Saturday, October 13, 2012

Home Improvement Can Save Money Seven Ways | SouthGate ...

Home ? Home ? Home Improvement Can Save Money Seven Ways


Home improvement is not only used to update your home, but is an important part of maintaining its functionality. This article shows ways to make minor maintenance type improvements to your home that will increase the cost of your energy use.

Insulating the water pipes that carry hot water to your kitchen and bathrooms can save energy by preventing the water from cooling as it passes through them. Many times the hot water heater is located in the basement area, and since that area is often cooler, the water can lose heat along the way. Preformed foam insulation is easy to install and does not cost a lot.

You can waste a lot of energy dollars if your home is leaking air. Whether cold air is coming inside during winter, or warm air is entering during the summer, your heating and cooling system will need to work overtime to compensate for it. Test the seals around your windows and doors by passing a lighted candle around the door and window frames. If the candle flickers, there is air entering your home at that point. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal the cracks and make sure your home is weather tight.

Dimmer switches not only allow you to choose the amount of light you want in a room, but they cut down on the amount of electricity used. If you do not know how to change the switches yourself, have an electrician do it to ensure the job is done safely.

Using ceiling fans in rooms with higher ceilings can prevent the heat in a room from staying near the ceiling. It is always good to keep the air in a room circulating to prevent it from feeling stagnant. When it is warm outside, using a ceiling fan will help your home feel cooler and you will not need to use air conditioning as much.

Replace the air filters in your furnace according to the recommended schedule. A clogged air filter can prevent heated air from passing into your duct system efficiently, increasing the amount of time your furnace needs to run.

A leaky faucet is not only annoying, but it can increase your water bill. You may be surprised how much water is wasted when your faucet is leaking all day and every day. If the faucet is older, you may be further ahead to just replace the whole thing. Faucets are relatively easy to install, but if you have problems with it, call a plumber or someone more experienced than you are.

An attic that is not adequately insulated can cause a lot of extra energy consumption. During hot weather it will be harder to keep your home cool, and heating your home will be more costly in the winter. Not only will there be extra energy costs, but damage can happen to your roof and the structure of your home because of condensation.

The seven home improvement tips in this article will help you keep your home well maintained and save energy costs. If you should need to sell your home, much of it?s value will depend on it being in great condition.

Source: http://www.southgatechamber.com/home-improvement-can-save-money-seven-ways.html

cell phone jammer g8 summit netanyahu aipac vanessa minnillo super tuesday epidemiology

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.