Home Improvement Tips To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

July 3rd, 2012 Home

If you want to save money on your utility bills, you will probably have to do some improvements around your home. There are a few small projects and some that are larger and require more money, so it is probably best if you start with the most inexpensive and work your way up. Use the tips in this article to help you choose the right home improvements to save you money on your utility bills and make your home more energy efficient.

Fix all the cracks in your windows and doors. Install new thresholds and weatherstripping, caulk any air leaks, and seal those areas air tight to reduce your heating and cooling costs. When there are openings in your windows and doors, you are literally letting money fly out your windows.

Install a programmable thermostat in your home. The newest models have tiny computers inside them and can be programed with multiple settings so that you are not heating and cooling your home while you are not there.

An excellent way to save on your cooling and heating costs is to install ceiling fans in the rooms that you use most. The air circulation that you gain will make the temperature in the rooms feel cooler or warmer depending on the season. An important part of having an energy efficient ceiling fan is remembering to turn it off when you are not in the room.

Consider installing a tank-less hot-water heater in your home. These only heat water when it is being used. Regular hot water heaters are constantly draining electricity keeping water hot in the tank even when not in use. As they are becoming more popular, the price of these systems have been decreasing.

Go to every light in your home and replace the old bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs have been going down in price steadily for the last five years and are now relatively inexpensive. They are an excellent way to reduce your energy consumption.

If you have any leaks in your sinks or toilets, fix them. A small leak or drip can cost you big bucks over the course of a year. The materials required are sometimes just an inexpensive washer that needs to be replaced or a seal that needs some pipe tape. Fix those leaks and save some cash.

You should not only fix the leaks, but change out your fixtures to low flow water saving devices as well. These fixtures add air to the water and control the amount of water flow and can save you up to 15% on your water bill each month.

If you have old lighting outside your home, buy new solar fixtures to replace them. The technology in these lights has made them a great alternative to low voltage lighting. They are much brighter and last longer than when they were introduced to the marketplace 10 years ago.

As you can see, there are quite a few home improvements that can save you on your energy bill. If you take a little time and do these home improvements yourself, you will save a good amount of money in the long run.