Be Environmentally Friendly With These Green Energy Tips

If you'd like to help the environment and save some money on your energy bills, there's no better way to do it than using green energy. You do not have to invest into things like electric cars to help the environment. Read here to find some ways to lower your electric bills as well as make the environment cleaner.

Use solar heating systems to heat all your water in order to save money. Using natural gas and electricity is certainly the norm, but it's not very energy efficient. By contrast, solar energy is very efficient, and it keeps water temperatures steady just as well as traditional heating methods. Some of these upgrades, while more expensive up-front, may qualify for green energy tax deductions.

Rather than using an air conditioner during the summer, wear clothes that are natural. Cotton and other natural fabrics actually remove moisture from the skin, resulting in a cooler feel. Light colored clothing can also help you to feel cooler.

Putting in solar panels in your home for solar energy is easy. There are several things that should be considered prior to installing solar panels. The most important consideration is how much your home is exposed to sunlight. If you home is under a lot of shade, or in an area where you do not have a lot of sunny days, the power gained from your solar unit will not be very significant.

Check monthly to determine if your furnace's filters need cleaning and replace them yearly. Also install filters on air registers. This will prevent a reduction in efficiency, which occurs when the heating ducts get clogged with debris.

Whenever possible, use cold water to wash your clothing. Having heated water in your washer can use up to nine-tenths of the energy required to run a washing machine. Modern laundry detergent does just as well with cold water as hot water. In addition, remember that a washing machine will be most energy efficient when it is full.

If you heat your home with fuel oil, inquire about switching over to biodiesel. Some current systems can use forms of biodiesel without the need for modifications. Biodiesel is cleaner to burn than petroleum, making it more efficient to use in the wintertime.

A solar water heater may be a viable option in your home. If you live in a sunny climate, you can use a solar water heater year-round. Yet make sure that you also have a regular water heater as well just in case the sun decides to not come out for awhile.

Calculate potential energy generation during the planning of buying home solar systems. When you do this, you understand how much you should be consuming on a daily basis during winter, and you won't become surprised one day. Also, if you make use of the net usage plan from your electric company, you will get returns from your utility company for generating energy during summer.

A few examples of energy efficient changes you can make at home are changing your furnace's filter on schedule, installing CFL bulbs and using a programmable thermostat. Set and be a great example for your friends and family, when you do this they'll see how simple it is to convert and go green. Use the advice you've learned here and start saving money and the planet today!