How to Cut Home Electricity Cost

Did you know that you can lower your monthly utility bills by reducing the amount of regular electricity that you use at home? Most family homes spend around a third of their energy budget on heating water for daily uses. Heating water for showers, baths, cleaning clothes and a host of other things is done by electricity or gas supplied by utility companies.

You know, the average electric water heater serves a family of four uses 6,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, and release eight tons of CO2, according to the University of Wisconsin's Solar Energy Laboratory. That's more than a typical automobile! Gas-fired heaters release about two tons of CO2 a year.

Solar water heaters are very reliable and can work in any climate. There are several different types, including those with pumps and those that work passively. You'll need a storage tank and some type of solar collector. Some homeowners use the devices exclusively (sometimes with a gas or electric tankless water heater as a backup), while others pair them with other systems as pre-heaters.

The good news is that home solar water heating systems cost an affordable $1,500 to $3,500, and pay for themselves in four to eight years. Why not schedule one into your next renovation?

If you want to convert your home to solar power, there are a few things that you should consider. How much energy do you use in your home? What types of appliances would you need to power? Do you have a good location to place the solar power panels?

Purchasing a good, reliable solar power kit is the first important step to converting your home to solar power. If you purchase a kit that comes together the installation will be much easier, then you won't have to worry about trying to figure everything out and buy the individual pieces that are needed.

If you haven't decided where to place the panels, you should consider putting them on the roof because it is a great place that is still discreet. The roof is closer to the sun so it makes it an ideal spot for them-- the panels will need to be directly in the suns rays so that they can gather energy from the sun, then transfer that energy to a converter to store the energy until it is needed. It is very important to make sure that the solar power panels are placed in a location where they will be in direct contact with the sun as much as possible. Look at the surroundings around your house to avoid placing the panels in a spot that is covered by other buildings or over-hanging branches.

The advantage of converting your home to solar power is to help protect the environment. Fossil fuels that are used such as coal and oil pollute the air and harm the environment, but the solar power kits have no negative effects on the environment.

If you decide that you want to help protect the environment by converting your home, make sure that you purchase a good solar power kit that includes all of the necessary parts. It is a very easy process and you will be thrilled with the results!