CTC Vaughn

It’s easier than you think to reduce your home resource consumption.

With some small changes you can decrease your carbon footprint and save money.

Continue on for some great ideas on how you can go about doing this.

When you exit a room, make it a habit to flip off the light switch. Simply turning off the lights when you aren’t using them can really save energy.

Additionally, it decreases your electrical spending. Use a model which is tankless and more green instead of a tank style heater. These heaters only heat water when you need it rather than heating the tank constantly.

This saves you on your gas or electricity costs. There are tankless heaters designed to not only provide one area with hot water, but also to heat entire houses.

Think about going from a traditional cooling and heating system to some kind of geothermal system instead. These very efficient HVAC systems have underground pipes, which circulate refrigerant and water. The pipes are connected to a machine which heats and cools the home. This is a much more efficient HVAC system since ground temperatures are steadier than air and not as much energy is lost.

One easy step to save energy is to be sure that your freezer and refrigerator remain in a cool place. Try keeping these appliances away from any direct sunlight or hot vents which can raise their temperature and have them run longer than needed.

If it’s possible to do so, you should replace your old windows with the newer, more energy-efficient ones. These new types of windows cut energy bills, keep outside noises quiet, reduce carbon dioxide in your home and keep condensation to a minimum.

You can get a grant from the government to help you invest into some renewable energy. Contact local government and discover the programs that exist locally. You may qualify for a free installation or a tax deduction.

A simple way to reduce the energy you use is to not use an automatic ice dispenser. Automatic ice makers are convenient, but they also use a ton of energy and aren’t very reliable. They often have leaky seals which mean more energy has to be used. You can avoid these troubles by simple making your own ice.

When purchasing anything made from wood, look for bamboo options. Although bamboo is technically a grass, it has more strength than most commercial woods. Since it grows so quickly, it can cheaply and efficiently be made into all kinds of home goods without damaging the environment. This saves energy on the recycling and production end of manufacturing products.

A simple way to save energy is by thawing all your frozen items in the refrigerator. Using the fridge is a very safe method for thawing food. The extra benefit is that the thawing food will be releasing cold and helping to reduce the ambient temperature in the fridge, which reduces cycling.

A great way to be green and save some money at the same time is to lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. A typical family will save about one tenth on their water bill, with an adequate water temperature and not much of a sacrifice.

Water saving shower heads can be a small change that make a big difference. These are just as efficient as a traditional shower head but you will save a lot of water. You should notice that your water bill is not as high as it used to be within a few weeks only.

Take the ideas from this article and find a way to incorporate them into your household. It is the easiest way to drop your energy costs and more importantly, your energy demands. If you work toward meeting your green goals slowly and over a period of time, your home will eventually be at it’s greenest potential!