Home Savings: Six Changes You Can Make Now To Save Money And Lower Your Bills
Monday, March 17, 2014, 1:00 PM | Leave Comment
Gas and electric bills can add up, especially during winter months, and put a dent on finances. There are several changes you can make that will keep more money in your pocket while making your home more comfortable and functional.
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Check your insulation
Improper or insufficient insulation will increase the cost of heating and cooling your home significantly. Adding insulation to your attic or basement can lower your monthly heating and cooling bill. Older homes will have more problems, and sometimes a simple update to insulation is all it takes to start saving money.
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Replacing windows
Old, improperly fitting windows are detrimental to your budget. Replacing them with new, energy efficient windows is an investment that will save you money from the first day you have them installed. Dual paned windows will also help keep the heat in your home much better.
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Glass coating your windows
You can make your windows even more energy efficient with the addition of transparent glass coatings. According to professionals at Transparent Glass Coatings, window coatings allows light into a room while blocking the harmful ultra violet rays. It also provides some additional privacy and makes the house look great, not to mention the significant energy savings you will gain.
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Update your appliances
You can reduce your monthly utility bill by updating your appliances. Newer appliances have energy saving features that your old appliances don’t have. Updating your refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer can be a money-saving change.
In addition to those upgrades, you might also want to consider updating your hot water heater. A larger scale upgrade would be to replace your heating and air conditioning system.
If that is more of an expense than your budget allows, keeping a regular maintenance schedule can assure that your system is working at maximum efficiency.
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Seal the cracks
Check around your windows and door frames to see if you feel cold air coming in during the winter or hot air in the summer. If so, you can easily stop that problem by sealing the cracks with foam insulation or caulking. Areas where pipes enter your home are also a source of air leaks that need to be sealed.
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Change your habits
An often overlooked way to lower your power bill is to change your habits. If you frequently leave the light on when you leave a room or neglect to turn off the television when you aren’t watching it, you’re wasting money. Take some time to familiarize yourself with phantom loads and take steps to reduce their effect on your power bill.
Making small, inexpensive changes can result in lower monthly utility bills. As you make changes and your bills lessen, you might consider using the money you’re savings to fund some of the more expensive changes that will have an even greater impact on your household expenses.
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