How to Be Green at Home
Insulate your home., Upgrade your windows., Use Energy Star appliances., Replace your light bulbs., Wash your clothes in cold water., Make the most of sunlight., Set your thermostat wisely., Unplug your electronics.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Insulate your home.
Nearly half of your home’s energy expenditures come from heating and cooling.
To reduce the amount of heating and cooling needed, it is important for your home to be well-insulated.
Ideally your home would be well-insulated when it was built, but this is not always the case.
To improve your home’s insulation, hang thermal curtains over your windows.
Curtains can go a long way in keeping out the cold or heat, depending on the season.When choosing curtains, pick a fun pattern or an elegant design so that they are a piece of decor for your home as well.
They will look great and keep your home insulated to cut down on your heating or cooling bill.
If there are any gaps or places where you notice air getting in, be sure to seal these.
Buy some caulk from a hardware store to seal the edges.
If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional to help. -
Step 2: Upgrade your windows.
Much of a home’s heat or air conditioning escapes through windows.
When your old windows need upgrading, install energy-efficient windows.
They are typically double-paned for lower levels of air leakage.
Look into their energy performance ratings to see which ones will fit your needs and best cut down on your energy consumption.
Make sure they are properly installed so that they perform correctly.Energy-efficient windows vary greatly in terms of quality and price.
On the low end, you can find them for about $100/window, which will usually have a vinyl frame.
These can still be a good option and work well to reduce air leakage.
On the higher end, they can cost $1000+ and can have frames of vinyl, wood, aluminum, or wood-clad.To install windows, hire an expert, either an experienced contractor or a window professional.
Oftentimes, you can have someone install them from the place where you buy them.
Window installation requires a certain level of expertise that often goes beyond a general handyman. , When it is time for new appliances, look for ones that are Energy Star certified.
These will save you money in the long run by requiring less energy to run them.
Most appliances are available Energy Star certified, from refrigerators to dishwashers to washers and dryers.
You don’t need to replace all of them at once, but even upgrading one of your appliances can make your home more green., This is a simple and inexpensive way to be green at home.
You need lightbulbs so you might as well use the ones that are efficient.
Choose compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL), which use about 75% less electricity and last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
They convert energy to light rather than to heat for optimal and efficient lighting., That way, no heating is required.
Cold water still does a good job of cleaning your clothes, it keeps colors from running, and it eliminates heating energy.
For laundry, be sure to wait until you have a full load so that you aren’t wasting water either. , If you are able to, install solar panels.
This is a great option that can even allow you to live off-the-grid.
However, this option isn’t for everyone.
Some locations don’t get enough sunlight for this to be effective and the upfront costs of installation can be high, although it does save money in the long run because you eliminate other bills.
If you aren’t able to install solar panels, you can still benefit from sunlight.
To warm up your home, open the curtains where the sun will enter.
With the warm sun pouring in, that room will raise several degrees without requiring any energy consumption. , You might have learned that room temperature is 72 degrees.
While this might be ideal, it isn’t necessary and, depending on your climate, might require a great deal of heating and cooling.
In warm summer months, try keeping your home at 78 degrees and in cold winter months, keep your home at 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.
If you bundle up with a down blanket and some fleece, you will sleep soundly and won’t even notice the cooler temperature.If you are too hot in summer months, try misting some cold water on your face, using an energy efficient fan, and wearing thin clothing.
Close your thermal curtains to block sunlight from entering.
If you are too cold in winter months, try wearing a warm sweater, slippers, and sitting under a cozy fleece blanket.
Enjoy a mug of hot tea and sit by a fireplace.
You can be warm and comfortable without having to pay excessive heating costs. , Once your phone or computer is charged, you can unplug it, especially overnight.
Be mindful of any electronics that have LED lights that stay on continually, because you will be providing that energy for as long as it is plugged in. -
Step 3: Use Energy Star appliances.
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Step 4: Replace your light bulbs.
-
Step 5: Wash your clothes in cold water.
-
Step 6: Make the most of sunlight.
-
Step 7: Set your thermostat wisely.
-
Step 8: Unplug your electronics.
Detailed Guide
Nearly half of your home’s energy expenditures come from heating and cooling.
To reduce the amount of heating and cooling needed, it is important for your home to be well-insulated.
Ideally your home would be well-insulated when it was built, but this is not always the case.
To improve your home’s insulation, hang thermal curtains over your windows.
Curtains can go a long way in keeping out the cold or heat, depending on the season.When choosing curtains, pick a fun pattern or an elegant design so that they are a piece of decor for your home as well.
They will look great and keep your home insulated to cut down on your heating or cooling bill.
If there are any gaps or places where you notice air getting in, be sure to seal these.
Buy some caulk from a hardware store to seal the edges.
If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional to help.
Much of a home’s heat or air conditioning escapes through windows.
When your old windows need upgrading, install energy-efficient windows.
They are typically double-paned for lower levels of air leakage.
Look into their energy performance ratings to see which ones will fit your needs and best cut down on your energy consumption.
Make sure they are properly installed so that they perform correctly.Energy-efficient windows vary greatly in terms of quality and price.
On the low end, you can find them for about $100/window, which will usually have a vinyl frame.
These can still be a good option and work well to reduce air leakage.
On the higher end, they can cost $1000+ and can have frames of vinyl, wood, aluminum, or wood-clad.To install windows, hire an expert, either an experienced contractor or a window professional.
Oftentimes, you can have someone install them from the place where you buy them.
Window installation requires a certain level of expertise that often goes beyond a general handyman. , When it is time for new appliances, look for ones that are Energy Star certified.
These will save you money in the long run by requiring less energy to run them.
Most appliances are available Energy Star certified, from refrigerators to dishwashers to washers and dryers.
You don’t need to replace all of them at once, but even upgrading one of your appliances can make your home more green., This is a simple and inexpensive way to be green at home.
You need lightbulbs so you might as well use the ones that are efficient.
Choose compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL), which use about 75% less electricity and last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
They convert energy to light rather than to heat for optimal and efficient lighting., That way, no heating is required.
Cold water still does a good job of cleaning your clothes, it keeps colors from running, and it eliminates heating energy.
For laundry, be sure to wait until you have a full load so that you aren’t wasting water either. , If you are able to, install solar panels.
This is a great option that can even allow you to live off-the-grid.
However, this option isn’t for everyone.
Some locations don’t get enough sunlight for this to be effective and the upfront costs of installation can be high, although it does save money in the long run because you eliminate other bills.
If you aren’t able to install solar panels, you can still benefit from sunlight.
To warm up your home, open the curtains where the sun will enter.
With the warm sun pouring in, that room will raise several degrees without requiring any energy consumption. , You might have learned that room temperature is 72 degrees.
While this might be ideal, it isn’t necessary and, depending on your climate, might require a great deal of heating and cooling.
In warm summer months, try keeping your home at 78 degrees and in cold winter months, keep your home at 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.
If you bundle up with a down blanket and some fleece, you will sleep soundly and won’t even notice the cooler temperature.If you are too hot in summer months, try misting some cold water on your face, using an energy efficient fan, and wearing thin clothing.
Close your thermal curtains to block sunlight from entering.
If you are too cold in winter months, try wearing a warm sweater, slippers, and sitting under a cozy fleece blanket.
Enjoy a mug of hot tea and sit by a fireplace.
You can be warm and comfortable without having to pay excessive heating costs. , Once your phone or computer is charged, you can unplug it, especially overnight.
Be mindful of any electronics that have LED lights that stay on continually, because you will be providing that energy for as long as it is plugged in.
About the Author
Sharon Chavez
Enthusiastic about teaching creative arts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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