The environmental and monetary costs of powering a home can be greatly reduced through green energy sources. If you would like to know more about the ways you can put green energy to work in your home, read on for some valuable advice and interesting tips.
Simply cutting back on the amount of electricity you use on a daily basis can save a lot of green energy. When a certain appliance is not in use, unplug it. When you aren’t using your television, computer equipment or lights, don’t forget to turn them off. These simple tips can save you money, as well as saving electricity.
Try heating your home with a wood pellet stove
The pellets burned in a pellet stove are made of highly compact sawdust. They burn so cleanly than they are not required to get an EPA certification for emissions. Be aware, however, that the cost of the pellets may be high in some areas.
Swap your old incandescent light bulbs for high-efficiency LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs. These bulbs use far less electricity than incandescent, and they come in sizes that fit most existing fixtures. While the up-front cost is generally higher, most of these bulbs will last for years before burning out.
If you are planning on installing solar panels, understand the amount of maintenance required. You have to keep the photovoltaic cells clean. If the cells are installed on your roof, this could mean climbing all over your roof as often as once a month. If you are not able to do that, you’ll need to hire someone.
Purchase power strips for green energy
As a way to live greener, purchase power strips for your home. In areas where you have multiple electronics, you can utilize these power strips as a central hub where you may shut off all power from green energy to these electronic devices when they are not in use. As an example, if you have a home office, by plugging in your computer, printer, wireless router, and desk lamp into a power strip. You can turn them all off with the flip of a single switch when you are finished with your day’s work.
Dress in warm clothes to cut costs! Wearing a sweater can make you feel two to four degrees warmer, depending on the thickness of the sweater. You don’t have to wear a t-shirt and shorts in your home, so dress warmly and save money!
Have a backup power
Always have a backup power source for a wind generation system. Your system needs to be able to account for low-wind days. This backup could be another type of renewable source, such as a battery system powered by solar, or a diesel generator. Another option is to have the home plugged into the utility power grid.
One of the cheapest and easiest ways to make your home more energy efficient is by replacing all of your standard light bulbs with green versions. Not only do such bulbs reduce your energy bill through lower wattage and higher efficiency. These bulbs are also made to last longer and giving you a two-fold return for your investment.
You can getting started on green energy today. This means savings to you and the planet tomorrow. Changing to a green energy lifestyle does not have to be expensive and overly complicated, so put the advice received here to good use and embrace these changes today.
