Go Greener Tips

Archive for the ‘Green Homes’ Category

Hundreds of individuals want to go green. If this consists of you, do you know you possibly can actually lower your expenses as you allow a lighter carbon footprint on the atmosphere? There are many methods of doing this, from getting “off the grid” and using solar and wind power, to easily lowering the quantity of vitality you employ by turning off lights and unplugging home equipment comparable to TVs and DVD gamers when they don’t seem to be in use. One of the more significant methods you could go green while saving cash is putting in a photo voltaic water heating system. Using solar energy to heat your water can cut back your fossil gasoline energy consumption by as much as 32% and be an essential first step in direction of upgrading your own home to be extra environmentally friendly.

How do photo voltaic water heaters work? Compared with different strategies of solar energy technology, solar panels work in another way than photo voltaic water heaters. Solar panels primarily use photovoltaics (PVs), which are arrays of cells that accommodates materials which convert solar radiation into direct current electricity. However, water solar power heaters use an easier technique of utilizing solar energy to provide warm water. They use photo voltaic thermal collectors to capture vitality from the sun. Everyone is aware of that when they wear darkish clothes on a sunny day, they tend to really feel warmer in the sun. This is because black supplies are more absorptive of daylight, whereas lighter coloured surfaces mirror the sun’s light. In the identical methodology, solar water heating programs seize vitality from the solar by biking fluids by way of black coloured tubing. This dark colored tubing captures thermal energy from the solar and warms the fluid. The nice and cozy water then circulates by way of the tubing and into your home. Typically a reservoir is connected to the warm water system to preserve warmth through night hours when the solar does not shine.

Solar energy water heaters rarely can present enough warmth to maintain hot water by way of an entire day, as the sun is just not always shining. Therefore, photo voltaic water heaters are sometimes supplemented with other forms of water heating. While this will embrace the usual gas or electric water heater, many householders get creative and use greener strategies of supplementing their scorching water heater system. One instance of this could be using the heat generated by a hearth, the place the same varieties of tubing that circulate via solar thermal collectors are run in close proximity to the heat of the fireplace, or by means of the chimney. One other creative method to supplement photo voltaic water heaters entails the warmth generated from the back of air conditioners.

You will need to observe that solar water heaters aren’t for all climates. In northern climates, weather conditions usually are not favorable to operate a solar energy system to heat water for a part of the year. Wherever situations may lead to the freezing of water outdoor, your solar thermal collector or the tubes between the collector and your sizzling water system should be emptied of fluids. Most areas the place this is able to occur have seasonal durations that are useful for utilizing photo voltaic water heating. During seasons where freezing would occur, you should drain the fluids from the tubing. It is because liquid expands when it freezes, and would burst the tubes and other very important components of your solar heater system.

What are the advantages of a DIY solar water heater? The stated purpose of this text is to both enable you reduce the scale of your ecological footprint, in addition to assist you to to save lots of money. Consistent with the objective of saving cash, you have to be conscious that there are “do it your self”, or DIY solar water heater kits that will not only scale back your monthly power invoice, they’re cheaper to install.

While professionally installed solar methods to warmth your water could cost upwards of $700, you may construct your own solar water heater for less than $100. When you’ve got checked out installing photo voltaic panels before, bear in mind that building a DIY solar water heater is much more simple. Whereas a solar panel can require purchasing expensive fragile elements and soldering them collectively, photo voltaic water heaters are by comparability far easier to assemble. It is because all the elements you want can be found at your native hardware store.

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to solar water heater, diy solar, and solar kits.

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a home made solar panel, solar panel kits, and how does solar power work.

One of the reasons that constructing your own photovoltaic panels has become so popular is that there are really very few parts involved. A regular solar panel consists of just a few basic parts, namely an enclosure, photovoltaic (pv), a substrate and wiring. Here’s a summary of what’s involved.

Solar panel case or enclosure
This is what most people see when they think of a solar panel. It’s the clear glass top, the frame and the backing that the photovoltaic cells are mounted on. The case can be hefty enough to need a custom built metal rack for mounting on a rooftop, or small enough to be a plastic box that can be placed almost invisibly near an outdoor floodlight. It needs to be resistant to ultra violet (UV) rays so that it doesn’t deteriorate with relentless exposure to sunlight. And the glass (usually Plexiglas) needs to be durable enough to withstand harsh weather, including hail and wind storms that could crash tree branches and other debris into it.

Substrate
This is the piece of wood, peg board or other material that the solar cells are mounted on within of the enclosure. It too needs to be UV-resistant to survive prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Solar cells
The solar cells are comparable to the silicon chips that power most computers. They combine the silicon, metals and other materials in a way that captures direct sunlight and converts it into electricity. The electricity can either be instantly used by direct current devices (DC) like LED lights, or stored in DC batteries and transformed into alternating current (AC) to power conventional appliances like refrigerators, TVs and other electrical equipment in homes and businesses.

Tabbed and untabbed pv (photovoltaic cells
When building your own pv (photovoltaic) panels, you can save money by purchasing untabbed solar cells and soldering the tabs on top of the cells yourself. This can be a good choice if you have more time than money, but it’s a tedious job. You can save time by buying tabbed solar cells which will cut your soldering time by one-half to two-thirds.

Pv (photovoltaic) cell wiring
As soon as the solar cells are mounted on the substrate, they are wired to each other in a series so that they can generate electricity. Copper wire is added to connect the solar cells to storage batteries for using the electricity later, or to connect directly to the device that the solar panel is powering like an attic fan or a solar powered toy.

Blocking diode

The blocking diode is a little component that prevents electricity that is stored in a battery from draining backward into the pv (photovoltaic) panel. Bigger photovoltaic systems use a charge controller for the same effect.

How to conduct an energy audit at your house could seem a difficult task when you have no idea where to begin from. The colder months of winter quickly approach and if you are not preparing the house your utility bill will reflect. Electric audit is a good tool in that assignment.

Its impotent to consider manage and alter the situation. We must always get the respite from high utility bills. If you have no idea how to audit you need to read first the attached guide to getting a general overview. Performing a DIY energy audit through your home needs to be incorporated into your yearly checklist, one of the tasks you should do preparing to winter cold days.

Knowing how to conduct an energy audit is essential because there could be a huge selection of small places where your house is losing heat. However, once added up, it could significantly increase, and you are losing lots of heat.

After brief learning how to conduct an energy audit, you can quickly and efficiently discover the areas that require addressed before the snow will come.

1. Blower Door Test

Look for drafts coming from your areas like windows and doors that lead to the outside. A burning up incense stick is a great draft locator. It is extremely useful for hard to get drafts where the smoke will toss and turn under the slightest breeze.

It’s time to clean the old wear and re caulk the windows. Windows in bad shape will have to be replaced when ever you should have the money for it. Check also the doors leaks, are they closed tight or have cracks around?

You’ll find in most equipment stores a variety of inexpensive weather stripping, easy to put in, which could assist you to keep the cold out. Recheck that the doors are sealed with an incense stick.

2. Thermal Analysis Test

Confirm for drafts around electric outlets and switches. If ever the walls around them are not insulated properly there can be some significant heat loss. Changing some of the gaskets and installing them at the back of the covers can cut down air flow.

3. Duct Leakage Test

Check the attic hatch and re-insulate it. Heat within the home is rising and will exit through the open hatch.

4. Efficiency & Safety Test

The baseboards are another place to search for air drafts. Look for a small gap between the underside of the ground and the drywall. The gaps may be stuffed with caulk.

5. Moisture Evaluation Test

Fireplace louvers should function properly much heat can escape from your house by not having a louvered dryer vent to do his work.

6. The Final Report

Around a wall air conditioner, it’s one more place domed to air leaks. Best things to try and do are to seal the leaks with caulk.

7. Implementing The Solutions

This is time to maneuver to the outside of your home:

1. Inspect every one of the water pipes you are entering the home, you almost certainly will find openings and gaps around them, they ought to be caulk.

2. Check the siding and outer surface of your windows and apply caulk where needed.

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Solar hot water heating systems are fairly simple to install, simple to maintain and the most cost effective way to introduce your home to solar energy. They can save significant energy and cost when they replace an electric hot water heater. And they can be successfully used even if you live in a climate where freezing temperatures are common during the winter.

If you live in a climate that does not have sub-zero temperatures, and your household consists of fewer than five people, you can install a batch heater. This is the least expensive solar water heating option, and it is relatively easy to build if you have the inclination to do-it-yourself. It is simply a water storage tank that also serves as the solar collector.

The tank is enclosed in a glass-covered box that is positioned to allow maximum exposure to the sun. The water in the tank heats up and hot water is accessible for use. However, it is not the most efficient system, since it takes longer to warm up an entire tank of water than to heat a flat panel solar collector. And as the tank cools at night, there is less hot water available for use.

There are two better systems that can be used even in freezing climates. The direct pump system circulates water between a solar collector and a storage cistern. With this design, water in the solar collector can heat up quicker, and the tank can be insulated for better temperature holding capacity. The pump can be designed to run on electricity from a photovoltaic cell if you desire to keep your system completely solar powered.

A thermosiphon system also uses a separate solar collector, along with the pull of gravity. And it allows for the use of an insulated storage reservoir for more consistent hot water delivery. When using either of these systems in cold climates where freezing is an issue, both the piping and the storage tank should be placed indoors and properly insulated to provide hot water even on the coldest days.

For more information regarding solar technology and how you can utilize solar power in your home or business, please visit http://www.GreenLivingRocks.com and http://build-a-solar-panel.info.

Look for our other posts. We are dedicated to providing information about solar power. Without using solar power as an alternative energy source, we are destined to completely wipe the world clean of natural resources. When we use renewable energy, we all win.

From one of our articles that can be found on our blog:

“A solar panel design has a specific set-up needed to make it work efficiently. The design has been refined over the years. Solar panels started out as very cumbersome pieces of technology. Today, these panels can be used in something as small as a calculator. When deciding on the placement of panels for home use. It’s helpful to know exactly what you need to get an entire solar energy system hooked up and running smoothly.”

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a solar panel, solar powered, and solar hot water.

Are you looking for a quick and uncomplicated solar energy project for your house that you can do by yourself?  Putting in a solar attic fan may be just the ticket.  Not only is it rather easy to do, but it will keep your residence cooler through hot summer days and nights.

You may not have even realized how much a hot attic contributes to your air conditioning bills.  Attics trap and hold all of the hot air that rises in your house.  This is good in the winter, but it can prevent your house from cooling off in the summer.

Attic temperatures can easily rise above 120 degrees Fahrenheit even when outside temperatures are only in the eighties or nineties.  Most building codes require attics to be vented, but these vents are simply not designed to cool off the entire attic.  And a roof that has no shade gets sun for most of the day.

Installing a usual attic fan would require a licensed electrician because it would need to be connected to a power source in order to operate.  But solar attic fans are constructed with built-in pv modules powerful enough to run the fans.  Not only are they quieter than electric attic fans, but they require no electricity to run since they are installed on the roof and receive direct sunlight.  

If you are handy with a saw, drill and screwdriver, and self-confident enough to cut a hole in your roof, you can install a solar attic fan in a couple of hours.  You will have to to locate a place on your roof that receives sunlight the whole day, is close by the peak and also near the middle of the attic space.  You will be cutting a hole through the composition shingles and roof decking that will accommodate the size or your solar fan.

The trickiest and most vital part will be finding the optimal location and cutting the hole the proper size for the fan.  A location that faces south will receive the most sunlight.  If that is not viable, you can consider buying a model that has a solar module that can be tilted and positioned to face south.  

Once the hole has been cut, it is only a matter of securing the solar attic fan to the roof, and caulking around the fan to waterproof your installation.  You will be able to immediately feel the cooling effects in your attic.  And you will be able to have a more comfortable house and lower cooling bills throughout the summer.

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a homemade solar panel, solar lights, and solar heating.

From the operators of www.build-a-solar-panel.info — providing education regarding how to build a solar panel, green home tips, and green DIY projects.

Solar hot water heating systems are a basically simple design.  Solar collectors warm up water during the day, which is stored in an insulated container to keep it warm for ongoing use.  But icy temperatures can bring this kind of system to a standstill.  But new and improved methods have been developed that allow solar hot water systems to operate effectively even in cold climates.  Here is a basic depiction of how they work.

After a few decades of testing with solar hot water systems, most qualified users have decided that the closed loop design is the most successful for climates with freezing temperatures.   Because oxygen is eliminated from the system, pumps will not corrode and will have a greater lifespan, saving you time and money for upkeep and replacement parts.

The system is filled with an antifreeze blend (propylene glycol) at the time it is installed.  It then circulates between the solar collectors (where it is heated by the sun all through the day) and the storage tanks, which provide heat during the day and night.  There are several smaller components that allow the antifreeze to expand and contract, and which inhibit too much pressure from building up in the system, among other things.  But the solar collectors, the pump and the tank with heat exchanger are the central components.

Drainback systems are so named because the solar collectors drain when they are not being used.  Due to this, you can utilize either water or antifreeze in the system.  But for maximum assurance that the system will not freeze, people regularly choose to use antifreeze as an extra precaution, principally in regions that frequently experience temperatures below zero.  

A thermosiphon system also uses a detached solar collector, along with the pull of gravity. And it allows for the use of an insulated storage tank for more dependable hot water delivery. When using either of these systems in cold regions where freezing is an issue, both the piping and the storage tank should be placed indoors and suitably insulated to provide hot water even on the coldest days.

Even though the collectors drain when not in use, they drainback system is still a closed loop system. It needs a strong pump in order to return the drained liquid to the solar collector as soon as it has been drained.  But it is a first-rate choice for a homeowner who wants a solar heating system that is painless to maintain.

Solar hot water heating systems are relatively simple to install, easy to maintain and the most cost effective way to introduce your home to solar energy.  They can save considerable energy and cost when they replace an electric hot water heater.  And they can be successfully used even if you live in a climate where freezing temperatures are common during the winter.

Nowadays up-to-date technologies are too popular – there are many things they could do you and you can get them for small price. For example, solar panels for housing. You can use them for your own house or office, you can use them for your business ( for instance, you are an owner of small hotel) etc. They are smart and they deal with economy! The secret is when you invest once your money, then you do not have to deal with any money at all! But there are some disadvantages you have to know about- so, go on reading.

1) Make sure you have invested sufficient money. As less money you invest now as more money you will have to pay for service. You see in case you get panels in low quality –they simply will not give you good and service you expect!

2) Make sure there are many providers who are able to help you, but it does not mean you have to choose it by chance. Deal with lots of tips how to choose your one – below or ask your friends for a help if they have set up panels already.

I have mentioned you can use your panels for house you want. Lots of people ask me – how to get a panel I want? What about the size and service? I think there are no questions for me, but for your provider. Only your provider has to calculate how much money you need to get panels you want, what panels you need, what size and even colour. You see, in case you are not a professional – you can not in count so simply.

Make sure there are many providers who are professionals but it does not mean there are ones only! There are many people who are not going to help you but they are going to take your money. Be sure you have made up some check ups to make sure you provider is firm and he is responsible for your solar panels and of course money you have invested into this project.

Solar panels will give you more than you think, just try it out and make sure in this fact! Get quality panels only to work with the best service and to see how much panels are able to give you! Lots of people have been dealing with panels for ages – it comes time for you to try out.

More tips about solar panels and small hints how to get them easier and cheaper –use this link. To get further info where you can get these panels in the great quality – click and go for now. Make sure you can improve your life and you can make the difference!

The green home topic is very popular today. Do you know that the Earth gets more energy from the Sun in an hour than people use in a year. Visit this site to find out how to build your own solar panel and save your money and our Planet.

As the power issue increases in popularity, take advantage of the online technologies to look for exactly what you need at the best terms which are available on the market. Search Google and other search engines for DIY solar panels. Visit social networks and check the accounts that are relevant to your topic. Go to the niche forums and join the discussions. All this will help you to create a true vision of this market. Thus, giving you a real opportunity to make a smart and nicely balanced decision.

In addition, to keep abreast of the make solar panels topic, sign up for the RSS on this blog since we will do everything possible to keep this blog tuned up to the day with new info about respective issues.

Lots of people use solar panels nowadays. But what about the rest of the people? I suppose lots of them are sure solar panels are fake, they have got high prices etc. Never the less they are popular and now I am going to break all the myths about solar panels. I will give you some strict arguments why you need solar panels and where this type of technologies will help you to get alliterative energy. It is cheap, easy and you will save up lots of money for housing. Just believe me and go on reading!

Lots of people this the sun can not give them too much. But if you think this way – you are wrong. The sun can give you alternative energy and what about the type of it – you choose it yourself! What kind of energy you will get in the result – depends on your financial possibilities because in case there are quality solar panels – you can get every type of energy. The people have been divided for two groups – one group of people are sure they do not have to invest such huge sums, other one of people are sure – they have to deal with such investments because it is only once.

I stand the second way. Solar panels getting is a way when you have to invest decent sum once, but then you will save up much more money. Of course there will be some expenses to keep your panels in the nice condition or to repair them, but as much money you invest now – as better for you in the future. As you see the principle is enough easy and it is time to find out where you can get firm and nice solar panels and of course the package of services which will not take you to the cleaners.

1) Try to get your panels in the store you hire your services – it will help you to deal easier and to save up lots of money.

2) Be selective! Check up panels for quality with the help of internet and feedbacks and deal with quality panels only, just not to pay huge money for servicing.

3) In case you need odd panels or you need huge ones, you want to get one panel for your house or you do not know about the size of panels you want –just do not be in ponders – ask your provider about!

Now you have got some pictures which will capture in the whole one – what solar panel is and how to use it. I am sure you have got something to deal with it – invest your money today to have a happy live tomorrow!

The eco home topic has become very widespread today. Do you know that the Earth gets more energy from the Sun in an hour than the human race uses in a year. Visit this site to find out how to build solar panels and save your money and our Planet.

As the energy issue increases in popularity, avail yourself of the Internet technologies to find out exactly what you need for the best price on the market. Search Google and other search engines for DIY solar panels. Visit social networks and check the accounts that are relevant to your topic. Go to the niche forums and participate in the online discussions. All this will help you to create a true vision of this market. Thus, giving you a real chance to make a smart and nicely balanced decision.

And, to keep abreast of the DIY solar topic, subscribe to the RSS feed on this blog as we will do our best to keep updated with new info about respective issues.

There are many up-to-date technologies and may be you are in hesitations – you do not know what to take to work in the best way. I want to offer you technologies you have to set up by all means – solar panels. Nowadays lots of people use solar panels and in case you are going to deal with them here and now – it is good choice of yours! In case you have not heard about these panels and you are going to deal with something new and odd – read this short and informative tutorial – I am sure it will help you to look for provider and people who will be able to help you.

In case you are going to deal with solar panels but you do not know how much money you need to deal with it and what you have to do to get solar panels – here you go. I want to give you firm conviction – you should not be a millionaire in case you want to deal with your own solar panel. There are many people who are not well-do, but they have got their solar panels and they save up their money for housing time by time. I am sure you can do it the same way – you just have to calculate the exact sum you can spend for your solar panels.

So, when you found out your provider and you really know how much money you are going to spend for panels – I want to talk to you about quality. In case you need more tips about choosing panels – get them below. In case you are going to deal with solar panels some time later – it is nice choice of yours in case you are short of info. There are many people who really want to set up solar panels service but they are short of information. You do not have to deal with some odd services –I am able to give you help you need and I am going to do it just now.
Dealing with solar panels try to get options you need and ask your provider about everything you want to ask. Deal with the best ins just now – you can set up your solar panel in the best way, in case you are going to save up money on it, in case you see why you need these panels –here you go!

Why not? Set it up or just test it for some months. I think in case you are in hesitations – get test solar panel to make sure it fits you! Get more by links and deal with the best services and prices, providers and ins just now! Good luck for you!

The green home topic has become very popular today. Do you know that the Earth receives more energy from the Sun in an hour than the human race uses in a year. Check out this site to find out how to build solar panels and save your money and our Planet.

As the energy issue increases in popularity, avail yourself of the Internet technologies to look for precisely what you require at the best terms which are available on the market. Search Google and other search engines for DIY solar panels. Visit social networks and have a look on the accounts that are relevant to your topic. Go to the niche forums and participate in the online discussions. All this will help you to build up a true vision of this market. Thus, giving you a real opportunity to make a wise and nicely balanced decision.

In addition, to keep track of the make solar panels topic, sign up for the RSS feed on this blog as we will do everything possible to keep updated with new publications about relevant issues.

There are many up to date panels but in case you want to deal with quality – you stand right way. Make sure I will give you some easy tips how to deal with solar panels, but I will also tell you about problems you can meet when you are with solar panels. Make sure you will not be able to find out mistakes and outs about solar panels easily, but I want to give you some mistakes and outs of this system – just not to make you face them. Lots of people deal with solar panels, they save up their money day by day and they are simply happy with their panels and services.
Make sure you have got every point to set up solar panels just now. If you still do not believe in it – deal with some powerful arguments which will help you.

1) It is cheap. You have to look for nice provider who will help you to set up solar panels in the cheapest way. The cheapest does not matter it is bad! There are really some options which are sophisticated but cheap. There are many options which are cheap, but in the real quality – deal this way and you will have got the best solar panels.

2) Make sure you have to set up solar panels just because they are popular. There are lots of groups who deal with solar panels and you have to try it out just now. When panels are popular – it is time to get them! Get more about nice offers and hot ones!

3) I am sure you even do not know what sun is able to give you! Save up more money, just enjoy your up to date services and keep your solar panels in the best way to deal with strict profits every time!

It is hard to deal with solar panels in case you are short of information. It is also so hard to deal with brand – there are many ones and if it is your first time you get your solar panels –you simply will be in hesitations.

Make sure I will be able to give you a list of providers who are firm and responsible, get list of brands which will be able to give you firm coverage and so, solar panels. Make sure below in my blog you will have got odd tips but you will be supplied with common ones.

Use this link in case you want to set up your solar panels just now or you want to know more about solar panels. There are no rigid rules how to deal with solar panels – click here and get them just now! Good luck!

The green home topic is very widespread today. Are you aware of that the Earth receives more energy from the Sun in an hour than people use in a year. Visit this site to find out how to build solar panels and save your money and our Planet.

As the energy issue gets more attention, use the online technologies to find out precisely what you need at the best terms which are available on the market. Search Google and other search engines for DIY solar panels. Visit social networks and have a look on the accounts that are relevant to your topic. Go to the niche forums and join the online discussions. All this will help you to build up a true vision of this market. Thus, giving you a real chance to make a wise and nicely balanced decision.

In addition, to be well informed about the make solar panels topic, subscribe to the RSS on this blog since we will do everything possible to keep this blog tuned up to the day with new info about related issues.