Employ Passive Solar Energy and Start Saving Electricity Today

Home
>
Home Improvement
>
Employ Passive Solar Energy and Start Saving Electricity Today

Employ Passive Solar Energy and Start Saving Electricity Today

1. Orientation, layout and positioning of your house on the land
Orientate your living areas to the south side of the house, which receives most of the sun throughout the day (north if you live in the southern hemisphere).

2. Insulation and draught proofing
Make sure your walls, roof and floors are insulated and fill any gaps where draughts might come through.

3. Ventilation
Position doors and windows opposite each other to allow for a cooling breeze to flow through the house when the air cool down in the evening of a hot summers day.

4. Windows
Windows on the south side of the house should be bigger to allow more sun to penetrate the house during the day and windows on the north side smaller to prevent heat lost at night.

5. Landscaping
Position trees and plants to direct a cooling breeze into your house, whiles shading it during summer. Plant trees that shed their leave in winter.

6. Shading
Make sure external shading structures are wide enough to block out the sun in summer, whiles still allowing the low winter sun to enter.

7. Thermal mass
Polished concrete, tile or slate floors and brick walls will absorb the heat throughout the day and release it slowly at night, reducing the need to run expensive heaters. Carpet acts as an insulator and will not retain the heat.

Although it's far easier to achieve passive solar energy for homes during the planning stage, you can incorporate many of these elements into an established house without spending a great deal of money or time.

It might be as easy as filling in a few gaps, installing an additional window or moving your living area from the chilly north side of the house to the sunny south side...

To learn more about solar energy, go to http://facts-about-solar-energy.com/

You'll discover ...

what solar energy is
how solar energy works
advantages and disadvantages of solar energy
interesting facts about solar energy
how much solar energy costs, and
how to build solar energy systems

There's a whole section for students, teachers and parents; whiles homeowners can obtain FREE QUOTES for their solar energy projects. You'll find book and product reviews plus some helpful energy saving tips.

Please email any questions to info@facts-about-solar-energy.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Obama has lunch with 4 presidents (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama hailed a rare Oval Office gathering of all U.S. presidents as an extraordinary event on Wednesday as the current occupant, President George W. Bush, reminded his predecessors and successor that the office "transcends the individual."

Obama names special watchdog for federal spending (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama said Wednesday that reforming massive government entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare would be "a central part" of his effort to control federal spending.

Burris says he expects to be seated in Senate soon (AP)

AP - Roland Burris says he expects "very shortly" to represent the state of Illinois in the U.S. Senate. The man appointed to the vacant seat by Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he expects resolution soon of the remaining issues standing in the way of his taking President-elect Barack Obama's former spot.

2009 budget deficit is estimated at $1.2 trillion (AP)

AP - The federal budget deficit will hit an unprecedented $1.2 trillion for the 2009 budget year, according to grim new Congressional Budget Office figures.

Israel orders brief halt, then Gaza fight resumes (AP)

AP - Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rockets resumed on Wednesday after a brief lull to allow food and fuel to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza, where an Israeli warplane dropped leaflets urging residents to flee because of imminent attacks.

Heavy rain causing flooding across South (AP)

AP - Heavy rain across the South on Wednesday caused flooding, school and road closures and a landslide that destroyed a home in North Carolina.

Mississippi has highest teen birth rate, CDC says (AP)

AP - Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report released Wednesday.

Jay-Z to play concert on eve of Obama inauguration (AP)

AP - Jay-Z isn't performing at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, but he is planning to make a big splash on the eve of the event.

German polar bear Flocke gets zoo company (AP)

AP - Nuremberg's celebrity polar bear cub, Flocke, has a new friend: a Russian bear.

Meyer: Utah, Texas, USC should fight to be No. 1 (AP)

AP - Florida coach Urban Meyer believes Utah, Texas and Southern California should fight for their teams to be recognized as national champions.

Israel, Hamas briefly hold fire to allow Gaza aid (Reuters)

Reuters - Hundreds of embattled Palestinians ventured outside to shop for food on Wednesday during a three-hour Gaza truce, a first step toward an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire under discussion by Israel and Hamas.

Budget deficit to hit $1.2 trillion (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. budget deficit will swell to a record $1.186 trillion in fiscal 2009 as the global recession saps the economy, congressional forecasters said on Wednesday, presenting a daunting challenge to President-elect Barack Obama who has said tough choices will be necessary.

Senate Democrats seen moving to seat Burris (Reuters)

Reuters - In an abrupt switch, Senate Democratic leaders began talks on Wednesday about swearing in former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris, nominated by embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate.

Private job losses mount, ominous for payrolls (Reuters)

Reuters - Job losses and plans to lay off workers hammered the struggling U.S. economy in the final month of 2008, according to private reports that could foreshadow surprisingly grim labor market data from the government on Friday.

Gates says Afghan surge may cost $5.5 billion in FY09 (Reuters)

Reuters - Defense Secretary Robert Gates has told Congress that a planned buildup of U.S. forces in Afghanistan could add $5.5 billion to U.S. war costs in the current federal fiscal year, officials said on Wednesday.

U.S. says Madoff sent diamonds in violation of bail (Reuters)

Reuters - One of the packages accused swindler Bernard Madoff sent in violation of a court order contained about 13 watches, a diamond necklace and other valuables worth more than $1 million, prosecutors said in court papers released on Wednesday.

Russian gas flow halted through Ukraine to Europe (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia shut down all gas flows to Europe through Ukraine on Wednesday and told Kiev it would restore supplies only after it had signed a new contract at prices comparable to those paid by European countries.

Iran biggest Mideast challenge for Obama: White House (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama should seek tougher sanctions against Iran, which will be his biggest Middle East challenge, outgoing White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley said on Wednesday.

Israel eases Gaza bombing as Egypt launches ceasefire bid (AFP)

AFP - Israel silenced its guns for three hours on Wednesday to give embattled residents of Gaza's main city time to seek out food and fuel as international support grew for an Egyptian ceasefire proposal.

Crisis deepens as Russian gas supplies to Europe halted (AFP)

AFP - All deliveries of Russian gas through Ukraine were halted Wednesday, depriving tens of thousands of Europeans of heat in freezing weather and raising the stakes in a bitter dispute between Moscow and Kiev.

Employ Passive Solar Energy and Start Saving Electricity Today

Home Improvement Home Improvement