Alternative Energy Home Power Savings Green Electricity
Alternative energy - Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. And each year, electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. And as for the road, transportation accounts for 67% of all U.S. oil consumption. The good news is that there is a lot you can do to save energy and money at home and in your car.
Alternative energy - Start making small changes today to by reviewing these long term savings tips. The key to achieving these savings in your home is a whole-house energy efficiency plan to alternative energy. To take a whole-house approach, view your home as an energy system with interdependent parts. For example, your heating system is not just a furnace it’s a heat-delivery system that starts at the furnace and delivers heat throughout your home using network of ducts. Even a top-of-the line, energy-efficient furnace will wastes lot of fuel if the ducts, walls, attic, windows, and doors are not properly sealed and insulated. Taking a whole house approach to saving energy ensures that dollars you invest to save energy are spent wisely. Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable, they can yield long-term financial rewards. Reduced utility bills more than make up for the higher price of energy-efficient appliances and improvements over their lifetimes. In addition, your home could bring in a higher price when you sell. Alternative energy always puts money in your pocket.
Alternative energy - Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy.
• Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably
warm in the
winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label.
• Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips;
turn the
power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode
still use several watts of power).
• Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving(speeding, rapid acceleration and
braking)
wastes gasoline.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR labeling home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR
products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy
and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Alternative energy - Save Energy and Money
The first step to taking a whole house energy efficiency approach is to find out
which parts of your house use the most energy. A home energy audit will
pin point those areas and suggest the most effective measures for cutting
your energy costs. You can conduct a simple home energy audit yourself, contact
your local utility, or call an independent energy auditor for amore comprehensive
examination.
For more information about home energy audits, including free tools
and calculators, visit ww.energysavers.gov or ww.natresnet.org.
Alternative energy - Energy Auditing Tips
• Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement
walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit ww.energysavers.gov
for instructions on checking your insulation levels.
• Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and
plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets
that can leak air into or out of your home.
• Check for open fireplace dampers.
• Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are
properly maintained. Check your owner's manuals for the recommended maintenance.
• Study your family’s lighting needs and use patterns, paying
special attention to
high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Look for
ways to use lighting controls—like occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers—to reduce
lighting energy use, and replace standard(incandescent) light bulbs and
fixtures with LED lamps.
Alternative energy - Formulating Your Plan
After you have identified where your home is losing energy, assign
priorities by asking yourself a few important questions:
• How much money do you spend on energy?
• Where are your greatest energy losses?
• How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay for itself
in energy cost savings?
• Do the energy-saving measures provide additional benefits that are important to
you (for example, increased comfort from installing
double-paned, efficient windows)?
• How long do you plan to own your current home?
• Can you do the job yourself or will you need to hire a contractor?
• What is your budget and how much time do you have to spend on
maintenance and
repair?