With the utility bills expenses gradually rising, of course, it’s necessary to come up with new ways of saving energy inside your household.
Another issue is that every home, especially houses, needs renovation from time to time, and not all of them are cheap.
However, various home improvements are energy-efficient or at least cheap to perform, so take a look at this list and see what project you could do this year.
Programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat is not only energy-efficient but it also provides you comfort – you don’t have to freeze when you come home until you warm up the rooms. This thermostat allows you to control the heating remotely via your smartphone or at least to set up a schedule.
On the other side, you can avoid heating working during the day when there’s no one at home, saving yourself some money in the process.
Add attic insulation
Another energy-efficient trick is to go up on the attic and see whether joists are visible over the insulation. If that’s the case, add more of them to save money throughout the year.
It shouldn’t cost you more than $3.50 per square foot to improve the attic insulation and keep your cooling and heating expenses down.
Windows and doors
If it’s been years since you last replaced your doors and windows, it’s time to replace some of them with energy-efficient models.
Modern types of windows are much better at keeping the outside cold or heat away from your home and they are also fairly simple to open and allow fresh air to come in.
Replacing windows and doors is not a costly project but it could close potential gaps that leak out and cause your air conditioning and heater to work more.
New home appliances
Let’s be honest – some of the appliances in your home are probably due for a change, so buying new ones won’t exactly be an unnecessary splurge.
This time look for appliances labeled with energy star – nowadays, they don’t cost more than their traditional counterparts but the effects on the energy bill can be substantial. Massive appliances like the refrigerator or the washing machine make a significant difference if you get the energy-efficient ones this time.
Siding and rendering
External renovations may look like a costly endeavor, but the truth is that professional house rendering can do wonders for the aesthetics of your home but also decrease costs for future upkeep.
Also, materials such as stone, brick, metal, and fiber cement used for siding require very little maintenance. In the long run, you will spend less money on external improvements and scraping and treating.
Get LED lighting
We can’t be without proper lighting in our homes, and that’s what a good portion of our energy bill goes to.
A way to save in this aspect is to replace the traditional, incandescent bulbs with LED ones. LED bulbs are initially more expensive than traditional ones, but they last 20 times longer and use less electric energy while providing more light. In other words, it’s an investment that can pay off in only a few months.
Solar panels
Are you in the mood for a larger external project? An excellent way to really make a difference to your expenses is to install solar panels on the roof. Many municipalities provide tax credits on this type of renovation, so the expenses could be lower than you think.
Also, you will be amazed at how much electrical power can be produced by the panels, reducing energy bills enormously. Within several years, you will pay off this investment that will last for several decades.
Try fans
Maybe they don’t sound great to you, but they are able to keep a comfortable temperature inside your home during hot summer days. Using a fan together with air conditioning may prolong the life of the air conditioning, as well as reducing the energy bill.
Another advantage is that fans are very affordable and easy to find in every home improvement store. A ceiling fan can reduce the temperature up to 4º, which will be noticeable on the energy bill. During the winter, you can reverse the direction of the fan to push back the hot air that’s rising and keep it on the floor level.
Smart power switches
Another inexpensive investment is switching to smart power switches for small appliances. They are usually under $30, giving you remote control of your humidifier, curling iron, or fan – appliances that you usually forget to turn off when no longer needed. This isn’t just about saving on electricity – it’s also about preventing fire hazards.
Bottom line
If planned carefully, home improvements can save you money in the long run, no matter how much they initially cost.
The important thing is to first identify the issues in your home that drain your money the most so that you know which project is the one to be done first.
