Blog archives for July, 2009

It’s more important than ever to have an energy-efficient house. By reducing the amount of energy you use, you can both save money and help the planet. And there are easy ways that you can make small changes to have a more energy-efficient house.

One of the easiest ways to get an energy-efficient house is to change all the lightbulbs in your house over to fluorescent. You’ve probably already got a few in your house, but if you commit to changing all of them over, it will really make a difference. Fluorescent bulbs have improved a lot over the last few years, and you now have a lot more options, including dimmable lights and lights that come with a standard outside bulb cover. Although you do have to pay more for fluorescent bulbs, they last many times longer than incandescent bulbs and only use a fraction of the power.
Turning down your water heater is another way that you can have a more energy-efficient house. Many people don’t even realize that they can adjust exactly how hot their hot water heater is. The way you can tell if yor hot water heater needs to be turned down is if you can get your tap water so hot that it will scald you. Because the hot water heater doesn’t need to work as hard, this will help you save energy and make your house more energy-efficient.
One way to get a more energy-efficient house that is almost effort-free is to get a rain barrel. A rain barrel, when places under your downspout, will collect all the rainwater and store it. Then, when it comes time to water your garden, you use the water from the barrel instead of having to use water and power using the hose to water your garden. To have an even more energy-efficient house and use more found water, use the water from your dehumidifier to water your house plants instead of pouring the water down the drain.

A simple way to have a more energy-efficient house is something that most of us rarely do. Unplug your larger appliances, like TVs, when you’re not using them; this can save more power than you think. And while you can’t unplug your fridge or stove easily, if you’ve got multiple TVs in your house, it can make a difference.
When you’re ready for the next step to having an energy-efficient house, then look into making your own power using renewable energy, such as solar panels or a windmill. While this kind of power used to be prohibitively expensive, there are ways that you can build your own renewable energy source so you can have the most energy-efficient house possible starting at less than $200. Discover just how easy it is to have an energy efficient house with Home Solar Tips

One form of alternative energy you can use in cooling your home is geothermal energy. This might sound surprising, but you can use the energy found in your own backyard by utilizing geothermal heat pumps. You can save up to 70% on cooling bills.

The bad news is that professionally installed geothermal systems are too expensive. The good news is that there are ways in which you can harness geothermal energy, to partially cool your house, without shelling out a fortune for it.

You might already be utilizing geothermal energy without realizing it. Northern state homeowners often use this renewable energy without their direct knowledge.

This article will teach you how to maximize the cool air that’s stored within your basement.

You need to have a basement, or at least some crawl space beneath your house, for this cooling method to work. You must be able to access the space from within the confines of your home. If the space has a small window or vent, this will help with the air flow. You’ll also need a small portable fan for this one.

The principle of geothermal cooling works this way. During hot summer days, the basement is cooler than most parts of the house. The basement’s exterior walls are controlled by the constant heat trapped a few feet underground, right next to the house’s foundation. The temperature penetrates the basement walls and cools the air trapped inside. You must then distribute the cool from this musty and damp air, throughout the rest of home.

The most efficient way of doing so is to cover your windows with shades or curtains during sunrise, to minimize the natural heating by the sun. During nighttime when the outside temperature falls below 75 degrees, open your upstairs windows while leaving your fan on, to suck in the cool air.

But, once the temperature get higher than 75 degrees, you can turn on your geothermal cooling system by opening one of the windows in the basement. You don’t need to fully open it. A small opening is enough just to let some air through. Be sure to close all other windows in your house except for one. That way, air flows through the open windows. The open window should be the highest one in your house. This will vent out the most hot air.

Your small fan should be turned on and pointed toward the window. This should make the air from the basement move up to the open window, and let the hot air go out. It usually takes between thirty minutes to one hour to circulate the cool air from the basement to the rest of the house.

This method of utilizing geothermal energy might seem to involve lots of work, but your family will benefit from it in the long run. You’ll see your dependency on your air conditioner decrease, resulting in lower energy bills.

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There are more ways to cool your homes without the need of plugging into the grid. For information on where to find complete and step-by-step instructions on how to install DIY Wind and Solar Power systems, along with pictures, videos, and diagrams, please visit Popular DIY Wind & Solar Power Guides.

You can also find more general information and solar power projects at DIY Solar Power.

Source Article: [uc]DIY[/uc] Geothermal Cooling System

When a person makes the choice to incorporate solar energy into his home and the appliances he uses in daily living, he may assume that he lives the natural way of life. Not only is he safeguarding the environment and also reducing dependency on the power grid and the necessity for foreign oil, but also he is saving cash.

Blueberries are good for you and carry all kinds of holistic health benefits. They are known to treat various health issues. They could even help our energy problems with technology. Tufts School analysts studied more than fifty fruits to determine their capacity and antitoxins.

Surprisingly, blueberries came at the top of that list. They lead us to believe that we can make a solar panel without silicon.

This might lead to cheaper and better solar panels. The solar panel will be more flexible because it is made of natural material instead of silicon. Analysts say that they can have a solar panel so thin that it may be clear and still wrap around any solid object. Solar electricity is very expensive due to the high cost of silicon and the cost of production to make solar panels. It is estimated that the use of renewable organic matter made of blueberry pigment will lower the cost of making solar panels by as much as 15% or more. This would create more electronic currents that the user could make use of. This would be a totally natural process. Not only would you be employing a clean energy from a plant that may be grown just for the requirement of energy, but may also be used as an antioxidant and a good part of any diet. The usages are limitless with a clear solar panel. Solar powered panels with their frames made from massive amounts metal sitting on rooftops, or unpleasant hardware scattered across backyards will no longer be unsightly views. If you are considering employing solar energy for your home, you might want to closely study the use of blueberry pigment solar panels.

Check regularly to see whether the technology has become available to the general public in the near future. You can save yourself a lot of money while at the same time making your home more beautiful. You can place a flexible solar panel almost anywhere.

They can be fastened on the side of a shed, the doghouse, or simply wrapped around your clothesline support poles. The possibilities are endless with a bit of imagination and creativity. Keep checking on the Internet for new developments in this current technology so that you might be able to invest in the developing corporation.

If you can find one person in the United States who wouldn’t say “YES” as loud as possible, I would be surprised. I started building solar panels because I could save on some electric and gas bills, but now the Federal Government is actually encouraging me to do it. I know, sounds crazy that the Feds would want to help ‘ole Sam out, but they do. Here’s a little information just so you don’t think I’m making this up.

About Tax Credits
A tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed. Consumers can itemize purchases on their federal income tax form, which will lower the total amount of tax they owe the government. Fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products provide many benefits such as better gas mileage –meaning lower gasoline costs, fewer emissions, lower energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution. In addition to federal tax incentives, some consumers will also be eligible for utility or state rebates, as well as state tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, vehicles and equipment. Each state’s energy office web site may have more information on specific state tax information.

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
On October 3, 2008, the House of Representatives passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008, which includes an 8-year extension of the solar investment tax credit (ITC) and provides other critical incentives to the renewable energy marketplace. Effective January 1, 2009, the EESA was signed into law by President Bush 3 hours after House passage, finally breathing life into what was thought to have been a lost cause as the ITC was about to expire. But not only does this new law extend the ITC, it also provides additional provisions that will combine for $18 billion in renewable energy tax credits. Those provisions include credits for solar, wind, and several other clean-energy industries in the United States.
The EESA removes the $2000 limit on the tax credit for residential systems. Now, both commercial and residential photovoltaic systems will be eligible for a 30% tax credit. The new law also contains a suspension of utility exemptions so that electric utility companys can also benifit from the ITC.

“By passing this bill,” according to Suntech America president Roger Efird, “Congress has finally given the solar energy industry the ‘policy certainty’ that will attract investment, expand manufacturing and lower the cost of solar energy to consumers,” Efird said in a statement.

The solar industry is the greatest beneficiary of this legislation. The tax credits for solar initiatives are good for the next 8 years. Additionally, the $2,000 tax credit limit for residential solar systems being lifted means that homeowners can get a 30% tax credit on the solar panels they install starting next year (That’s 2009!).

So if my math is right for every $100 you spend on solar power, the IRS will give you $30 back on your taxes. Doesn’t get much better than that. Don’t delay any longer, get out there and start building.

Sam Hawkins

There are several solar pool heater kits available in the market these days. They cost between $3,000 to $4,000 for the materials and labor. In terms of recouping your initial investment, you could probably get your money’s worth in energy savings, within two to seven years. This all depends on the fuel costs in your area.

Solar pool heaters are also more durable than heat or gas-pump pool heaters.

Before getting a solar pool heater system, you have to do a little research. One priority is to find out the solar resource of your location. The design and efficiency of your solar pool heater will depend upon the amount of solar energy reaching the site of your pool. Because the system utilizes direct solar radiation, you won’t need to have sunny weather all the time. As long as the sun continues to rise, it will be effective. Installers can perform a solar site analysis for you, to help you find the best spot for your solar pool heater.

Then you will need to find out the proper size for your solar pool heater collector. Factors that can determine this include the size of the pool, the length of the swimming season, the desired pool temperature, your area’s solar resource, and your collector’s efficiency. The surface area of your solar collector should also be equivalent to at least 50% to 100% of the surface area of your pool.

The efficiency of your solar pool heater will be determined by the collector’s thermal performance rating. The higher the efficiency, the bigger your savings on annual operating costs will be. A more highly efficient collector will also require a smaller surface area.

Before you purchase a solar pool heating system, be sure to shop around for various models. There are various collectors to choose from. Find out which of them best suit your requirements. You’ll have to compare the costs, with the savings you’ll achieve in the long run. Don’t just pick a system based on its estimated costs. There are various other factors to consider.

Check with the local building codes, subdivision covenants, and zoning ordinances that pertain to your pool location. You may be required to obtain a building permit for your solar pool heating installation. Some problems with building code could include excessive roof load, unacceptable heat exchangers, unlawful tampering with water supplies, or improper wiring. Zoning issues can be obstructions to the side yards, some protrusions on a roof might be illegal, and the distance of the system from the street or lot boundary. You’ll need to contact the local jurisdiction’s zoning and building enforcement divisions, and the community association, to find out more about the requirements.

These are a few things you need to know when you’re about to install a solar pool heater. Hopefully these can help you decide on the right model for your pool.

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Anna is a webmaster and a blogger who educates others on solar energy uses and cleaner living styles.

For more information on using solar power to heat your pool, see her articles on Solar Pool Heating Systems. To learn more about do-it-yourself projects you can try at home, visit her blog on DIY Solar Power.

Source Article: How to Choose a Solar Pool Heater