Green Energy Solutions For An Older Home
Green Energy Solutions For An Older Home
Green energy can be collected from many sources, from water to the sun to a compost heap! It's amazing how simple and affordable it can be to use green energy in your home. You just have to know where to start. Read this article in its entirety, in order to learn how to begin.
Make use of fans inside the home. You can easily use floor fans or have a ceiling fan installed to increase airflow inside the home. You can use these even if you already have an air conditioner because you can turn the thermostat higher and just use the fans for air movement.
To conserve energy and save money, only run the dishwasher when you have a full load. It's sacrilege to turn it on with just one or two dishes inside. Dishwashers can usually hold many dishes. Align the dishes so several can fit inside.
Set your computer so that it goes to sleep when you are not using it for more than 10-15 minutes at any given time. While most people believe that screensavers save energy they do not, and should not be used as an alternative to placing your computer in a sleeping state.
Buy a box of Ziplock quart size baggies and use these to make your own snacks. Whether you enjoy a bit of trail mix, Chex Mix, or a tasty muffin, you can use this bag and wash it when you get home to use the next day. Keep your snacks green by washing and reusing these baggies for your snacks until they are too worn.
Make sure that all heating and cooling units and registers are not blocked by furniture, window treatments, or kid's toys. If a piece of furniture must be placed in front of a baseboard heater, leave a space of two feet. This may seem like a waste of space, but this allows you to avoid wasting energy.
Geothermal heating may be something for you to consider. If you live in the right kind of area, you are going to be able to take advantage of the heat that the earth naturally produces. These pumps will use that natural energy to heat and cool your home. Contact your local heating contractor to learn more about this process.
Start using batteries that have been recycled or else use rechargeable batteries. Disposable batteries are full of toxins and actually take about half of the energy they put off, in order to produce. If you are using disposable batteries, be sure to recycle them. Rechargeable batteries, however, can be used over and over again.
Keep up with your watt usage. Use gadgets such as Kill-A-Watt or Watt Minder and figure out what your consumption is and where it is coming from. You can plug in various devices into these devices and see how much energy that item uses for periods of time including a hour, month, and even a year. You can get a real idea of what your appliance is costing you and the environment.
If you're willing to dedicate yourself to take the time and put in the work, you'll be shocked by how simple, quick and easy, it will be to change your home to use green energy. All you need to do is use the many tips in this article and you will be well on your way, so get to work!