Make Your Home Less Costly And More Environmentally Friendly With Green Energy
Green energy, which comes from renewable resources, is surging in popularity right now. This is definitely a good thing, because it gives homeowners like you a chance to make simple changes around the house that can both help the environment and reduce your energy costs. Read on to pick up some handy ideas for employing green energy in your own home.
One of the quickest and most cost-effective green energy changes you can make is to use solar-powered exterior lights. These lights run off of batteries that are charged by solar cells during the day. When night falls, they shine out, illuminating your home and property without costing you a penny. High-quality solar lights will pay for themselves many times over by reducing your electric bill.
On a larger scale, you can cut way back on your home's energy consumption by generating your own power. Depending on the prevailing climate in your area, there are a number of different ways to start generating electricity. In windy areas, small turbines will draw power from the very air for you! There are also solar panels, which turn sunlight directly into power. Solar cells are getting more and more efficient, meaning homeowners in many different geographic areas can benefit from them.
The sun can do more for your home than just provide electricity. Well-planned skylights do more than just let light into the house. With proper positioning, you can use skylights to help heat your home and reduce the amount of power needed to keep it at a comfortable temperature. You can push these ideas even further if you're doing major renovations: Look into "active solar" design principles to make your house really work in concert with the sun.
Sunlight can even help you take a hot shower! Consider replacing your conventional gas or electric water heater with a solar hot water system. These efficient, reliable water heaters pipe your water through energy-absorbing roof panels to pre-heat it and reduce your need for powered heat sources. If you own a pool, be aware that there are also solar heating systems specifically designed to keep your pool toasty warm without costing you a dime. This can go a long way towards reducing the expense of maintaining a pool.
The ideas listed here (along with many other green energy choices) will all save you money by reducing your consumption of power produced in conventional power plants. That's not the only way they'll put extra cash in your pocket, though. In many places, installing green energy features entitles you to tax rebates or credits. You can learn more about the incentives available in your area by consulting with accountants, home improvement professionals, or green energy suppliers.
Going green is about more than saving the Earth: It's about saving money for you and your family. The ideas you've just looked at are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to green energy around the home. Take a little time to learn more and you may discover that it's in your best interest to make your home as green as possible.
