Monday, July 23, 2012

How To Convert Your Home To Green Energy

By Karima Klez


The Earth needs our help to keep it healthy, and green energy is one great way we can help this process along. Environmentally friendly energy comes in many forms, such as solar and wind power. Do you want to add some green energy to your life? Continue reading to learn about it.

Keep an eye on the wattage you are using. Devices like Watt Minder and Kill-A-Watt can help you determine the highest energy-usage culprits in your home. Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, a month, or a year. This will make you realize what a given appliance costs you over the long run.

If you're one of many who wants to live an environmentally friendly life, there's plenty you can do. For example, cleaning your furnace filters every month and turning down the heat when you aren't at home will greatly increase the efficiency of your furnace. Reduce your water heat temperature to one hundred twenty degrees to save money as well. Little things like this add up!

Collect rainwater to use to flush your toilet. Using rainwater will not only save you money, but will also help save the environment. There are many ways to collect rainwater, including sitting glass jars outside to collect rain. Once the jars are filled, simply close the lids.

Dressing warmly can help you reduce energy and go green. Even just a lightweight sweater keeps you two degrees warmer, and a heavyweight sweater will keep you four degrees warmer. The more layers you wear at home, the less energy you will need to use heating your house.

Consider getting a dehumidifier. Humid air typically feels warmer. Rather than using an energy-hogging air conditioner to cool your home, try using a dehumidifier first. This may allow you to wait on using AC for a longer period of time.

Insist that your government pass laws that help encourage companies to use green energy. People often don't make full use of the power of information. If consumers were aware of the companies that chose not to utilize green practices because it cut into their profits, they may stay away from them. Make companies responsible for their actions so you can encourage green energy.

As seasons change, adjust your thermostat accordingly. During the winter, make sure you lower your thermostat, and during the summer, raise it slightly. If you do this in conjunction with adding or removing clothing when necessary, you can stay comfortable while using less energy.

When you cook at home, use a microwave as much as you can. Ovens and stoves use lots more energy to prepare food than microwaves. If it is possible to microwave the item you are considering cooking, do so to reduce your energy consumption.

Make your own ice and reduce your energy consumption. Automatic ice makers often use excess energy and are prone to breaking down. There are also prone to getting leaky seals, which ends up raising the temperature inside of your freezer. You can make your own ice to avoid this.

Use your refrigerator to thaw out food. Using the fridge is a very safe method for thawing food. The extra benefit is that the thawing food will be releasing cold and helping to reduce the ambient temperature in the fridge, which reduces cycling.

Use the light in your oven to conserve energy. By using the light to check your food instead of opening the door, you can conserve energy because you aren't allowing heat to escape.

Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Using natural gas or electricity is not as efficient as solar power, and solar water heaters can keep the water temperature steady. Although these upgrades could cost a lot, they also might qualify for energy tax deductions.

Each home has a unique layout, and each has its own area. So the type of green energy that is available for every home is actually going to be different. Some technologies can work in any location, while others are site-specific. Keep your home's specifics in mind when determining which energy tips will work for you




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