You are probably like the vast majority of consumers, who don’t really consider the environmental impact of using common household items. Unfortunately, everything that is done affects the environment one way or another. You can contribute to the environment by taking advantage of the various green energy techniques available for your home. Read on to learn simple ways to make your home more energy efficient.

Cutting back on your daily electricity usage is a simple way to conserve energy. When a certain appliance is not in use, unplug it. Also, remember to turn off lights when they are not needed. This simple tip can go a long way in saving you money.

Instead of turning on the air conditioner, wear fabrics made of natural materials. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, allow skin to remain cool by drawing moisture away from skin. Wear light colors because these will make you warmer and it will be less likely for you to use artificial cold air.

You can easily get solar panels installed in your home to collect solar energy for your use. There are a few things to consider before installing them. The most important thing that needs to be taken into consideration is to determine how much sun your home gets on average. If the area is shady, or you are in a region that doesn’t receive much sunshine, then you won’t be gaining much power.

If you have a farm try some energy saving alternatives. You could rent a small portion of your property to an energy company willing to install a wind turbine. You and your neighbors will benefit from free energy and this installation will not take a lot of space.

Your furnace filters should be cleaned monthly and replaced yearly. It is also a good idea to install filters on warm-air registers. These filters keep children’s toys, dirt or dust from clogging the heating ducts.

When doing laundry, try to use cold water. The vast majority of the energy you use for washing clothes is needed to heat the water. Provided you are using the right laundry detergent, you will not see a cleanliness difference by washing in cold water. Be sure to always do a full load of clothes when you wash.

During the summer, you should try drying your clothes out in the sun instead of using a dryer. The sun could give your clothes an incredible smell. They will have a much fresher smell than drying them with an appliance will provide. In addition, you’ll save money on your utility bills.

Make sure when you aren’t using something to turn it off. Upon leaving a particular room, remember to turn of the lights, television, computer or even the entertainment center. If you run your electronics through a power strip, you can turn everything off in that room with one switch.

Never run a dishwasher that is partly empty. The dishwasher cycle uses the same amounts of water and energy, whether it is full or not. Also, use your dishwasher’s energy-saver setting so that the load will air-dry.

Do maintenance on your fridge to save money. Refrigerators take lots of energy to run, so it’s crucial to make sure it is running effectively. Keep heating coils dust free. Check frequently to ensure that the door seals tightly.

Degrees Warmer

Dress more warmly to be green and reduce energy costs. Even just a lightweight sweater keeps you two degrees warmer, and a heavyweight sweater will keep you four degrees warmer. There’s no reason you can’t bundle up in the privacy of your own home, so put on a sweater and cut down your energy bill!

Have your friends and business associates contact you via email rather than snail mail. To put it more simply, use paper as little as you can. This kills two birds with one stone: you save energy and encourage businesses with whom you correspond to do so, as well. Not only that, it is also great for the environment too.

An easy to get started in energy efficiency is to ask your electric company for help. You can look on the company’s website for tool that track your energy consumption and tips for saving energy. You may want to see if some of their programs can provide you with energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances.

Making use of solar energy will take your current green home plans to the next level. Do not be discouraged by the initial high investment costs, as you will recoup that money in the form of monthly energy savings. Once your solar panels are installed, you can generate lots of free power. It’s also possible to sell some of your excess power to nearby electric companies.

It’s a great idea to seal the freezer and fridge so you don’t waste energy. If the seal is broken it may cause the refrigerator to keep running, which ends up wasting lots of energy, and costs you extra money on utility bills. Test how well your seal works by placing a piece of paper in the door, shutting it, and seeing if the paper slides out easily.

Use your refrigerator to thaw out food. This way of thawing food is safer than leaving it out, and the cold air the food releases helps to cool the inside of your fridge, so it needs to run less often and consumes less energy.

Set your water heater’s temperature to about 120 degrees if you would like to go green and lower your bills. This can cut your monthly electric bill by up to 10 percent for a four person family.

You may be someone who isn’t thinking about environmental impacts all the time, and most likely you aren’t alone. You can start to change, though, now that you have more information about using green energy. Take just one small action from the tips you’ve learned here, and you’ll be on your way to saving the planet.