Our home is our castle, but that doesn’t mean that we should be selfish about the world outside our door. It is up to us to take care of our environment, and that can start in our home. Read on to find some ideas which will help you implement green energy solutions within your home.
When building your home, pay attention to its orientation. An ideal home should be protected against overhead sun during the summer and be oriented so that it gets low-angle sun in the winter. This is a good way to save money on your heating bill and will keep your home cool in the summer.
Check out the Green Power Network website to find out if there is a green power alternative available in your area. Consider switching to green power if there is a good service available in your area and if you can afford to. You might be able to get a tax rebate in some states.
Reverse the direction of the blades on your fan if you’d like to cut heating costs by as much as 10 percent! Although most people use fans for cooling, it’s possible to use them to suck cold air up and make your home feel much warmer without turning up the heat.
Do maintenance on your fridge to save money. A refrigerator uses lots of energy so should be kept in good working condition. Use your duster to clean around your heating coils on a regular basis. Also, make sure that the seal around the door is clean and tight.
Buy a programmable thermostat. An Energy Star programmable thermostat will regulate your home’s temperature year-round, both day and night. Always set your thermostat a couple of degrees less than you think the temperature should be, as you won’t really notice the difference in your home. An Energy Star thermostat will save you about $180 a year in heating costs.
Buy Energy Star products. In the typical home, appliance’s make up about 20 percent of the electricity use. You can purchase products that contain the Energy Saver seal and start saving money on your electric bill and use less of the world’s power sources. In order to carry the Energy Star seal, the appliance has to run efficiently.
Upgrading the windows on your home can go a long way with saving your money on energy costs. If you do not have energy efficient windows on your home, you could be paying an extra ten to twenty-five percent on your energy bill each and every month. Think about what kind of difference that could make if you upgrade your windows in conjunction with other energy-saving steps.
By changing your life at home, you’ll find that it has a greater impact on the world. If every person made the changes listed in this article, imagine how great the world could be! It’s important that you take your first steps towards being more green, so that everyone can benefit from the change.