Avoiding Money Traps while Going Green

There's always many people suggesting, offering advice, on what you should do. That's important as well as necessary, needless to say. Nevertheless, sometimes it's also important to fully understand what you need to not do, what you ought to avoid.

This article then, is all about how you can avoid money traps while going green. It does not explain how or what to do, alternatively it offers 5 things you will need to steer clear of if you really want to avoid money traps while going green.

Here then, will be the 5 items you'll want to avoid:

1. Whole house fans in the southern states, especially on the Gulf of Mexico's coast. There are particular reasons not to do this. The main one is You will never get the cool-down effect you would in more northern or less humid environment. Instead, it is best to just skip the high cost of installation, and keep your AC running, but slightly warmer.

2. Small solar arrays. The reason for this is because when it comes to solar, it is still a "go big, or go home" situation. Small costs less up front, but saves WAY less in the log run. Instead, you could simply put the money away now, and save up for a larger array which may even pump electricity back to the grid.

3. Radiant heating. What is involved here is tearing down the house just to save a little on heating costs.. And you should be striving to upgrade your HVAC system to a more efficient, preferably energy-star compliant unit, that will decide where airflow needs to go. These systems could be just as expensive, but in the long run you have the programmability you wouldn't normally get with radiant heating.

4. Trusting the Internet. I know this sounds a little misleading (a blog telling you to not trust the internet), but getting a L.E.E.D. certified builder/contractor to walk you through what you need to have done is way better than reading blogs, reviews and comments about how doing X will make you more green and save you money. As an alternative you really want to call local LEED Certified builders/developers, and get quotes and ask questions on how to save money, and become more green. They have more answers than your average DIY blog, and can give you real-world prices and assistance claiming government grants and tax credits.

5. Turn off your AC when you are away. Don't ever do this for long because your AC unit dehumidifies your home. You can tell this by opening a closet that doesn't have an AC vent, and smelling it compared to the rest of your house. On top of this, you may possibly ruin clothes, furniture and your carpet. You may save a fortune on your electric bill, but you may end up spending more on replacing or cleaning everything that was damaged.

Avoid these 5 frequent mistakes and you should greatly boost your results. Continue with the suggested alternatives if you would like, but by all means steer clear of the mistakes...