How to Have a Greener Home

Ultimately, going green comes down to living responsibly and planning for tomorrow. In some instances, it takes an exceptionally high electric or water bill to open people’s eyes to the fact that we are using huge amounts of natural resources. Collectively, homeowners place huge demands on power generators to run our refrigerators, heaters, air conditioners and supply water to our homes. Those power generators in turn use large quantities of natural resources like gas and coal, which increase air pollution. These tips will help homeowners to do your part to reduce energy consumption and save money

Energy Consumption

Surprisingly, if we were asked what areas of the home uses the most amounts of energy, most of us would probably be wrong. According to Amigo Energy, you might assume it would be heating and cooling, but the truth is major appliances and electronics account for roughly half of an electric bill. Lighting accounts for about 20 percent of the bill and the remaining costs are for cooling, heating and miscellaneous usage. Ordering a home energy audit from your utility provider is a great way to get recommendations regarding energy consumption, reducing waste for cooling and heating systems, water heaters, and windows and landscaping. To reduce energy requirements in your home, you should consider replacing appliances with Energy Star products, purchasing WaterSense products, and learning how to conserve and make wiser choices.

What is Energy Star?

The Energy Star program was originally developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to define and promote a number of products, which they consider energy efficient. It’s highly recommended that you replace appliances with high power demands such as refrigerators, washing machines and freezers with Energy Star appliances. Older appliances that are 20 or 30 years old typically draw excessive amounts of power and really add up on your electric bill. Energy Star appliances may reduce power consumption by about 20 percent. Each appliance with this rating has a large black and yellow label, which states annual energy charges and kilowatt requirements. Although, you may not be able to afford to convert all your appliances to newer Energy Star appliances overnight, one or two may help to significantly reduce your energy use and lower your electric bill

WaterSense

In addition to saving fuel and power, you can go green just a little further by conserving water. Water is a natural resource that some of us take for granted and just don’t realize how much we’re really using. Homeowners place great demands on water resources by running washing machines and dishwashers, showering, flushing toilets and watering landscaping. WaterSense is another EPA approved program that was established in 2006. The program is based on input from utilities, distributors, retailers and manufacturers. Together they have devised a labeling program to identify products that can help to reduce water usage and save money. The WaterSense program helps to educate consumers about water conservation. It provides product solutions for converting to low-flow toilets and showerheads in addition to regulating water flow in faucets.

Other Green Ideas

In addition to changing out old appliances and installing low water products, there are several other ways you can go green at home that make a dramatic impact on resources. Consider installing solar power panels on your roof to generate electricity for your home. Weatherizing your home is an excellent way to seal up your home so that heating and cooling are retained inside the house. Whenever possible recycle paper products, glass and aluminum to reduce waste going into landfills. Start your own garden, reevaluate landscaping needs and switch over to low-water plants. Converting over to low energy appliances and installing low water usage products are excellent methods to begin conserving resources. Together you and your neighbors can make the difference in green efforts.

This article was contributed on behalf of Amigo Energy, your number one choice when looking for a commercial power provider. Check out their website today and see how they can help you!