Protecting the environment while also reducing your energy bills is simple by using green energy. An electric car is not a must-have in order to help. Read on for information you can use to make your house energy-efficient.
Solar panels can be installed on your roof allowing you to use solar energy. There are some things that should be further looked in to before doing this. Think about the amount of sunlight that hits your house on an average day. If your home is mostly in the shade, or if you live in a location that receives little sun, your power gain may be minimal.
Use cold water in your washing machine. Almost ninety percent of the energy used by a washing machine comes from heating the water for a warm or hot cycle. If your detergent is of good quality, you should have no problems using cold water. Don’t forget to wait until you have a full load of laundry to wash; that is the energy efficient way.
Consider solar water heaters to make your home more energy efficient. If you live somewhere where you don’t have to be concerned with temperatures that are freezing, you can use a system that circulates water through the solar heater before it gets pumped into your home. It’s a good idea to use a supplemental water heater, however, if you cannot count on constant sunshine or if your hot water consumption is high.
Don’t keep things turned on all the time. When you exit a room, be sure that everything has been fully turned off. When you can, plug your electronics into a power strip and when you are not using it, turn it off. Energy is still being used when something is in standby mode.
When using a dishwasher to do the dishes, don’t let it run unless it’s all the way full. An equal amount of water and energy is used, whether it is full or not. When running the dishwasher, ensure that you are using the energy-saving option, which allows the air-drying of your dishes.
Solar energy can heat water for a lesser cost. Build a hot-water system based on solar energy. Your choices include an indirect or direct circulation system. For colder regions,indirect is a better option.
When you have a solar energy system installed, ensure that the batteries that hold the power are situated in close proximity to the cells. This helps prevent power loss in the cables. It can also reduce the chance of a cable shading a cell, and reducing its generation capability.
Help to control the air flow in your own home by installing a storm door and storm windows too. Storm doors and windows decrease cold air from drafts. Energy efficiency can be increased up to 45% in a home with storm windows and doors.
In winter, save energy and money by turning down the heat and adding a layer of clothes. A light sweater offers 2 degrees of more warmth, and a heavy sweater adds 4 degrees. So, wear a sweater to save some money.
Take the time to learn about active, and passive solar power. Active power is stored for use at a later time, passive does not require expensive cells to store the power. You need to install solar panels and systems if you want active solar power. Passive solar power, on the other hand, just draws heat from the sun and stores it in your walls for heating purposes.
Use energy efficient lightbulbs, change your furnace filer, and get a programmable thermostat to easily conserve energy inside your house. Show other people how easy being green is. Keep these ideas in mind and apply them wherever you can.