With rising energy costs and depleting fossil fuels becoming more apparent, as well as the increased impact of global warming, many people are starting to look for ways to reduce energy usage. While some things, such as turning off appliances when not in use, are standard knowledge, there are many things consumers can do that may not be apparent to them. Today we will look at some of the various ways to conserve energy within the home.
In addition to adding proper insulation to your home, there is much you can do to increase your energy efficiency. One small and inexpensive step that consumers can take is to replace carbon filament light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They fit into existing sockets and generate equivalent light while generating only a fraction of the electricity. Caulking or weather stripping around doors and windows is another excellent way to reduce energy use. In many homes, especially older homes, a great deal of heat or cool air is generated in an attempt to compensate for air entering the home through drafty windows and doors. By preventing this airflow, you greatly reduce your energy use.
When it comes to heating and cooling devices, the use of an energy efficient model is the best way to save on energy use. Taking care to not overheat or overcool your home is another excellent energy saver. Keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 at night is the median temperature for winter energy efficiency, and the median summer temperature is 78 degrees in summer. By replacing the air filters as needed in your heating and cooling system, you can also raise energy efficiency by as much as five percent.
The purchase and use of energy saving appliances is highly recommended for all homeowners and renters, as these appliances can use less than half of the energy needed by older models. Other ways to save money on appliance usage include such things as washing clothes on the cold or warm cycle rather than using hot water. Heating water is one of the biggest users of energy within a home. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater and wrap it in an insulating jacket. This simple change can save significant amounts of energy.
In truth, there are many ways to conserve energy from within your home. The two most important things to do are to block outside air from entering your home and to turn off appliances when they are not in use. These two things result in large amounts of wasted energy annually. When combined with energy efficient appliances and appliance settings designed to use minimal energy, you can significantly lower both your environmental impact and your energy costs. Following these tips can reduce your annual carbon dioxide emissions by thousands of pounds, which makes a significant change for the better in the environment. As more people begin to take these steps, we can begin to truly move forward in our fight against global warming.
By: Jamie Green
Archive for November, 2009
Tips On Improving Your Energy Conservation At Home
November 30th, 2009Ten Tips For Water Conservation in Your Green Home
November 30th, 2009Water water everywhere – your home uses hundreds of litres of water a day. Needless to say, water conservation, especially in Australia, is essential to ensure the health of our arid landscape. Even if you live in an eco home, you’d be amazed at just how much water you use in a day.
In a standard household, toilet flushing is the number one user of household water, with 12 litres being drained away every time you flush. Meanwhile, a single 10 minute shower uses 200 litres, a load of washing can use up to 150 litres, a stack of dirty dishes in an average dishwasher uses about 50 litres and your average drinking, cooking and cleaning uses about 10 litres per day!
With all these daily household activities taking their toll on our water use, it’s important we all get water wise in your green home.
Water saving tip # 1 – Tap your water – for less than $5 you can install a low flow tap fitting to cut down on your water consumption. These mesh washers are easy to install and can bring your water consumption down by as much as 50 per cent.
Water saving tip #2 – Grey water – recycle your water when possible. Put a bucket in the shower to collect warm up water to re-use in the garden. For a long term investment, consider installing a grey water system for your home, which can potentially collect over 300 litres of grey water a day to be re-used in the garden or in some instances, for toilet flushing.
Water saving tip # 3 – Be water smart – To be clever about your water use, water your garden in the evening. Water stored in the soil is evaporated throughout the day so to watering in the evening minimises evaporation and allows the water to penetrate the soil and feed your plants.
Water saving tip # 4 – Water Tank – A water tank can be installed for just around $1000 and can collect thousands of litres of water from your roof. Look into government rebates to help bring the cost of installing a water tank down.
Water saving tip # 5 – Fill ‘er up – Do laundry only when you have a full load. The same goes for dishes if you’re using a dishwasher.
Water saving tip # 6 – Power Shower – The best showers are short and sweet. With a AAA rated showerhead and a four minute limit, you can bring your shower water use down to just 36 litres.
Water saving tip # 7 – Clean Dishes – Doing dishes by hand greatly reduces your water use, so save the dish washer for bigger jobs. Alternatively, invest in a newer water efficient dishwasher which uses about the same amount of water washing dishes by hand.
Water saving tip # 8 – Pool Talk – Cover your pool to minimise evaporation and keep its temperature warm enough for a quick winter dip.
Water saving tip # 9- Cut out leaks – A leaking faucet adds up. One drop per second can add up to over 1500 litres of water a year. A steady stream will do away with over 300,000 litres a year. Inspect your taps and cut out those leaks.
Water saving tip # 10 – On the loo – Check to see if your toilet cistern is leaking and invest in a water saving loo. Otherwise, put a brick or a filled water bottle in the cistern to minimise water use.
Be water smart in your green home. For more great water and energy saving tips, check out the Green Pages, your source for going green.
By: Wai Chim
