Living green can produce a sense of pride because you know you are protecting the environment. That’s great, but are you aware of how much green energy helps you, personally? That’s right, green energy can save you money in energy costs. This article has some great tips for using green energy to benefit everyone.
Try setting the air conditioning to run just one degree Celsius warmer during the summer and one degree Celsius cooler during the winter. You will not even notice this difference in temperature, and you’ll save a lot of money and energy. In addition, the amount of carbon being used will decrease by around 14%.
Check monthly to determine if your furnace’s filters need cleaning and replace them yearly. You should also install filters on any warm-air registers included with your furnace. This not only helps keep debris (and kids’ toys) from entering heating ducts, which reduces efficiency.
As you ready yourself to make the switch to green energy, try getting a step ahead of the game by decreasing your present energy needs. By using less energy, it will be that much easier to switch to alternative sources because you won’t be using as much. Good ways to start include using less light in your home, shortening hot showers and using cool instead of hot water for laundry.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are easy to install and can collect sunlight for energy. But, you must think about some things prior to doing this. One thing to factor into your considerations is the amount of sun your house actually gets over the year. 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.
Remember that solar panels, whether you install them on your roof or anywhere else on your property, must be angled toward the sun to receive maximum exposure. In the Northern Hemisphere, this means facing them south with an angle of latitude plus fifteen degrees. Otherwise, your investment will not return as much energy as you hope.
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.
If you are in the process of, or planning to, design your own home, you can build some green energy sources right into your home from the beginning. Start by looking for land that has a water source such as a creek or room for wind turbines. Another good idea is to choose a roof with solar panels built in. You can even position them to get the most out of sunlight.
As you can now see, green energy is not just about the environment. It’s about saving the planet and everyone on it. Green energy sources reduce the price we pay for energy, and preserve our natural resources for future generations. Use the advice you have just read to help you utilize green energy in your household from now on.