Written and sponsored by West Country Heating

Ever wonder what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and help fight climate change?

We certainly have.

With concerns about climate change increasing by the day, it’s vital that we do all we can to help the cause… but in between working and caring for our families it can be difficult to find time to act. However, you can go about your daily routine without making major lifestyle changes that take up valuable time.

By simply incorporating a few eco-friendly technologies into your home, you can make a major difference to the environment without drastically changing your lifestyle. 

Here are four of the most popular green, energy-saving systems readily available for modern homes.

1. Solar Panels

A popular type of eco-friendly home system is the solar panel, which powers homes by absorbing sunlight from the roof of a property. This sunlight is converted into green electricity which is used to power necessities like light bulbs and refrigerators, as well as household appliances like washing machines and the kids’ computers.

Solar panels work very effectively thanks to a design that uses photovoltaic cells comprised of semi-conducting materials.

A common misconception about solar panels is that they only work to maximum efficiency when the sun is out. On the contrary, they are just as useful on cloudier days too, ensuring that the whole family benefit from them whenever needed.

Solar panels also don’t result in large electricity bills, because after all, the sunlight collected is completely free. Energy specialists believe that each solar panel currently in use around the world is actively preventing at least one tonne of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere every year.

2. Energy Efficient Heaters

If there’s one type of green technology that all homes should possess, it’s an energy efficient electric radiator. This alternative electric heating system is an ideal solution to the old fashioned energy-guzzling night storage heaters that many family homes still have.

Electric radiators are superior to night storage heaters in many ways. Aside from only requiring a third of the energy that storage heaters do, modern electric radiators have all the capabilities of storage heaters without releasing trace amounts of carbon emission—something that old storage heater models are known for.

Like a storage heater, electric radiators are able to store the heat they produce before gradually releasing it later throughout the day, even after the system has been turned off from the mains. This is thanks to an advanced technology known as Magmatic Heat Retention (MHR), which involves small tablets storing heat.

Another ground-breaking technology included in electric radiator designs is the reliable Multi-Fin Design (MFD); which involves small fins working quietly inside the radiator to distribute heat evenly around a room.

A company like West Country Heating will install these attractive systems quickly and with no hassle to the homeowner.

3. Ground Source Heat Pumps

The idea of installing underground pumps sounds like an arduous process, but in reality it’s one of the simplest and most eco-friendly systems. It requires little electricity to run and all natural heat extracted is totally recyclable.

A ground source heat pump works via a network of small pipes installed in the garden which drill heat from the earth. The technology of just one ground source heat pump is believed to reduce global emissions by 1.8 tonnes. Just imagine how much more could be saved if all eligible homes installed them.

4. Air Source Heat Pumps

An air source heat pump is a lot different to its ground source counterpart because, as the name suggests, it instead absorbs heat from the air to generate energy. However, Air Source Heat Pumps are every bit as effective as ground pumps, with the ability to work in temperatures as low as -15° C.

These above ground outdoor systems generate heat by converting the air they gather via in-built pumps which distribute heat around a home through the use of familiar appliances like radiators, warm air convectors and underfloor heating systems

If you have a home that allows for the installation of eco-friendly technology, be sure to get them installed as soon as possible. We all have a duty to look after the environment by ensuring that we keep our carbon footprint as low as possible.

Have you noticed any homes in your neighbourhood taking advantage of any of these eco-friendly, energy-saving systems?

Bonus: 

Listen to the latest Green Divas at Home radio episode…

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West Country Heating is a supplier of advanced electric radiators for homes and businesses in South-West, UK. You can follow them on twitter @WestCountryHeat.

Top image via shutterstock.com