Archive for the ‘Saving Energy’ Category
Can You Use The Sun To Heat Your Hot Tub?
People are interested in the environment and they are looking for ways to not waste energy. The power of the sun is a free source of energy (as the wind is) and people would like to learn ways to harness that power. Solar cells are becoming more and more popular as they become perfected as well as their prices drop.
If you are thinking of buying a new hot tub and are one of these environmentally conscience people, you might be wondering about the prospect of buying a solar hot tub. What you will find though, is that there is no such thing and there are several reasons for it. Right now it is too hard to build a solar cell and battery combination that is economical enough to be feasible. You see, hot tubs need to keep the water warm 24 hours straight and obviously the sun is not out 24 hours at a time.
Also, since most people don’t live in a place where the sun shines enough, there is really not enough demand for manufacturers to make a hot tub that is powered by the sun. The difficulty in figuring out how to make one that is affordable coupled with the fact that there probably wouldnt be enough demand to make it profitable, has dissuaded manufacturers from attempting to make a solar hot tub.
If you still want to use solar energy to heat your hot tub, you are going to have to fit your unit with some extras that will help get the job done. Of course, if you don’t live in a climate that is usually sunny, it will be a waste of your time, as you need constant bright sun to make it all worthwhile. If you want one, you will have to make adaptations to your regular one by buying solar panels and attaching them to the power source for the tub.
Hot tubs dont come solar ready like you might think they would in this time of heightened awareness of energy savings. There are many ways to save on electricity and power but a hot tub may not be one of them. If you are still really interested in solar power, you might go down to your local hot tub store and ask their opinion on what you would need to do to outfit a tub with solar panels. Some models of hot tubs might be better suited for such a transformation than others and you would want to gather as much information as you could before you got started.
Tags: diy, Energy, energy savings, family, Home, hot tubs, Saving Energy, science, shopping, therapy
Dryer Vent Cleaning to Save on Energy Bills
Most people do what they can to maintain their appliances, like scheduling regular furnace cleaning and replacing filters. Unfortunately, few think to properly maintain their clothes dryer.
Everyone knows that it is important to clean the lint screen between loads; some people go a step further and vacuum the lint screen chute too. Many people are unaware that there is more to maintaining the dryer vent system than just cleaning the lint trap area. There are other areas where lint can escape that are difficult for the average homeowner to get to.
A specialist in dryer vent cleaning will do a thorough inspection of your dryer vent system to be sure it is working efficiently. The dryer vent cleaning company will have special tools required for getting to the areas that the average homeowner cannot get to or is unaware of.
Inside the Dryer: Lint has no problem getting into the difficult to reach areas of your clothes dryer; it often becomes trapped within the frame when it slips past the lint filter. This is messy; it clogs the system, causing reduced air flow and creating a fire hazard.
The Chute: Lint can become trapped within the chute where hot air is removed from the dryer to the vent on the outside of your home. When the ducts become clogged, the dryer must work harder to remove the moisture from your laundry. As it accumulates inside the ducts, it reduces air flow, causing overheating.
The Dryer Vent: The final destination for the heat, moisture and lint is the vent on the outside of your house. This needs to be checked often to be sure it is opening properly to allow hot air to escape, then closing properly to keep bugs and rodents out.
To keep your clothes dryer working, efficiently and safely, have a professional inspection and cleaning at least once a year. If you have a large family and use your dryer almost daily, you may want to double that service schedule. Proper dryer vent cleaning will save money on utility bills while preventing a clothes dryer fire.
Tags: appliance maintenance, appliance safety, dryer maintenance, dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent inspection, dryer vent repair, energy conservation, environment, fire safety, home & family, home and family, home improvement, home maintenance, Home repair, Saving Energy
Buying The Right Number Of Solar Panels
People’s awareness of environmental issues has been becoming greater and greater with news of global warming and other environmental stresses. At the same time awareness of renewable energy like solar power has been increasing. They can now provide even residential homes with cost-effective means to power their homes and help to reduce pollution due to energy production.
If you want to start using solar energy in your own home, you should look for the best solar power panels you can find. How are you to know which solar panels are best for your needs? This article will present a look at the things you should think about when you are on the lookout for residential solar panels for use in your home.
Well, one of the most important things to consider when choosing your solar panels for residential use is the size of the panels. This basically is referring to the watts that the solar panels have. The watts that the panel has will let you know how many watts can be produced within an hour of electricity.
You’ll find that the watts of a panel is also going to affect the size. The higher the watts, the larger the panel is going to be. It’s important that you get panels big enough to cover the various appliances that you have within your home. Also, remember that the higher the watts, the higher the price will probably be.
Efficiency is another thing to be taken into account. This is a measure of how much energy the panel can produce from sunlight. Of course, regardless of the efficiency of the panel, it will never provide more energy than is suggested by the wattage rating.
You’ll also want to look at the kind of warranty which is provided for a solar panel before making a purchase, as well as durability. Since your solar panels will be mounted outside, you’ll want to be certain that the panels are durable enough to stand up to the elements.
The warranty on purchased panels should be more than 10 years. This will produce almost enough power over that period to justify the purchase in most cases. Many panels come with 25 year warranty which will ensure that your purchase will be worth it.
The cost of solar panels is still relatively high compared to that of traditional energy sources and even most renewable energies such as wind power. They are low-maintenance, however and once installed you know your investment is ensured. You can also get grants from the government in many countries that will cut your costs for you.
There is more to think about than the cost of the panels per se. There are also the savings to be had by using these solar panels to power your home. Keep the long view in mind – if it makes sense over the life of the solar panels, then you are looking at a good deal.
Tags: construction, Design & Remodel, diy, electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, engineering, green, home improvement, oil, renewable power, solar, solar panels, solar power, technology
Save money : How to switch to solar power
Site location, orientation of the house, obstructions to the sunlight, climate and weather are all going to figure into how you set up solar panels for homes. Even when these matters aren’t favorable, there are solutions enabling you to utilize solar energy to power your home. The competence of your solar panel depends on the amount of sunlight it receives, requiring about six hours of steady sunlight the year round. Solar panels work best if they are installed in an angle of orientation facing the sun.
There are two types of solar power, solar electric power which use photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiation into electricity, and solar thermal energy where the sun’s energy is used to heat water.
A good solar hot water panel system is able to supply an average home with around a third of its annual hot water power. While this may not sound much, it can reduce energy costs by a considerable amount. With the combination of solar panels in addition to this hot water system, plus the addition of other renewable energy sources such as residential wind turbines, they can all work together in providing a renewable, cheap and clean source of energy for your home.
Another concern for homeowners would be the large solar panels would be an eyesore on their roofs. Photovoltaic panel designs, thanks to the latest technology, are now smaller and more compact. Today, these panels would look like ordinary roof tiles, only with the functionality of a solar panel; they can keep out the sun and rain, and with the ability to convert solar energy into electricity, helps out in cutting back electricity budget.
One advantage of using solar energy is that it can be stored in battery packs and chargers, so energy sources are still available even during fall and winter, when there are shorter periods of sunlight.
While it is possible for a home to run wholly off photovoltaic electricity using solar panels, this is unlikely in most cases. The expenses involving the installation for a whole house with electricity from solar energy would be quite high for the average homeowner. It is suggested to use solar panels together with traditional power supplies. It is much more cost-effective and energy-saving than relying on fossil fuels alone. Although this will not cut back your dependence on fossil fuel, the use of solar electricity in the average home can still provide ample amount of electricity, reducing future energy bills.
Installation fees can be pricey, but with the continually escalating utility rates, having a supporting energy source for your home is a good investment. Not only does it shield you from price hikes and power outages, but you will also be preserving nature by using a clean and unlimited source of energy.
Tags: cut electricity cost, energy saving, green issues, home improvement, money saving, renewable energy, Saving Energy, saving money, solar power
How to Save on Your Electrical Use
When you think about it, there are a number of ways that you can reduce the amount of electricity and other forms of energy that is used by your family. The most obvious of these are concerned with how you heat and cool your home, but there are still more ways you can act to reduce your electricity use and cost.
1. Use a fan in place of an air conditioner. During the milder times of the year such as spring and fall and even on summer days when the temperature is not that high, this is a smart way to reduce the electricity you use. Even in the middle of summer, it can be quite pleasant outside during the evening. On these nights, don’t use an air conditioner to cool your home – open a window and place a fan in it. The fan will act as an exhaust, pulling the cooler air in and pushing the hotter air out. As an added bonus, you are allowing fresh air inside the house.
Because hot air rises, if you use an exhaust fan in the attic or high space in your house, you will achieve even better results. If you cannot install an exhaust fan you can install a ceiling fan to obtain almost the same result. Most of these ceiling fans have a reverse switch, which allows it to pull the hot air up and out of the room.
2. Switch electrical items off when they are not being used. The conveniences we take for granted have allowed us to form bad patterns of behavior when it comes to using electricity. There are people who will never turn off a light, even in the middle of the day when it is unnecessary. This is a complete waste of energy and money. Other electronic devices that have “stand by” functions use electricity unnecessarily as well, so they should be turned off at the wall switch.
Make a point of switching these things off when they are not in use. When you leave a room, turn off the light, turn off the computer and the monitor when you are done with them and don’t allow yourself to fall asleep in front of the TV.
Why not take things one step further and take the plugs out of their wall sockets? If you have several digital clocks in your home, unplug all but a couple of them. Turn off and unplug the coffee maker when you have finished with it. Remember, anything that can be plugged into the wall has the potential to use some electricity even if it is turned off.
3. Replace your light bulbs. This will effectively reduce electrical expenses. It is possible to reduce your electricity bill markedly by replacing the old style incandescent light bulb with a new energy-efficient one. The amount you save will depend upon the size of your home, the number of people in your household there are how many lights you have. For some, the savings will be a modest $20; for others it may amount to $100 saved on their utility bill.
The new globes are strange looking items. The bulb section is curly and they resemble a pig’s tail (which is what some people call them). There have been some concerns about the fitting of these bulbs to existing lights, so some people have been reluctant to replace their old style bulbs. Whilst they look weird, they will actually fit into the same fitting as the old bulbs.
Tags: electricity, expenses, Home, household, saving on electricity
Great Energy Saving Tips – Save The Environment And Your Wallet!
If you use a lot of energy in your house, you probably know that this is very expensive. Apart from that, it is polluting the earth as well! That’s why I will show you a few quick and easy energy saving methods that you can use in your everyday life.
Instead of using “normal” electricity from the electricity company, there is the possibility to switch to renewable energy as well. Instead of using less energy, you could install a wind power or solar power system and produce your own power. This is by far the most environmental approach, and it can save you a lot of money at the same time!
If we had to choose a renewable energy source that one can easily apply at home, we’d have to say DIY Solar Power is the smart way to go. It is a cost-effective, simple and very clean energy source, so you can help save the environment while you make some money as well.
If renewable energy is “not your thing”, there are still a lot of things you can do to lower your use of “normal”, fossil energy, and therefore save the environment and some money:
1. Light bulbs: A big opportunity to save electricity is by using CFL (fluorescent light) bulbs. If you compare them to conventional light bulbs, CFL bulbs use way less energy. Use them any time you can, and you will soon notice that your energy bill will drop significantly! Of course this means you are using less electricity, so this benefits nature.
2. Cars: If you own one or more cars, of course it is important to look at their mileage and maybe switch to a hybrid vehicle. Another way you can save energy in your car, is to make sure that the air conditioner is set to the lowest possible value that you are still comfortable with. Air conditioning is a sure way to spend a lot of energy fast.
3. Washing machine: First, when you buy a washing machine look closely at the energy labels. They will tell you if it is a energy saving or wasting machine. A good washing machine will pay back in lower energy bills! Also, try to only use a washer if you have a load of clothes to wash, not just one little dress.
4. Monitor: When you shut down your computer, what do you do next? Walk away? Wrong! You switch off your monitor. Maybe this sounds silly (it is), but there are millions of people out there that shut down their computers and then leave their monitor switched on. Unnecessary to say this is a pointless waste of electricity.
That’s it for today. I hope you learned something new to help you change your level of energy use, and do your part in the battle against pollution! If you haven’t done so yet, I would advise you to take a quick look at renewable energy, this is by far the best way to do some good for the planet and for your budget at the same time.
Tags: energy saving, hybrid vehicle, produce your own electricity, renewable energy, solar power
