Energy Saving Solar Power Energy Generation Guide
Energy Saving Devices Reduce Your Bills
By Gerard J Howson
Old homes are certainly beautiful, but they come with
their fair share of problems. Many homeowners in historic
houses soon realize they need to focus on energy saving
renovations. Thin attic insulation, inefficient furnaces
and drafty windows are just a few of the problems faced.
The good news is that devices that are energy efficient
will make it easier than ever to update your home, one
step at a time. Whether it’s energy efficient
appliances or lighting, you’ll be glad you took
the time to review your options and assess your home
and lower your monthly bills.
Meters And Monitors To Measure Energy Use
The first step toward energy saving comes with a realistic
assessment of your home’s energy use and where changes
can be made. Meters and monitors will show you how much
energy you’re using -- and, in the end, how much energy
you’ve saved.
Thermometers are perhaps the simplest of the home energy
saving devices. Thermometers help you measure the temperature
of your refrigerator, freezer, water heater and various
rooms of the house.
Read Your Electrical And Gas Meter Every Day
If you’re having trouble finding the drafts in your
home, try using an infrared heat gun to show you an
instant temperature reading wherever you point your
gun. Your electrical meter and gas meter can also reveal
a lot about your energy usage.
If you record the data each day, you may see patterns
of spikes or declines which will help you determine
what might be wasting energy in your home.
Reducing Energy Costs With Programmable Thermostats
The next step in your quest to save energy is to invest
in some direct power conserving devices for the home.
Programmable thermostats can save up to 1% of your energy
costs for every degree you turn down the heat or turn
up the air conditioning for an eight hour period each
day, states the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
agency of the US government.
For instance, if you dropped the thermostat from 68
to 61 from 9 am - 5 pm while you’re at work, you can
cut your heating costs by 7%. Your thermostat will let
you automatically time when these temperature changes
take place, so you won’t even have to think about it.
Lower Power Usage With Smart Power Strips
Smart Power Strips are another one of the great ways
to save electricity. For $35, you could divide your
electricity uses into three sections: the control outlet,
one or more hot outlets and one or more switched outlets.
For example, you can plug your desktop computer into
the control outlet, the cable modem and router into
the constant hot outlet and all the other devices (printers,
speakers, etc) into an easy on/off switch outlet.
Look Out For Exaggerated Claims Of Savings On Home Appliances And Devices
When you’re looking for energy saving components, be
wary of advertisers who promise too much. It’s very
unlikely that anything that’s simply hooked up to your
electric meter or plugged into a wall socket will "save
25-50% off your energy payments."
Often times, advertisers figure that even if half the
people who purchase the product return it, they’ll still
make money. Many consumers will be happy with their
2-10% energy saving and not bother to return the device
to get the advertised 25-50% savings.
There are also devices designed for refrigerators that
claim to save you 20% off your bills. Twenty years ago,
a "Savaplug" device would have been a good
idea, but newer refrigerators come with built-in features
designed to save on electricity, hence the Energy Star
rating.
As a consumer, you must look for the tested, tried
and true methods, first and foremost.
About the Author:
Gerard J Howson has written a number of articles on Home Improvement, Energy Efficient Appliances, Saving Energy,
Solar Power, Renewable Energy including
Energy Efficient Home,
Energy Savings,
Save Energy In Your Home,
Smart Homes,
Green Building,
Solar Technology,
Solar Hot Water,
Solar Electric.
Gerard is working on more articles. Look out for new articles as they become available on this site.
Little Known Energy Efficient Home Devices Facts.....
One of the biggest phrases you hear today about the
environment and energy is to "go green." But
what does it really mean? It means switching to energy
efficient home devices. It means turning to alternative
sources of renewable energy such as the sun or the wind.
Each little thing you can do to reduce your carbon
footprint is a step towards a healthier Earth. Plus
the benefit to your pocket book cannot be overlooked.
It may seem confusing at first but with the right information
you can do it.
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