It can seem overwhelming to make changes to your home. It is confusing when trying to decide on a starting point and what are the best ways to benefit yourself and your environment. For solutions to the problems potentially posed by going green with your household energy use, check out the following helpful tips.

Making small adjustments to the way you use energy every day can ultimately reduce your consumption. Unplug appliances when you’re not using them. Make sure you turn off lights and electronic appliances when you do not plan on using them. This simple suggestion helps cut your electricity bills.

Be socially responsible, and unplug electric chargers for all devices that don’t need immediate charging. Unplug your electronic devices when they are not being used or fully charged. This wastes energy otherwise.

Think about buying solar water heaters for heating your water. If you live in a sunny climate, you can use a solar water heater year-round. However, consider that you may still need a traditional heater if you will be using a great deal of hot water, or if the sun does not come out for some time.

Install batteries very close to cells when you are putting together a solar energy system. This avoids power loss in the cable. You also will not have to worry about the cells being shaded by a cable and not producing as much energy as they could.

Storm Doors

Storm doors and windows help control air flow into a home. These special storm doors and windows prevent cold air and drafts from entering the home. Homeowners will see a significant savings on their electric bill and will benefit from an increase in the energy efficiency of their home by up to 45 percent once stormed windows and doors are installed in their homes.

Try to learn about passive and active solar power. Using active power means storing energy for later use, while passive energy is about benefiting from the warmth or light of the sun rays right away. Active solar power requires solar panels, cells, and mechanical systems. Passive solar power is simply making use of the sun to keep thermal energy in your walls so you can heat your home.

Renewable Energy

Pay attention to local and federal rebates for renewable energy updates on your home. Sometimes, you will find that a local utility company can give a rebate for the total price of the upgrades. If this is not possible, you can find out if upgrades can be used as tax deductions. You may also be able to get credits from the government, either state or federal. These rebates, credits, and other allowances can make it much more affordable to install renewable energy equipment on your property.

Whenever possible, choose to get your communications through email. 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. In addition, it also protects the environment.

Carpool so you can use less fuel. Ask other parents in the neighborhood if they are interested in carpooling for their children and trade days with them. Plan your shopping days to correspond with those of your friends. That way you can share a vehicle and the costs of fuel.

When you exit a room, turn off the lights. Simply turning off the lights when you aren’t using them can really save energy. You also will be saving money when it comes to your power bill.

Water heaters with on-demand technology exist today, and they are a great way to use green energy. Unlike conventional water heaters, green water heaters are not constantly running, which wastes tons of energy. An on-demand water heater instantly heats water as it is needed resulting in tremendous savings.

Solar Power

If you plan to create a greener home, put solar panels on the roof. Adding solar panels does require a significant investment amount up front, but the cost savings of using solar power over several years will more than make up for it. Once the panels are in place, solar power is free. In some cases, you might be able to sell excess power your panels produce to local utility companies.

Save money on heating and cooling costs with a digital programmable thermostat. These thermostats are programmed to regulate temperature inside your house both during the winter and summer months. You can also set up your own programs to control the temperature during different times of day.

A home-energy monitor can help you stay on top of your energy use. These monitors meausure electricity usage in real time and approximate what your bill is going to be. Research showed that customers are more eager to reduce costs when they know the current cost of doing so.

If you want to be green you should invest in a programmable thermostat. Through temperature regulation settings and the use of timers for scheduling away times, you will minimize the times when the AC unit is running and eliminate constant, manual changing of settings. In order to conserve power, the newest models allow you to program them for various start and end times for different days of the week.

A home may have a vastly different layout or be in a different location. Depending upon your homes different areas, there are different green technologies that work in various ways. Some will work in certain homes, others won’t. Figure out what tips work for your household and make sure you utilize them.