Green Your Home and Save Money

Your home could be greener and, as a result, you could be saving a great deal of money. Here are some great ways to green your home, and save.

Save energy to save money. Many people don’t consciously think about their energy use which is a big mistake. Even if you aren’t paying the energy bill, you should be careful about, and conscious of, your consumption. So, talk to your family about saving energy and money. Here are some tips for how you can do that:

• Turn the thermostat down in winter and up in summer. While it’s nice to have a home that’s toasty warm all the time, turning the thermostat down a few degrees won’t affect your comfort but it will lower your heating bill. A few degrees can save a great deal of energy, which in turn saves money. During the summer, nobody needs to be frozen out of their home. Keeping your home a few degrees warm in summer makes a big difference, saving you both money and energy.
• Find little ways to use less energy, such as installing CFL light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. They cost more upfront but save energy and money because they last longer so you don’t have to buy new bulbs as often. Other simply ways to conserve energy include using power strips that don’t permit phantom power use and unplugging appliances and electronics that aren’t in use.
• Consider the amount of energy is takes to heat water. Now think about the energy used to heat the water when you leave the water running while you wash your face. By turning off the water while washing your face or shaving you save energy which in turn save you money, which adds up. The same principle applies to washing dishes and washing clothes. The less hot water you use, the less energy required to to heat it. A few seconds here and there add up.
• Save water to save money. Your water use should be conscious. There are many ways to cut back how much water you use without altering your lifestyle. Here are a few suggestions:
• Install low flow shower heads and aerators on your faucets. This will help you maintain water pressure, while avoiding over consumption of water. You’ll also prevent copious amounts of water going down the drain, along with your money.
• Take shorter showers and turn the water off while brushing your teeth and washing your face. Instead of using hot hot water, then mixing in cold, just use cooler water as it takes less energy to heat it and saves you money. In addition, cutting your showers down a minute or two can result in huge savings over the course of a year.
• Be careful about watering your landscaping. Water in the evenings when the water is less likely to evaporate. Plant drought resistant plants so that they require less water.