Texas Rural Energy Conservation Ideas

Reduce Energy Costs for Air Conditioning

• A large shade tree on the south and west facing sides of a home can substantially reduce home air conditioning bills by reducing the temperature in the home during the heat of the day. If you are purchasing a new home, opt for one with plenty of shade bearing trees on the property. If you are looking to increase energy conservation in your existing home, consider awnings or pergolas along the south side of your house. A pergola can be constructed and covered in a grapevine or other climbing plant in a season or two. This will provide nearly as much shade as a tree, and save on your electricity bill.

Low-cost Solar

• One of the lowest-cost methods to harness the power of the sun is to build a three-season room, or glass porch. In the summer, keep the windows open, and the cool shade will keep the direct sun from beating down on your house. In the winter, keep the windows closed and you will be surprised how warm it will get in the porch on a sunny day. Keep the doors open to the main portion of your house and take advantage of the free low-cost solar heat.

Ventilate Your Attic

• When you replace your roof, opt for a model with a vent in the peak, called a ridge vent. This will allow the hottest air to escape, and keep air circulating in your attic. In a poorly ventilated attic, on a hot day, temperatures can easily reach 150 degree Fahrenheit. Reducing that by even 10 degrees means big savings for you in the air conditioning department.

Alternative Energy

• Generating energy by harnessing alternative sources is a much more viable option in rural Texas than in urban settings. The cost of solar electricity generation and wind turbines is falling, and will continue to fall as the technologies mature. Keep an eye on costs for implementation of these technologies, and consider having an energy consultant come to your home and give you an estimate for one or both of these alternative power generation methods.