It can be overwhelming when you think about making your home greener. You may not know exactly where to start, or what changes would be most beneficial to you while being environmentally friendly. Take time to read the tips here that will make energy use more efficient for your house.
Instead of turning on the air conditioner, wear fabrics made of natural materials. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, allow skin to remain cool by drawing moisture away from skin. Lighter colors also make you feel cooler.
Make your home more energy efficient by unplugging your unused electronic devices. Even if you are not charging your laptop, cell phone or mp3 player, just having it plugged in uses energy.
If you use fuel oil to heat your home, a technician can give you information about changing over to biodiesel. You might even find that you can switch your system to partial biodiesel without having to purchase parts or hire a contractor to perform modifications. Biodiesel is great because it is more efficient and produces less pollution that standard oil, which will reduce your carbon footprint.
Do some research to gain information on the energy sources available to your area. Check the cost of running your home using these utilities, taking into consideration any recent legislation regarding energy costs. For example, you might see a savings if you switch from electricity to natural gas, or even switch from electricity to solar or wind power.
Don’t run your dishwasher if it is less than totally full. A half load uses the exact same amount of water and energy as a full one. Try using the energy-saving air-drying setting on your dishwasher.
Use solar energy to provide hot water cheaply. Check into investing in a water system that is solar-powered. Research the benefits of an indirect versus direct circulation system. Indirect systems are the best option for those who have frozen pipes during the winter.
If you would like to live your life green, stay away from excess electric heater usage. Dress more warmly when around the house. Wear slippers and a heavy top, and light up your fireplace or pellet stove for increased warmth at low cost. This is good for your health as well as your electric bill. Breathing cooler air at night helps keep your respiratory system healthy; you’ll avoid drying out your airways.
Unless you’re freezing to death, don’t turn the heat all the way up. In colder weather, you can make use of warm pajamas, sweat suits and slippers! Having your heat turned up too high will consume a great deal of unnecessary energy.
Consider using a solar oven to bake with. You can make these with simple items, such as boxes, an old window, and some foil for reflection. They require only sunlight to reach a temperature of more than 300 degrees, and they only take a few minutes to construct.
In order to keep up with energy efficiency goals, compare all your energy bills to previous year to see how much progress you are making. Just thinking more about your energy usage will help you to change habits that lead you to over-use energy. You will probably make newer, greener habits such as turning off appliances when not in use if you approach energy reduction consciously.
All homes are built differently and are located in different areas. With these different characteristics, the green energy technologies that will work may vary, significantly. Some things work well for most homes, and others don’t work at all. Find the tips that will work for your situation and then, utilize them in your home.