, the amount of energy collected from solar panels will be greatly reduced.
When you are not using your appliances, you should make sure they are turned off. If you are in a room, make sure that the light is turned off when you exit. If you leave your home, ensure the TV is turned off. These little things can greatly decrease the amount of energy you use in your home, which will leave you with some extra cash in your pocket at the end of the month. Save energy, and your hard-earned dollars, by only using your washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load. A small load uses just as much energy as a full load and accomplishes a lot less for the energy expenditure. Let laundry stack up another day or two in order to maximize savings and efficiency. Also consider drying clothes outdoors on a clothesline if allowed in your area. The fresh outdoorsy scent can’t be beat, and you will show a significant savings in your utility bill if you cut back on your dryer usage.
Make small changes if you do not have a lot of money to invest or do not have access to the kind of resources you need. Get a small solar power installation to provide power for one room only, and get a few solar cells to charge your cell phone and other devices, for instance. Using cold water in your washing machine whenever possible is a great way to save energy. The reason for this is that a significant amount of energy is required to heat water. In fact, about ninety percent of the energy consumed when washing clothes is used for heating water. Using hot water is more expensive for both you and the environment.
You do not have to leave your electronics behind to live a green lifestyle. Recharge your electronics with solar chargers and you no longer have to be concerned with your electronics being a drain on the environment. It is a small investment that pays off quickly in electric bills and a guilt-free conscience. Use solar water heaters as a great alternative to heating water with electricity. They use the sun’s energy to heat water for use in your home or business. The ideal location for a solar water heating system is a south-facing roof that is not shaded. Current technologies allow the system to blend in with your roof so as not to detract from your home. A good green energy solution to replace cleaning products in your home is to use olive oil. By using olive to clean certain things around the home, you are avoiding the synthetic chemicals, compounds and substances that aren’t very environmentally friendly which are present in the many household cleaning products you find on the market.
Power strips are a great way not only to protect your expensive appliances but also to easily lower your energy usage. Instead of having to switch off or unplug every individual appliance when they are not in use, you can simply switch off all power strips at night or when you leave your home. Use the microwave as much as you can to save energy while cooking. Each time you cook in the oven or stove, you tend to use lots of energy. So when you can “nuke” your food, do so to cut down on energy usage. Many homeowners overlook wasted energy in the garage when they are trying to conserve. Heat in an uninsulated garage can literally go out the windows and doors. If you are interested in green energy, start by making sure your garage is properly insulated. Be sure to check with your county about building codes before you start.
A great tip to help save energy is to utilize daylight in your house. Rather than turning on your lights during the day, open up your shades, and let the sun naturally light up your home. You may even want to consider installing a skylight to really help illuminate your home. Lighting has changed immensely over the last couple decades, and one energy efficient method for lighting a home that many consumers still have not grasped is the energy saving light bulb. These not only save you money on energy costs, but they last longer anyway. If you have not switched to energy-efficient light bulbs in your home, now is the time. The quality and variety of these lights is better than ever.
A simple and easy way to reduce your energy consumption and make your house greener is to thoroughly clean the lint filter in your dryer each time before you use it. Believe it or not, by doing this easy and simple act, you can slash your dryer’s usage of electricity by as much as 30%! Windmills are capable of creating electrical energy without polluting anything. Purchasing your own windmill can be expensive, and there may be restrictions on putting one up where you live. If you can install your own windmill, you will be able to sell excess electricity to your local power company and recoup some of your costs. This article has empowered you by supplying tips and tricks that can help you change your life to benefit yourself, and the world around you. The fact is that it doesn’t matter how much knowledge you have if you don’t use it, so take the tricks you’ve read here and start implementing them today.
