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All the advances in green energy technology, creating your own solar energy for your homeis easier than ever has been. A green energy home utilizes renewable resources to provide electricity, hot water, heat and peace of mind. Which in turn will help you save on all your utility costs year round.  

There are numorous ways to implement your green energy home plan and start saving on your costs. The first is solar energy.  In a green energy home you can install solar hot water panels which heat and store water for use and you can install solar panels, which use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. These can very costly especially when getting it installed by a professional. But, there are many different resources out there that will teach you how to do it yourself for a fraction of what the cost would be.

 If you are just building your home, a great way to make it a green energy home is to implement passive solar design during construction.  This means taking advantage of south facing sides of the house for heating and cooling.  By installing lots of highly efficient windows and heat retaining bricks and stone on your south facing areas, you are taking advantage of passive solar techniques to develop your green energy home.

Another addition to the green energy home would be a windmill. Windmills are used to generate electricity from the renewable resource wind.  Windmills can be installed on rooftops or in yards and offer pollution free electric.  Windmills can be purchased from retailers or there are a wide variety of affordable kits available for the motivated do-it-yourselfers to handle the implementation of their own green energy home plans. By doing the installation yourself, you will be saving alot and will also be making your home a greener home and create free energy that will always be there.  

The ultimate green energy home would combine all of these resources.  By using wind, water and solar to generate electricity you will be cutting on the costs for your utlities, but you will also be conserving our natural resources for the future and will be making it a greener place while cutting on global warming as well.  To further combine passive solar design and solar hot water systems, you are reducing your energy needs massively and will create a greener future for you and the future for your children and theirs, etc….

A green energy home doesn’t require more maintenance than traditional homes. Actually, in some ways, a greener home requires less maintenance then traditional homes and if needed the maintenance would be half the cost. Solar technologies require little to no maintenance and wind and water turbines require only regular oiling for optimum performance.  There is no better time to create your HOME MADE ENERGY and start saving on your energy costs.

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Powering an off grid home can be done in several ways and some of the most popular green-energy sources today are the wind and solar power that will not only help you save on your electric bills but you will also do your part for the environment. When deciding to go completely off-grid and install a solar or wind power system in your home you need to know which one is more effective. If you live in a more windy area then you will surely need to have a wind turbine, thus solar panels will be more effective in sun kissed areas. No matter what type energy source you choose both the wind and solar power systems can reduce your energy consumption by 80% or even eliminate your electric bills.

Lets suppose you’re choosing to harvest solar energy and transform it into electricity using solar panels. You will need more than one solar panel to supply enough electricity for all your home appliances, including the heating in the winter. It’s recommended that you build one solar panel and first calculate the energy savings and then start building more solar panels to cover up all your home’s energy needs. A DIY solar panel does not cost more than $200 to build. If you were to buy the same solar panel from your local solar parts supplier then you would have to pay a few thousands of dollars. The misconception that it costs a fortune to build your own solar panels or any other renewable energy systems is just a myth.

I was where you’re probably now, skeptical about building my own solar panels to supply energy for my off-grid home. I though that it costs a lot of money to set up a solar power system, however I was wrong at that time. I soon found out that a solar panel can be built in just a few days spending no more than two hundred dollars for all the parts and components that we needed. We’ve built our first solar panel purely to test out the energy savings for one month. We now have 6 solar panels installed on our roof-top, all running smoothly and generating enough power for our off grid home. The best part of it all is that we don’t have to pay a single dollar to our local power company anymore instead we benefit of the solar energy.

If you’re tired of high electricity bills, discover how thousands of families worldwide benefit from homemade solar panels and wind turbines to power their homes.

For more information on how to build your own solar panels visit our Earth 4 Energy Review.

Energy is being wasted in your home as you read this. Where is it going? Right through the walls! Even in well-insulated homes, heat escapes through the walls when it’s cold out, and heats comes in when it’s hot out.

A great way to experience this is by going from an insulated part of the home into a non-insulated part (the garage or attic perhaps?) during a hot summer month. Better yet, try it in California’s Death Valley where temperatures can soar into the 120’s. You’ll gain a rapid appreciation for California insulation technology.

When you’re done being cooked, take a look at your energy bills and your home’s insulation and see if there is some money that might be saved there. The more you can prevent your home’s heater or air conditioner from fighting against outdoor conditions, the more money you’ll save.

Help Me Conserve Energy in My Home!

As mention earlier, the less your home climate control systems have to fight the weather outside, the less they’ll work and the less energy they’ll use. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll discuss what you can do to ensure that warm air stays in the house during the winter months and hot air stays out during the summer months.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that your house isn’t “leaking.” Just like a car tire, having a hole in the house is bad. But unlike a car tire, instead of leaking air out, it’s going to let air in — and that’s exactly what we want to prevent.

Leaks occur most commonly around doors and windows. On a windy day, the large leaks can be easily found by simply running your hand around the frames of your doors and windows. For windows, you can often use silicone to seal around the frame. However, if your window has a hole in it, it’s time to replace it.

Single-pane windows are also very inefficient at keeping unwanted heat or cold outside where it belongs. If you have single-pane windows, consider replacing them with the double-pane variety.

Leaky doors can often be temporarily fixed with wads of insulation or by stuffing folded up newspapers in the cracks. The only problem with the latter solution is what to do when somebody knocks on the door or you need to get out and do some shopping.

Generally, replacing a leaky door is the best option for maximum efficiency.

And finally, to stop warm air from getting out (or vice versa depending on the time of year) make sure that your walls and ceiling are insulated.

Some residents that live in the warm (but not too warm) climate of Southern California might feel like there’s no need for insulating their home. However, even San Diego gets snow sometimes, so be sure to be ready with plenty of insulation for your California home.

Homeowners are paying more attention than ever to energy efficiency when renovating, but you do not have to commit to a major renovation to improve the efficiency of your home. In fact, you do not have to renovate at all; small steps toward improved energy efficiency can save you money in the long run while reducing your home’s environmental impact. Here are some renovation-free upgrade ideas that will give you a more energy efficient home:

Look for the Energy Star label when replacing appliances and electronics. The Energy Star certifies that a product complies with precise efficiency guidelines put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy. The Energy Star qualification can be found on products ranging from light bulbs to kitchen appliances to new homes. Please visit www.energystar.gov to find Energy Star Qualified Products.

Replace incandescent light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Replacing incandescent lighting in your home with compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, is an inexpensive and easy step toward improving the energy efficiency of your home. According to www.energystar.gov, Energy Star CFLs consume around 75% less energy than incandescent ones, and that translates to real energy and money savings over time.

Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to set your heating and cooling system to automatically adjust at certain times of the day based on your schedule, allowing for reduced energy consumption at times when no one is home. Because heating and cooling accounts for a sizeable percentage of energy consumption in most homes, a programmable thermostat helps keep utility expenses down while making daily life a little more convenient.

Replace drafty or single pane windows. If your windows and doors are old or not properly sealed, a portion of your utility payments are going, well, right out the window. Though new windows require a more sizeable investment than most of the other upgrades mentioned here, homes with updated windows appeal to home buyers and the investment can likely be recouped at resale.

Want to learn more about energy efficient home upgrades? Please visit the home improvement section of the Energy Star website.

We are all looking at the news and even the most optimistic of us are realizing that things may change for a while. We’ve been here before, we’ve seen the rising prices, the unemployment and the foreclosures – but for many of us the problem becomes more individualized. What can we do to preserve ourselves; to keep the roof over our own heads?

Home energy costs are a large monthly outlay for all of us at this time of year. Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light, and live in our homes. This is about 21 percent of the national total and many households could save 20-30 percent on their household energy bills.

Small savings may seem futile when we consider the big picture, but many little savings will actually lower your bills. Things may be falling down around you, but you will know that you are actively taking control of your own expenditures. So let us look at some small energy savers.

Do you feel a draft coming from below or around your external doors? Have you got weather stripping around your door? The type you screw into the frame is best, but you can buy the self adhesive type if you are not handy. Attach the overhead horizontal piece before the two sidebars.

Lower your thermostat by 5 degrees as you go to bed or if you go out and no-one will be at home. Change the filter on your furnace to allow more efficient running. Old-fashioned light bulbs are more expensive than fluorescent lights. Buy several of the energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs when they come on sale. Change them immediately but keep the old ones for spares.

Switch off lights when you are not in the room. In spite of a generalized public opinion that it is cheaper to leave a light bulb on rather than switching it on and off, it fact, it is not. Another surprising energy waste is when we leave our TVs, computer, etc on standby overnight. It is using power.

Use plastic window coverings to prevent heat loss. You can buy a type of ‘cling film’ for windows that will act like double glazing. You may not like this on your living room windows, but apply it where you can. It does not go straight onto the glass; attach a double sided sticky tape around the frame, then stick the plastic film to this. The small air pocket between the glass and the plastic film acts like a double glazing unit.

On sunny days let the sunshine warm up your home. At night close all blinds and drapes. Try closing heavy velvet curtains across your screen doors at night. Glass radiates in a lot of coldness!

Crude oil has finally hit the $100.00 per barrel mark, and soon we will be paying $4.00 per gallon for gas. Never mind cutting down for the environment – now is the time to cut down for your own sake; it must be time to tighten our belts.

With all the problems we hear about the environment and the fears for global catastrophe because of its deterioration, the people’s consciousness about being eco friendly is increasingly being highlighted. From trying to recycle to using more biodegradable products to building eco friendly homes, what we call the green home, everyone is trying to do his or her part in saving the planet. It is no surprise then that many campaigns among several segments are increasingly becoming popular – what is called the green movement is now not only limited to protecting the forests and vegetation but also to every other aspect that can contribute to keeping the ecological balance and making this world a healthier place to live in.

 Apparently, building a green home has some certification requirements as stated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). There are several products that are now being marketed that consumers buy as “green products.” A product must be eco-labeled before it can be considered a certified green product. You can check online if the product you are buying is certified and that you are not being “greenwashed.”

 From materials for home building to the smallest home accessories, you can find environmentally friendly options to make your home a green home. For example, you can opt to buy organic sheets for the bedroom. Such sheets are made of organic cotton, meaning the cotton used for the production of the fabric was not treated with pesticides or environmentally harmful dyes and other chemicals. There are also other sheets and curtains that are made up of 100 percent recyclable materials and some are made from plant-derived components. All of which are nontoxic and noncarcinogenic. There is also what is called the phosphate-free laundry wash, which is made from organic plants and is also biodegradable. Building a green living space also means conserving water and energy resources. You can start with a energy-saving lighting system and energy-saving appliances. The cooling, water-heating, and the lighting systems of a home must all be energy-efficient. A water-conserving irrigation system may also be installed; for example, a house could have a system to collect and store rainwater. The house must also be open to natural daylight, which means reduced energy consumption and a structure that would allow better home ventilation. As for building the house itself, naturally renewable resources and raw materials such as bamboo must be utilized. There are also other materials made up of recycled constituents, like kitchen tiles, that are available and these should be prioritized. Outside the home, landscaping can play a big part in making your home environmentally friendly. If the space allows it, plant drought-tolerant plants that do not require being constantly watered, cover your screen windows with vines, and, if possible, have large canopy trees around the house.

 Thus, from raw materials in home building to the smallest accessories and appliances inside the house, we can make our contribution in trying to save the environment. It does not take much, and the smallest act of concern will contribute a lot in the grand scheme of things.

It doesn’t matter if it’s winter or summer. You can take steps to lower your energy costs. There are measures you can take to keep your home warm in the winter, cool in the summer and save money on your heating bill also. If you are a do it yourself person you can easily get your home weatherized on a weekend. Here are some important energy saving tips:
1. Make sure the hot and cold water pipes are insulated. There are two ways of doing this. You could wrap them with fiberglass insulation or you could use pre-formed foam pipe insulation sleeves. Simply measure the diameter and length of the pipes and purchase the size needed. These pipe insulation sleeves easily snap on to the pipes and fit securely.
2. Insulate the water heater with blanket insulation. You would be amazed at how much heat is passed through the walls of an uninsulated water heater. You can buy these blankets ready to install from your local home improvement store and installation only takes about a half hour.
3. Before you use your furnace check the filter. A dirty filter decreases the efficiency of the furnace. These are inexpensive and very simple to replace.
4. Is your ductwork insulated? If not you’re wasting a lot of energy. Measure the circumference and length of the ducts. They should be wrapped with R-9 foil faced fiberglass batts and secured with foil faced duct tape. Always remember that when working with fiberglass to wear protective clothing, goggles and a dust mask.
5. Do your walls have holes or cracks in them? You’ll probably say of course not. Open the cabinets beneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks. Check for plumbing and electrical wiring coming through the wall and floor. Are there any gaps. If so they need to be sealed with caulk to prevent air infiltration.
6. Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees. The water will still be plenty hot for showers and doing dishes. Simply reset the thermostat.
7. Do you have storm windows? If so, it’s time to install them. If you don’t have storm windows and want to save money you can install plastic sheeting to seal air leaks. It’s a little time consuming but after you’ve sealed a couple of windows the others seem to go quickly. Another option is installing thermal shades or shutters.
8. Speaking of windows, are your doors and windows weather-stripped? A tremendous amount of heat escapes through small cracks and openings around the doors and windows. Weather-stripping can be purchased at any home improvement store. It is simple to install and is well worth the time and effort.
9. What about wall switch plates and outlets? After turning off the power source remove the plate to see if it’s insulated. If not you can purchase pre-cut foam insulation gaskets that fit tightly behind the wall plate to prevent air infiltration.
10. When’s the last time you checked your attic insulation. A lot of heat is lost through the ceiling. Is it up to the recommended R-Value for your area? Check with your local building department to determine how much insulation you need. If you do need insulation you can install it yourself with the assistance of a helper. Many home improvement stores will let you use a insulation blowing machine free when you purchase loose fill insulation. It can be blown over existing loose fill or fiberglass batts.
Many utility companies offer financial assistance with energy saving home improvement projects. Some even offer free products, such as water heater blankets. Also check with your state to determine if there are any tax breaks available. By following the above steps you can be assured that your home will be more energy efficient and you’ll enjoy a warm and cozy winter and a cool and comfy summer.

High gas prices at the pumps and higher utility and other bills all adds up one thing. It’s time to think more and more about conservation and savings efforts, especially with your home improvements. Here are some tips to help you get more and use and spend less:

• Your shower – Take a shower over a bath and upgrade your shower head to an energy saver model. You will use less water in a shower then you will by taking a bath. That means less hot water usage and in turn less energy to heat the water. Bath tubs take a huge amount of water to fill up, leaving you with much more energy needs. That is unless you happen to take very long showers and in that case, try to cut down on the length of your shower for sheer improvement in your energy bills quickly.

• Laundry – When washing clothing, consider washing in the coldest setting allowable for the fabric and look into replacing your current model washer and dry with energy efficient units for long term savings and conservation. This also means no over dry clothing; set your timer to alert you as soon as the laundry is dry rather than when the timer ticks on. Plus only wash clothing in full loads. Smaller loads just waste water and money in energy. You may also want to consider new detergents that claim to be able to wash your laundry with just as much benefit in cold water.

• Your cooking habits – The way that you cook also makes a difference. In the summer, use the outdoor or indoor grill to keep the heat from the oven out of the home. In the winter, back breads and make dinner around the middle to late afternoon when it is the coldest. This will help to keep up your home. Your cook top should also be used more often then your oven as it uses less energy to work. Look at energy ratings on your cooking alliances and grills.

• To conserve automotive fuel, start by checking the air pressure in your tires. If your tires are not filled correctly, you will not get the most mileage for your vehicle. If they are under or over filled, you could be wasting money. If you are not sure, check your owner’s manual for specifications. Check your tires at least once per week. And before you head out for home improvement projects, check around first and find your hammer, duct tape and other materials before you buy more. You may find what you need around the house without wasting gas and time running around town.

• Change your oil regularly, per your manufacturer’s guidelines. Doing this regularly will allow you to get the highest function from the vehicle including in gas savings.

• Drive correctly. Do not step on the gas pedal hard. Ease into speed. Drive at the speed limit which has been created to help you to save gas. If you drive quickly and start quickly, the vehicle needs to use more fuel and that wastes money in your pocket.

• Most experts agree that there is little fuel savings from more expensive qualities of fuel. Stick to the lower costing product unless your vehicle specifies a higher quality is a must.

• Driving with the windows up or down does not matter as much as having the air conditioning on full blast. Even on the freeway, keeping your windows down and the air conditioning off is much more cost effective.

You can easily add these into your every day usage and see benefits right away from doing so. Energy conservation does not have to be hard or challenging, but should be smart.

When the weather is warm, a central or window air-conditioning unit can provide much needed relief from the heat of the day. However, running an air conditioner all day long can not only send electric bills through the roof, but also release detrimental carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which damages the environment and our health. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling systems in the United States release over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which contributes to global warming. Fortunately, there are several inexpensive and much more environmentally friendly ways to alleviate the heat without air conditioning.

Having trees around your home is a great way to keep your home cool. Shade makes a huge impact on the temperature of your home. The chief thing to do is to select a type of tree that will develop quickly and start to provide you shade faster. Pick a variety of tree that will grow speedily such as willow oak or red maple. You can talk to employees from the local nursery or a garden expert to pick the perfect variety of tree for your climate. The most sensible area to plant your trees is on the southern and western side of your home so that your house gets the most amount of shade possible.

Window treatments can form a practical barrier against the sun’s warm rays when used correctly. Purchase shades, blinds, or insulated cloth and close them tight when it is hot outside, or when the sun is streaming through your windows. The more secure the drapery is to the wall, the less heat it will allow inside. Select light-colored window treatments whenever possible, as these will not absorb the heat.

Another possibility to think about is a shade screen. These long-lasting, light shades are also called solar shields. They are installed on the outside of your home, on the south-facing side. These solar shields cut down on your energy bill by blocking almost all of the light rays that hit the shield. Although expensive, they can pay for themselves in saved energy costs

Ceiling fans are an inexpensive method to keep your home’s temperature cool when it’s hot outside. You can pick a fan that accents your home’s décor and use it to keep the main areas of your home cooled, or purchase several for bedrooms as well.

If you opt for tabletop fans instead and it is breezy outside, consider placing one in an open window at one end of your house where the air is coming in, and another in a window at the opposite end of the house, which is positioned to blow the warm air outdoors. This creates the effect of a wind tunnel, and serves to circulate the cool air throughout your home. It works particularly well at night, when it’s cooler outside.

If your attic holds a lot of warm air, you might want to invest in a whole-house fan. These fans are mounted on your attic’s ceiling and draw the outside air, which may be cooler, indoors and through your attic and roof. The hot air from your attic and other areas of your home is forced to exit via roof vents. Whole-house fans cost from $150 to $400 and are of great benefit.

Find an ideal property in Southern Californai: La Jolla Country Club Oceanfront Properties and Condos for Sale in La Costa 
Realtors: Learn how to drive more traffic to your real estate website.

Energy costs keep sky rocketing with no end in sight. Pollution levels are increasing and our planet is facing a warming trend that could have devastating results. So the question is what can the average citizen do to save money and help the environment at the same time? One great way to help is to lower the amount of electricity your home purchases from the utility company by creating your own power. There are a few ways to do this, and wind power is one of the easiest and more reliable ways to produce energy at your home.

What is a Wind Turbine?

A wind turbine is a simple machine that collects kinetic energy produced by wind currents and converts this energy into power that can be used in the home. Wind turbines are installed on high towers; these towers are usually around eighty to one hundred and twenty feet high. Towers must be high enough to allow the turbine to be above any turbulence generated by objects on the ground. The higher the altitude also results in higher wind speed and in turn, a higher amount of energy can be produced.

How do Wind Turbines Work?

Wind energy is used to create mechanical energy. Turbines have blades that are turned by the wind; these blades turn a shaft to which they are connected. The shaft is then connected to a generator; the mechanical energy is transferred into the generator through the shaft and converts the mechanical energy into electricity. This electricity can then be used in the home for any electrical need. Homes that are using wind turbines to produce power are still hooked up to the power grid. Being hooked up to the power grid allows the home to still have power when wind currents aren’t strong enough to produce electricity. Another benefit of continuing to be connected to the power grid is that at the times your wind turbine is producing more power than your home can use, the utility company is absorbing the extra energy and paying you for it. This can lead to very low electric bills. A wind turbine can lower your power bill by 50-80% depending on the amount of wind in your area.

Types of Wind Turbines

There are two main types of turbines: horizontal- axis turbines and vertical-axis turbines. Turbines also come in different sizes as well. Utility companies use wind turbines that can range in size from 100 kilowatts up to several megawatts. These larger turbines are found in groups on wind farms. If you ever drive over the Temecula pass in California, you can see large wind farms along the highway. It is a spectacular site. Small turbines, 100 kilowatts or less, are used at homes. These are place on towers on the homeowner’s property and then used to provide some of the energy needed to run the home. Since the size of the tower is quite large, they are usually used in areas where the home is on one acre or more. There are very small turbines on very small towers that may be able to be of use in urban areas or on smaller lots.

The Future of the Wind Turbine

In September of 2008, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that grants a one-year extension of the renewable energy production tax credit. If passed by the U.S. House of Representatives the tax credit would be available until December 2009. Wind power is a viable part of the solution to lessen our dependency on fossil fuels. Wind power is a renewable resource and produces no harmful pollutants. The future looks bright for wind power and hopefully, as a result, there will be a bright future for our planet too.