Reduce Your Dependence On your Utility and Save Some Money In The Process
Your home is your castle, but have you ever considered what is powering it? Green energy is a great solution that you can implement in your own home, tax breaks are available to help pay for your choice, weather its Solar Panels, Radiant Heating or a Geo-thermal installation. Read on for some simple strategies that you can start using right now.
First try to install some new, high-performance windows that can improve your home’s energy efficiency. While it can take multiple years for these new windows to pay off with your energy savings, their benefits of added comfort, better aesthetics, and much better functionality can offset the cost in the long run.
Turn off the kitchen, bathroom, and any other exhaust fans as soon as you no longer need them. Some people leave the fans on for 20 minutes or so, but it is better to leave them on for no longer than five minutes after showering, bathing, or cooking is finished.
You can lower the temperature setting on your water heater and save money at the same time by insulating your water pipes. Just insulating the hot water pipes can reduce heat loss and raise your hot water temperature by 2-4 degrees F. You will save water as well, as it won’t take as long for the water to heat up.
Insulate your home. A pre-1950 home that isn’t insulated will use approximately 60 percent more energy than a house that was built after 2000. Not sure if you just read what I just said, so I am going to repeat it again – A pre-1950 home can use approximately 60 percent more energy than a house that was built after 2000. Adding sufficient insulation to your attic and basement will greatly improve your home’s energy efficiency. As well as keeping you warm in the winter, you will find that the home remains much cooler in the summer months, reducing the need for an air conditioner.
Get some green plants in your home and your garden. Green plants transform carbon dioxide into oxygen: keeping plants in your home is a good way to balance the harmful emanations from your heating system. It is also a good alternative to opening up windows and losing heat to change the air in your home.
You can reduce your monthly energy bills by air-sealing. This means sealing off openings in your home where hot and cool air can either escape or get inside the home. Places to seal include windows, doors, gaps around attic access hatches and pull-down stairs. Look for anyplace where you can find gaps that allow heat or cool air to escape!
Keep a lot of food in your refrigerator. That may seem a bit odd, but the truth is that refrigerators that have a lot of food and items inside do not warm as quickly as less-stocked refrigerators. That means that refrigerators full of food use less energy, which is definitely a greener way to live.
A good energy saving tip for your kitchen is to cut any food you are cooking into smaller pieces. This greatly reduces the time necessary to cook the item which means your appliances will not be running as long. This serves to both cut the amount of energy needed as well as reduce the amount of your electric bill. Hay, we’re trying to save any way we can here!!
If you are thinking about starting your own business, you should find out more about green energies. This market will expand in the future and you can benefit from many interesting tax incentives, besides contributing to saving the planet and offering people clean sources of energy. Go to your local Business Bureau for more information or better yet take a look at Matthew Lesko’s book on Free Government Grants.
A great way to help save energy and live a greener lifestyle is to purchase energy efficient appliances. Make sure that any new appliances you buy have the Energy-Star rating as this not only saves a great deal of energy, but it can also lower your power bill significantly.
A way to use the energy you already have in a green way is not to idle your car excessively. If you are going to have your car parked for more than 30 seconds, yes I said 30 SECONDS, then turn off the engine and conserve your energy in the tank. So when waiting for the kids at school, turn off your engine and conserve. This not only helps you but helps the environment also.
A clean environment is key to ensuring that we continue to have the food and water that we need to survive. It’s up to each individual to play their part and a great start to that part is to use the ideas in this article to “green” your energy use. Start implementing what you’ve learned and reap the rewards!
Best,