Friday 28 September 2012

Using Naturally Sustainable Building Materials In Your New Home Or Addition

Options such as sun, water or wind are great producers of energy without negative impacts to the environment. They also offer cost effective solutions for your home. If you want to incorporate green habits in your home immediately, read the following article to learn how to save money and the planet.

Don't overlook your utility company's resources when it comes to making your home greener. A lot of utility companies, on their websites, provide tools to assist you in seeing what energy you use, in some cases down to an hour; they also offer ways to reduce costs and consumption. Check out programs that help you buy energy-efficient light bulbs or appliances.

Anyone that's thinking of going green would want to invest their money into a washing machine that is front loading. These washing machines use less water and are better at cleaning clothes. You will end up saving a lot of energy, water and money.

Reduce the cost of technologies for green energy by insisting on these technologies. You are entitled, as a consumer, to have any environmentally friendly products you desire. The more anything is in demand the more these types of products are sure to be manufactured, most likely reducing their price as well. It also works to encourage companies to change their practices.

On your quest to live more green, you can start by doing simple things like changing out old light bulbs to more energy efficient ones. Small home improvement projects can help save a lot of energy. Start with just one project and work your way toward completing them all!

Turn the heat down in your house. Put on a sweater and sweatpants when it's cold. High heat can use too much energy.

Cut energy usage while cooking by making better use of your oven's light. This will save energy because there will not be a need to keep opening the oven door to check on food. Each time you open an in-use oven door, energy escapes it.

Consider installing solar powered lamps for outdoor lighting. These inexpensive lamps require no external power source and can run entirely on solar power. This not only reduces energy costs, Also, it will no longer be necessary to install wired outdoor lights.

In addition to cutting down on the amount of energy you use, consider installing a system to make renewable energy. This will reduce energy costs and pollution, plus, it means you will be independent as an energy consumer. This is a step in the correct direction and here are a few tips on how to do this.

Look into water saving shower heads. You will save a lot of water, but you will feel the same in the shower. Your water bill will reflect your change immediately, and planet Earth benefits as well.

Rainwater is free, so why not use it to flush your toilet? This can save you some on the water bill and it's good for the environment. Collecting rainwater is not difficult; purchase and install rain barrels to capture the water that would otherwise drain away from your home through the gutters.

Replace a water heater that is tank-style, with a model that is green and has no tank. Tankless heaters still use electricity or gas to provide hot water, but they only heat the water you actually need. You can purchase tankless water heaters that are small enough to heat one faucet, or large enough to heat your entire house.

When purchasing wood items, consider getting products that are crafted from bamboo. Bamboo grows fast and in abundance; it does not have the same negative environmental impact as cutting down trees. It grows quickly and can be used and sold for a variety of purposes, from cutting boards to flooring. This will reduce energy consumption for the production and recycling of manufacturing items.

When cooking, using lids on pots and pans is an easy and effective way for you to help conserve energy. That will allow you hold the heat in and allow you to turn the burners down; over time, that saves a great deal of energy.

Use your microwave whenever you can reasonably use it. Ovens use much more energy than the microwave for cooking. If it is possible to microwave the item you are considering cooking, do so to reduce your energy consumption.

Straw bale homes offer unique possibilities for the greener consumers. Straw is very cheap, and is a fantastic type of insulation. If building your entire home from straw bails is not something you want to do, then think about including a small structure on your property.

Watch dog legislation can encourage companies to use green energy. Merely being aware is a strong tool that isn't used much. If people knew which companies shunned green practices in favor of extra profits they might not buy from them. By putting the onus on companies, which use a great share of the nation's energy, the country will use less greenhouse gases.

If you aren't sold on making a large green energy investment at home, then bring in a professional heating expert or plumber to take a look at your existing systems. They can advise you about how much inefficient appliances cause you to lose financially, and they can estimate the price of upgrading or simply replacing your old systems.

Make sure you adjust thermostat settings according to the different seasons and their temperatures. During winter months, lower the thermostat and during the summer, raise it. Adjusting your settings, while also adjusting the amount of clothing you wear, can help you stay comfortable while using less energy to heat and cool your home.

While solar energy may not be a whole-house option for your home, consider a partial solar set-up that can offset part of your utility consumption. You can use solar panels to heat water, for example.

You will find the advice given here to be easily implemented. No excuses need to be made for why you cannot get on board with green energy. The steps you take towards green energy today are steps towards a more environmentally sound future

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