If you don’t know very much about green energy, this article will help you realize just how helpful green energy is, not only to the environment but to you as well. Green energy can be accomplished from a variety of methods and the following article will provide you with some of them.

Switch to a solar water heater to heat your pools, showers, hot tubs and kitchen faucets to save money. Solar water heaters use the sun’s heat to warm water rather than using natural gas or electricity for heat. Many of these improvements will cost you a bit up front, but the cost savings and tax deductions will usually more than offset that cost.

Check monthly to determine if your furnace’s filters need cleaning and replace them yearly. You should also install filters on any warm-air registers included with your furnace. Doing so will prevent debris in heating ducts and it reduces energy.

Try to use cold water for washing clothes. Almost all of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water. Provided you are using the right laundry detergent, you will not see a cleanliness difference by washing in cold water. Also, don’t wash your clothes until you can completely fill the washer, as this saves energy over time.

Use drapes or curtains in your windows for when you are not home. Your house will stay cool and you won’t use as much energy this way. Typically windows on the southern side of the home receive the most sun. Make sure that all the windows are covered with dark curtains, blinds, roman shades, or whatever shade you choose.

If you clean your dishes using a dishwasher, don’t run it until it’s completely full. The energy used is the same whether you are washing a small load of dishes, or one that is larger. When you do use the dishwasher, be certain to always use the setting for saving energy, which air-dries your dishes.

Tankless Heaters

Get rid of your old water heater and put in a green, tankless one. While tankless heaters still require gas or electricity to heat your water, they only heat the amount of water you need, rather than keeping a large tank hot around the clock. There are tankless heaters designed to not only provide one area with hot water, but also to heat entire houses.

Get as many pieces of mail electronically as possible. In other words, choose to go paperless in any way you can. This will save the businesses you deal with a great deal on energy costs and mailing expenses. Most importantly, it helps to protect the environment.

Use LED lights for home and tree decorations at the holidays. There are many studies from the U.S. to back this up. The Department of Energy estimates that everyone can save well over 2 billion kilowatts including hours of power and energy if everyone did this type of change. That’s enough to power a quarter of a million houses for a year! All that said, you can at least save some money on your own energy costs!

Carpool so you can use less fuel. If you have children, you can have a neighborhood carpool and switch with the other parents every day. If you have family or friends close to you, try going to the grocery store together and taking turns driving.

When you cook at home, use a microwave as much as you can. When cooking in the oven or on the stove, it tends to burn up a lot more energy. So when you can “nuke” your food, do so to cut down on energy usage.

Try using a toilet that is built to save water. Some studies show that flushing the toilet accounts for half the water used in a typical home. A water-saving toilet cuts that by about 70 percent.

Try to buy some bamboo models when you want to buy wood products. It is a green product and is actually a grass; however, it is quite durable and works well even in high traffic areas. It is very easy to grow and is becoming more widely available. Retail outlets are selling many bamboo products, from flooring to cutting boards. The products are more affordable due to a reduction in the cost of manufacturing products.

Overpaying initially for green technology eventually pays for itself. While greener technology is often more expensive initially, the long-term savings will more than offset this. You will also enjoy knowing that you are having a positive impact on the environment.

If it’s feasible, replace old, leaky windows with energy-efficient models. These windows reduce energy costs, makes your home quieter, releases less carbon dioxide, and your windows will acquire less condensation.

Programmable thermostats can help you significantly reduce your energy usage. You can pre-program the settings, so you can have a temperature that is constant. Additionally, you can set them to adjust and control the temperatures during daytime and nighttime periods.

There are many techniques to save energy when doing your laundry. Use the correct setting to turn your dryer off once the laundry is dry. Use high spin speeds to cut the moisture in laundry; that will cut drying time as well. Be sure that the dryer filters are clean and look for dryer vent blockages.

Your refrigerator and freezer should not be in a warm area. Do not install your fridge in the sun light or next to a heating vent or more energy will be used to keep your food cold.

Once you start using the tips you’ve learned here, you’ll see amazing results! As a bonus, greener energy is great for the environment as well. With the tips you have read here, it will not be hard to start going green.