By Ron Wolf
It’s the dream of every homeowner to cut back on their bills and save some extra money every month. The bad news is that you’ll always need power, water, and heating, so cutting back on those doesn’t seem feasible. Well, it actually is!
Homeowners aren’t aware of just how easy it is to save up on monthly bills with a few adjustments to their homes. With that saved money you can create a small but effective budget for your next remodeling project. Here are a few very effective examples worth applying to your home.
Better insulation
Heating bills don’t come cheap. When the winter rolls around, you’ll find that heating will become one of your top priorities for savings. There’s not much you can do about the ambient temperature, so you can’t stop using heat to save money. The good news is that there is something you can do about the effectiveness of the heat you do use.
Insulation plays a huge role in how efficient your heating is. If the heat is constantly leaking out, you shouldn’t be surprised if the bill is consistently high. This is why so many homeowners choose to improve their heat insulation to cut down on their bills.
Heat leakage is mostly a problem around doors, windows, and the attic. These areas are usually under-insulated, giving way for lots of leakage. Improve the insulation around them, and you should be able to enjoy massive savings pretty soon after.
Efficient water fixtures
The bathroom is undoubtedly the room in your home that uses the most water. The kitchen might be a contender, but washing dishes doesn’t use nearly as much water as a shower and toilet. If you’re looking to cut down on water bills, focusing on the bathroom would be a good start.
Look at your toilet for starters. The type of toilet you use plays a big role in how efficient your bathroom is. Most normal toilets will use lots of water during flushing, and this isn’t something that will benefit your water bill. Consider a low-flow toilet to help reduce the amount of water your toilet uses with each flush.
Showers can be modified in much the same way. Showerheads are available at different flow rates and this is worth checking into. A low-flow showerhead would allow for much more efficient showering, with a lot less wastefulness.
Low-power lighting
The type of lightbulbs that you use in your home can make quite a difference for your power bill. The average homeowner won’t really take note of the amount of power a single lightbulb uses. Compare it to just about any other lightbulb and there isn’t much of a difference.
The thing is, there are lots of lightbulbs in your home, and any differences will quickly stack up. LED lightbulbs are a great cost-saving measure. They might be a bit on the expensive side at first, but the amount of power they save over time is astounding.
They’re considered the most efficient lightbulbs out there, and they last quite a bit longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Replacing all your bulbs with LEDs will reflect really well on your power bill.
Piping repairs and improvements
Faulty pipes can cause numerous problems in your home. For starters, it’s very likely that a broken or damaged pipe will leak into the wall will cause lots of damage and mold growth. This is something that is easily noticeable, and most homeowners take care of it pretty quickly. However, what if the leak is minor and unnoticeable, so you aren’t poised to repair it?
Even the smallest leak will quickly add up on your water bill. You should take great care in making sure every potential leak in your home is repaired as soon as possible. If your water bill is unusually high, it’s cause for concern for your home’s pipes. Instead of doing your own investigating, it might be better to call in a professional that knows how to find a water leak in a timely manner.
A few small repairs or pipe replacements can mean a lot for your water bill, so it’s definitely something worth considering.
Fans for cooling
When the hot weather rolls around, you’re not going to want to be caught without a functional air conditioner. It’s an absolute must in most warm climates, especially during the summer. At some points, it can become unbearably hot throughout your home, so cooling options are a must.
While an AC unit will bring enough cool air into your home, it’s not nearly the most efficient solution out there. If you’re looking to save a few bucks on cooling, you can always install a few fans here and there. They might not seem like the most effective cooling solution, but that’s because most people don’t use them right.
The freestanding types of fans might not be the most efficient way to cool off, but they aren’t the only option. Ceiling fans, on the other hand, are absolutely amazing at cooling a room. They allow air to circulate and help replace warm air that accumulates. More importantly, they do this while using only the bare minimum amount of power necessary. Install one in your living room and you won’t be turning on the AC until it gets scorching.
Conclusions
There are lots of home improvements that can help you reduce your bills and save a bit of money. If you’re aiming for an efficient household, the above examples can help you maximize efficiency and leave you with some extra funds at the end of the month.
