The Top 5 Home Improvements That Will Help You to Save Money This Winter
Winter will soon be here for most parts for the country. For many areas, this means skyrocketing heating bills and tight budgets. You hear all the time about ways that you can save money during this difficult and cold time, but here are 5 proven home improvements that can generate huge returns when it comes to energy savings.
Replace the Windows
Doing a window replacement for your home might seem like an extremely costly measure, especially if you are already planning on having a tight budget this winter season. However, this is a home improvement that will save money, increase the value of your home, and often pay for itself after several years. Modern windows come with many different pane depths and tints. Triple pane windows keep a tremendous amount of heat from escaping, thus, lowering your heating bills.
Seal Air Leaks
A tube of caulk and a can of expanding foam can go a long way towards reducing energy costs in the winter. Most people think of air leaks around windows and doors, but they can be found in so many other places. Check around electrical outlets and vents for air leakage and promptly seal them up.
Smart Thermostat
Gone are the days of setting your thermostat and it staying that same temperature until you return to change it. Today, you can program your thermostat to save energy when you’re away or at certain times of the day. Also, thermostats have the capability to be operated from your mobile device when away from home. There are even thermostats on the market that learn the routines of the household and program themselves automatically to save on heating and air conditioning costs.
Close off Rooms
If there are any rooms in your home you don’t use very often, shut the vents and close the doors! Closing the vents in those areas will allow your heat to run more forcefully to the open vents in the home. Closing the doors will make it so that you have one less room that you have to worry about keeping warm during the winter. Your heat will run less, which will save money and preserve your furnace. The only thing to keep in mind when doing this is that any pipes that run through the walls in the room might not get the heat they need, which can cause them to freeze, causing large amounts of damage. Thus, only do this with rooms that you know have no pipes that can be damaged.
Insulate
Take a weekend and stock up on rolls of insulation and get to rolling! While you can’t roll insulation in your walls or floor, the attic is a prime place. Simply laying insulation on the attic floor will keep a huge amount of heat from escaping out of the ceiling. Not to mention, insulation will also increase the value of your home and may qualify you for a tax break when it is properly installed.
In summary, there are some investments that you can make in your home for this upcoming winter that will actually end up saving you money. While spending money may feel counterproductive, these are costs that will soon pay for themselves.
Category: Home Renovation
