8 Home Updates That Will Help You Save More Money

 

Only when you receive your utility bills do you realise how much energy and water you’ve spent during the previous month. Sometimes it even seems impossible that your household with just a few members can spend so much. However, you probably aren’t even aware of hidden leaks that waste your water or inefficient appliances that gobble up electricity. Fortunately, there are several effective home updates that you can make to cut your bills and boost your savings.

Use water-saving fixtures

Decreasing your water consumption is another way to boost your savings in the long run and the best way to achieve this is to switch to water-saving fixtures. For example, a dual-flush toilet enables you to use two different flushing options and use waste less water. You can also install low-flow faucets in the bathroom and kitchen. These water-saving features can cut your water consumption significantly and lower your bill by 25 to 60 percent.

Improve your insulation

Air leaks around doors and windows and low-quality insulation are a major source of heat loss. As a result, you use more energy to heat or cool your space, which leads to increased energy bills. To prevent this, there are several simple steps you can take. For example, you can insulate your attic to prevent the heat loss. Replacing weather-stripping around your door and windows can also cut your heating and cooling bill by around 20 percent.

Mind the energy providers

In order to lower your energy bills and save money, you need to know your needs and come up with an effective plan. Your energy provider is the one who needs to give you all the necessary information and help you come up with an adequate plan. In addition, it’s advisable that you compare energy providers regularly in order to find the best offer. This way, you can switch to a better offer that will help you save money in the long run. Updating your electricity plan regularly is what will help you stay on top of your costs.

Opt for energy-saving lighting

Regular light bulbs consume a great amount of energy and are quite short-lived. Energy-saving bulbs, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are a durable green alternative that will cut your electricity bill down by as much as 80 percent. Another possible energy-efficient update that you can implement is motion sensor and automated lighting. By introducing this update, you won’t have to worry about leaving your lights on accidentally, on the other hand you’ll be one step closer to create a sustainable house.

Choose Energy Star-approved appliances

Buying new appliances can set you back a bit more, but they are a long-term investment that can increase your savings in the long run. Energy Star-certified appliances, especially the ones you use frequently, such as the dishwasher, washing machine and others, can reduce both your water and energy consumption. In addition, outdated appliances are typically less efficient and use more energy than necessary. For example, simply replacing a washing machine that is older than 10 years can save you approximately 140 dollars per year. Although this may seem insignificant, it can build up to a sizeable amount.

Add a smart thermostat

Regulating your home temperature is quite difficult, especially when you’re not there. However, if you opt for a smart thermostat, you’ll be able to program it to adjust the temperature depending on whether you’re home or not. Your heating or cooling system can turn off automatically after you leave home or turn on shortly before you come back. Furthermore, automated thermostats are more precise, so adjusting the room temperature will be much easier.

Install solar panels

While the installation of solar panels might seem like a sizeable investment, it’s one that is certainly worth making. Switching to solar power can lower your energy consumption significantly and help you use energy more efficiently. And due to the expanding eco-consciousness and tech advancements, the prices of solar panels are slowly decreasing, which makes this update more affordable than it used to be. Furthermore, you can also install solar batteries that collect excess energy that your solar panels produce, so you’ll be able to significantly decrease your dependence on the traditional power grid and possibly even eliminate it, bringing your electricity bill down to zero.

Replace HVAC filters

Replacing the HVAC filters is a simple update that can also save around $40 during summer. Namely, dirty filters will impede the functioning of your air conditioning, which will in turn require it to work more. By replacing the old filters with fresh ones, your air conditioner will be more effective and consume less energy. Replacing the old filters with new ones is a simple task that you can do yourself, so make sure to replace them every few months.

Installing these home updates can help you reduce your water and energy consumption and increase your savings in the long run.