Efficient Renewable Energy Home

I am going to show you the steps you need to take to make sure your home is energy efficient before building and installing your personal alternative energy power plant. Otherwise, it'd just kinda be ridiculous to go through the trouble of powering your home with renewables such as solar and wind, if a good percentage of that energy is being wasted! Use that alternative energy system with efficiency.

First, the number one solution to conserve energy is to seal all duct work. Put on a long sleeve shirt (that insulation can get into your skin) and get up into your attic or crawl space and check for leaks at joints and intersections of your duct work. You can seal the leaks with foil-backed tape or silicon caulking. And while you're up there, check your insulation for proper coverage. Be careful! Don't go fallin' through your ceiling...

Now, check around all doors and windows for air coming in and/or escaping. Use weather stripping to seal it up. If around your windows leaks pretty bad, you might want to use that canned foam insulation stuff, and/or put up plastic window weather sheeting.
Also check and seal up around plumbing pipes going through the wall, electrical outlets, light fixtures, etc. Use the proper insulation product! Check your hardware store and just ask your friendly clerk!

I'll combine the remainder of steps because they are easy to do and fairly common-sense.
- Lower your thermostat! In winter, of course. Keep it around 60 or so when no one's home, 65-70, otherwise. Turn it down when sleeping as well. I love sleeping under my thick down comforter when it's nice and cool!
- Close the flume on your fireplace. A fire is romantic, but cold air is coming in even as the fire burns.
- Unplug all the appliances when not in use. Toasters, coffee makers, all that stuff is draining power just being pluggged in! And of course, if you can afford it, upgrade to appliances with the Energy Star Logo. Oh yeah - and switch to those new energy-efficient light bulbs. They cost more, but last years and will definately save you lots in the not-so-long run.

A very disturbing fact people have finally realized is that we cannot live on fossil fuels that much longer. Not only is this source of Energy nonrenewable and expensive, the burning of these fuels is arguably causing irreversible damage to our lovely Planet. We MUST become less dependent on fossil fuels and much more reliant on Wind and Solar, among other Green Energy sources. If the powers that be really wanted to make the use of renewables affordable, I am absolutely certain they could find a way. But, as we all know, Big Oil and Big Business are Best Buddies with Big Government. You know how it goes - it's disgusting. Luckily, if you are reading this, you are on your way to discover how to inexpensively create alternative energy for home, and not be at the mercy of the greedy and selfish power players.

After a lot of research online,I found there were many instructions and how-to's, but most were incomplete, or just too damn confusing! I Finally discovered a product called Earth4Energy!
It is amazing! I personally was sold after checking out the site, and with a money back guarantee I felt, "why not?"
I am excited to report I have two working solar panels on my roof, as well as a small windmill in my backyard - all built for less than $500 bucks. I've gotta be honest, I took my time in gathering the raw materials (I'm a cheapskate and self-professed bargain hunter - check out my lense "using raw materials" below.) And I didn't rush the assembly either, so i understood exactly what I was doing, and why. It has paid for itself in three months! My utility bill is almost nill!! Earth4Energy laid it all out in easy step by step instructions and is packed with hints and ideas on where to find the material needed for cheap or sometimes free. Using what I learned, next I'm going to build a portable solar-powered generator for camping and such. Exciting feeling, knowing I'm becoming more and more self-reliant!