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Mark and I have been talking this last week about getting a Wind Turbine. Not necessarily for the Green aspect of it, but more simply, because we think it will save us a whole chunk of money.
You see, since we bought this house 2 months ago, we’ve seen a scary thing happen to our Electric Bill. Normally topping out at $100/month, we were suddenly facing $200 and above bills.
I about had a heart attack! I spent a good portion of one day reading the bills, comparing the bills, and calling the Power company. How in the world are we using that much electricity? Our dryer is gas, we try to keep the heat below 70, and I turn lights off all the time in favor of opening the blinds for some natural sunlight.
So far, we have concluded it has to be the heaters. Upstairs there are electric wall heaters in every room. Although we have mostly kept them off, we have used them here and there since we moved in.
This last week we made drastic changes. I’ve unplugged all non-essentials. I turn the computer off nightly, and don’t turn it on until halfway through my day. We’ve turned the heat off in all rooms but the main gas furnaces and the baby’s room. I only turn the baby’s room heat on at night since he isn’t capable of putting more blankets on himself.
When I talked to the power company she told me it was probably the heat. We’ve seen some extra cold days this winter. Although it’s true, I’m still just not sure we were using THAT much. So since we can’t be sure where our electricity is going, we’ve started looking into alternate power.
Power we can generate for free from the Earths resources – like Wind. I mean really, think about it. We have this wind blowing around us all the time. Why not make use of it?
Think of it like this:
Kids. They have so much energy. So much that parents have a hard time keeping up with them. In trying to keep upbeat and positive, the parent remarks
If I could capture their energy and bottle it, I would be a millionaire
Well guess what people – someone said the same thing about Wind.
If we could harness all that energy, I could save a million bucks.
We have the technology, so we should use it!
Think About It!
A few questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a Wind Turbine for your home
1. Do I live in a windy area? Obviously if your answer is no, the cost of a wind turbine probably isn’t your best option.
2. How much electricity do I use? Gather your bills together and start comparing. If you’re like most Americans you are plugged in almost constantly. Literally plugged in with all our fancy electronics the amount of electricity we use just keeps going up. Getting a wind turbine to help offset the costs could be beneficial. If however, you live in a secluded cabin and use enough electricity to power your stove and fridge, well, it’s probably not worth it.
3. Do I have frequent power outages? Think about it. If you live somewhere that you can count on 2 or 3 power outages a year, a wind turbine could be your solution. I wouldn’t make this the sole reason for getting a wind turbine, but it will be more reliable. Especially if the power outage is caused by weather, you are probably experiencing some decent winds at the same time. Harness the power!
Why I am considering a Wind Turbine
As a whole, I feel our country has become too dependent on our government and big corporations. Although I’m not against these groups helping the people, and offering services, I think as individuals we need to depend on ourselves first. Wind turbines give us that little bit of self reliance I’m looking for.
Shortly after Mark mentioned the idea to me, I saw this article in our local (
and by local I mean state) news
“Weber County Wind may soon be profitable for nearby residents”. Although it’s not that close to where we live, it’s nice to see a city considering alternate energy sources, and allowing their residents to put in wind turbines.
Will you consider a Wind Turbine? Why or why not?
Before you do anything else ask your electric company about getting an energy audit. You may be losing heat through walls or your attic, windows etc…