3 Ideas to Implement Energy Saving Technology into Your Home

3 Ideas to Implement Energy Saving Technology into Your Home

All around the world, people are stepping up to do their part in exploring sustainable energy options. Renewable energy is helping the planet stay healthy longer and can even have some added benefits for homeowners. So what kind of energy saving technology is available to homeowners? Let's take a look at a few eco-friendly investments you should consider making.

Solar panels: Solar energy is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to reduce energy use. And with the innovations behind solar energy in today's society, it's becoming more and more accessible to homeowners. So installing solar panels is a great way to go green at home. Each year, solar energy users save about 35 Million Tonnes of carbon dioxide, which makes a huge difference. Solar panels are easy to use, they're convenient, and they can be used to power a lot of different things throughout the home.

Wind generator: It's no secret that big companies are investing more time and energy in developing windmill farms all around the world. And because of this, many homeowners think wind power isn't available to them. But in reality, there are plenty of smaller versions of wind generators that homeowners can invest in. There are several options for wind generators, ranging from simple DIY kits to working with your energy provider to have a professional system installed. Depending on the method used, homeowners can experience variations in energy savings. But all in all, wind generators are accessible and can save homeowners money on their energy expenses.

LED lights: Light bulbs have changed drastically over the years. Starting with incandescent light bulbs, homeowners saw their bulbs use tons of electricity while producing unwanted heat. Along with incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs were better about saving energy, but they too had unwanted side effects. Fortunately, LED bulbs are available now. These bulbs can reduce energy use by as much as 80% and can provide homeowners with brighter lights too.

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to energy saving technology. With the right technology, homeowners can experience energy reductions and do their part in helping the planet.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses and How to Reduce The​m​

If you're looking for ways to save some money so you can spend it on fun-filled summer activities, you should start by evaluating your energy expenses. Summer tends to cause an increase in energy bills -- fortunately, there are easy ways to reduce these costs.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses

Like every other time of the year, summer comes with its own unique energy challenges. Let's look at a few of the biggest culprits for increasing energy bills.

Cranking up the air conditioning: When the temperatures start to rise, everyone's first instinct is to turn up the AC. And while it's nice to have a cool, comfortable home, air conditioning can cause your energy bills to increase significantly. So try to remember that the closer the temperature is inside to outside, the lower your energy bills will be. Try other methods to cool down like opening windows for a cross breeze and utilize ceiling and floor fans.

Letting cool air escape: If your home has cracks and leaks around windows or doors, you may be letting your cooled air sneak out of your home. While this may not seem like a big use of energy, sealing air leaks and ensuring your home is properly insulated can save you up to 20% on cooling bills. When there are even small holes or leaks, your cooled air can easily escape, making your cooling costs skyrocket.

Using more hot water: With the kids out of school, your dishwasher and washing machine are probably running more often. And it's important to remember that you'll use the same amount of water whether or not the machine is completely full. So to avoid wasting water and energy, make sure you're always doing a full load of dishes or clothes.

Renewable Energy Options to Consider

Fortunately, if you consider using sustainable sources of energy, you can save significant amounts on your energy bills all year long. There are plenty of sustainable sources of energy to explore to fit your wants and needs.

Solar panels: With solar energy becoming one of the most popular renewable energy sources, solar panel costs continue to decrease. Even if you can only afford one or two, utilizing solar energy is a great way to save money on energy expenses, especially with the hot summer sun beating down.

Solar oven: If you're looking for more of a DIY source of sustainable energy, you should consider making your own solar oven to cook your meals with. They're easily made out of a few common materials and work by trapping sunlight. This is a great project to get the whole family involved with too.

Hydroelectric power: If you have a source of flowing water nearby, you can make some of the water flow through a turbine to produce energy. While you may need a professional to help install the hydropower generator, it's a great way to utilize natural resources to help power your home.

By exploring some sustainable sources of energy and being smart about how you're using energy at home, you can significantly reduce your energy costs this summer.

3 Facts About Renewable Energy Everyone Should Know

The importance of renewable energy is something more and more people are taking the time to understand. And luckily, people are not just taking time to understand the importance of renewable energy, but are acting on it as well. Renewable energy options are used all around the world, and in 2015 alone about 13% of energy generation in the United States was from renewable energy sources. So with more sustainable sources of energy being explored and utilized, there are a few things everyone should know about green energy.

U.S. cities are going green: 65 U.S. cities have taken action and have begun to transition to 100% clean energy. Already, five cities, including Aspen, Colorado and Burlington, Vermont, have already successfully begun to run off of 100% renewable energy sources. Along with these 65 cities, numerous states, counties, and establishments have started using sustainable energy in hopes of achieving 100% sustainability.

Solar energy can be used at night: Many people believe that solar energy is something that can only be utilized during daylight. But power obtained from the sun's rays can actually be stored and used at night too. Power can be stored in materials like salt to provide energy all night long, and large batteries are cheaper and easier to produce than ever before. Solar energy is one of the most powerful and popular choices for sustainable energy. Because of its abilities, many companies are competing to harness solar power more efficiently.

Wind turbines can power hundreds of homes: Like solar power, many people are investing in the benefits of wind power. Today's wind turbines are so efficient that just one turbine can produce enough energy to power hundreds, if not thousands, of homes. There are more and more businesses building wind turbines and many companies are investing in wind power to provide their energy needs.

The importance of renewable energy is undeniable. With our limited resources running low, it's time that everyone helps to make strides in an eco-friendly direction. Sustainable energy can reduce energy costs, help the environment, and provide jobs.

Simple Ways to Save on Cooling Costs This Summer

During the summer, many homeowners may experience an increase in their energy expenses. There's generally one major factor in this increase: cooling costs. With the summer heat, people tend to crank up the air conditioning so they can be cool and comfortable inside. And while this may be nice at the moment, it can be financially damaging in the long run. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can keep cool this summer without breaking the bank.

Utilize ceiling fans: One of the main reasons houses feel warm and stuffy is because there's no way for the air to circulate throughout the house. So to help with this issue, you should consider using ceiling or other circulating fans to help with airflow. Whether the air is on or not, using ceiling fans can be a great way to make your home feel cooler. Just remember to turn them off when no one is in the room, otherwise, you'll waste electricity.

Clean the AC unit: Over time, AC units become clogged with debris. When this happens, the unit has to work harder to get the cool air throughout the house which, in turn, increases energy use. Cleaning and replacing filters when necessary can significantly decrease the amount of energy your AC unit uses. And if your unit is pretty old, you may want to consider upgrading to an energy-efficient model. Furthermore, you could install a programmable thermostat, which can help save up to 10% on cooling energy expenses.

Open the windows: If you're looking for really simple energy saving tips, start with your windows. If you live in an area where it's generally cooler at night, turn off the AC and open the windows before you go to bed. This can help get fresh, cool air into your home. Additionally, if the sun shines into your home during the day, try keeping your shades or blinds shut to prevent the sunlight from increasing the temperature in your home. And if your windows aren't in great shape and let air escape from the house, energy saving windows can help significantly reduce energy expenses.

Just because the heat rises in the summer doesn't mean your energy bill has to do the same. With these simple tips, you'll be able to keep cool and keep energy expenses low all summer long.