Switching to wind or Solar Power is the ultimate goal to reduce and even eliminte your utility bills, live a greener life and save a ton of hard earned cash, but there are many easy steps you can implement now which are often overlooked.
Acting on this advice will not only save you money now but it will make the switch to Alternative Energy easier for you, minimising the power output of your home or business will mean less output and so fewer steps needed to live off grid.
lightbulbs
First step is to change your lightbulbs if you have not already done so, a compact flourescent lightbulb cost more to buy initially but is still only a few dollars and could see a saving of 70% and lasts up to 10 times longer so it could pay for itself over a period of 6 months, try to change 1 lightbulb per week or 2 a month until your whole premises is done.
Phantom Loads
This one may shock you, a phantom load is the energy an appliance uses while switched off but still plugged in, it is believed that in some cases up to 75% of power consumed by home or business electronics is when they are switched off, either unplug everything you can or use power strips and unplug those when items are not in use,
Insulation
The attic is the worst culprit for this as heat rises, but also walls 7 floors, check to see if your home is insulated in these areas and how long ago it was installed as you may need to renew or upgrade, check with local councils or authorities as many are now giving grants to help with the cost,
Appliances
We all like to get as many years use out of our appliances as we can but when its time to replace look for the energy star rating, once again the better efficiency of the appliance will cost a little more when purchasing but will save you money in the long run, a tip if you have got a freezer that is quite old is to make sure you defrost at regular intervals and keep it full.
Windows
Windows are not a good barrier and double glazing is a must to save energy loss, even so make sure that all windows and doors have a good seal around them and use a sealant where required.
Conserve Water
Using less water will lower your water bill if your property is on a meter but also use less hot water by taking showers instead of baths, wash up fewer times per day and adjust the thermostat on your hot water tank, keep lowering the temperature until you find a level that is Ok for you, it may be a case that your water is boiling away at a temperature that is way to hot.
Programmable Thermostat
using a Programmable Thermostat will enable you to just have your heating or hot water on when its needed and not have to worry, you can set the programme to switch on or off at certain times of day so you are in complete control.
The World is now finally moving at a faster pace towards Green Power & the advancements should pick up pace over the next few years and the very latest step is the European Union has banned the manufacture or import of 100w frosted & incandescent light bulbs, they will slowly be phased out and finally disappear in 2012, this move will force people to use the energy efficient florescent or halogen lamps which use less power and last longer so could use up to 80% less.
What others are Saying About Saving energy
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The endless efficiency resource
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