How to Choose Home Improvements That Save You Money Over Time

Renovations, updates, and redecorations are seldom cheap, and neither should they be. After all, it makes perfect sense to invest in improving the safety, convenience, comfort, and decor of the place we call home. Besides, if you are clever about it, some of those investments can even help you save money down the line.
Today we are going to go through a shortlist of home renovation ideas that have the potential to pay for themselves. Even more importantly, each addition will improve the essential functions that they are supposed to serve.

Update Your Home with a Smart Thermostat

In case you have spent a decent bit of money on a new HVAC system, you have to couple it with a smart thermostat. These little devices can turn our homes into healthier and more comfortable places while lowering the heating and cooling expenses in the process. Go through the following points to understand why we highly recommend getting one:

• You can heat the house before you come back from the office or a vacation with the help of a simple app
• You can schedule it to automatically adjust indoor weather conditions per your schedule
• Smart thermostats ensure that only the minimum amount of power is utilized to maintain the desired temperature
• It will switch off the heating/cooling automatically after getting the temperature to the desired point
• App-based controls ensure that users can switch off the HVAC from anywhere if they forget to do so before leaving
• Some of the models will warn you against poor temperature control habits in real-time
• All modern smart thermostats track power usage and save information to help you with suggestions about controlling electricity bills
• Advanced models can be used to automate the entire indoor temperature control for maximum savings and comfort

Go for a Solar Roofing Replacement Project

Roofs are expensive, and there’s no denying that part. However, keeping them in top condition with timely roofing repair or inspection sessions is extremely important as well. The more you put off your roofing repair, the more money it will cost you in the long run. Above all else, timely inspections and necessary repairs ensure safety for you and your family.
Visit a site like sempersolaris.com where you can book an inspection and consultation visit from one of their veteran roofers. They offer all types of roofing repairs, so even if you do not have the need or budget for solar roofing yet, Semper Solaris will be able to suggest the best course of action for your home’s roofing repair needs.

If, however, you can invest in solar roofing replacements, it could very well be the best home improvement expense you have ever made. To put things into better perspective, let’s focus on some of the many benefits and money-saving opportunities that can accompany even a small solar roof:

• Having come a long way from their initial days, PV panels are now more economical and affordable than you may think
• The modern generation of PV cells generates electricity at a much faster rate than what you may have heard
• On connecting the HVAC system with the solar roof, it is possible to shave off a huge chunk of the winter/summer electricity bills we all dread
• If your location, house position, and surrounding weather conditions are ideal, you could essentially be selling energy back to the grid
• Thanks to Tesla solar cells, it is now possible to store any excess electricity from the solar roof for later use
• If the solar roofing replacement project is large enough and the position is ideal, you may never even need to pay for electricity again

Invest in a Smart Lighting Project

When we say “smart” lighting, we do not mean literal smart lights, although they can be excellent additions all the same. The problem with smart lighting, unfortunately, is the fact that they are still way too costly to be considered for a complete lighting overhaul, short of overspending.
Instead, we are going to discuss a few intelligent lighting strategies that will let you maximize your home decor and illumination while shrinking power consumption simultaneously:

• Replace all CFLs with LED lights; the difference is not massive, but it will catch up over time
• Invest in dimmer switches; they let you control the luminescence and power consumption in any room or any specific light source
• Install multiple sources of light rather than just a few big ones; you can switch off the ones that you don’t need
• Invest in various types of light; floor lamps, touch lamps, table lamps, overhead lamps, etc.
• Separate and utilize focused lighting to maximize kitchen cabinet visibility; it’s more convenient and saves power as well
• Maximize sunlight and improve insulation by putting in double-glazed windows; only the light gets in

As an additional measure, you may want to get your wirings and fixtures checked while you are at it. Faulty wirings, fluctuating voltage, etc. can bump up the electricity bill in no time.

Make Your Bathroom Renovation More Eco-friendly with a Low-Flow Showerhead

In many countries around the world where they did not even consider the possibility of not having water to drink, water shortage is now a serious issue. While the United States may not be on top of that list, water will eventually become harder and harder to find and utilize if we are not careful. To top it all off, water is getting more expensive, and we should all be careful about how much water we spend, as well as the money we spend on those water bills.
If you are planning a bathroom renovation anytime soon, add an eco-friendly touch to the project by choosing low-flow showerheads and faucets. If you are used to high-pressure showerheads, then it will admittedly take some getting used to, but it’s worth it for the sake of both the future and your own wallet.

Insulation: Make it a Mission

Insulation is one of the bare necessities when it comes to saving energy, and by now, almost everyone knows that. However, a few of the following measures may help you notice if anything is missing from the checklist:

• Check the weather stripping and heat-reflecting paint
• Caulking is flimsy and may often need rework
• Use door snakes to keep drafts out
• Plug the chimney if you have one and it’s not being used
• Check crawl spaces, attics, and closets for possible insulation leaks
• Install the aforementioned double-glazed windows
• Use curtains to control the natural light and improve insulation during winter

If you are missing a few of these, try to get to all of them one at a time.

As always, how long it will take for the more expensive home improvements to pay for themselves will vary. Nonetheless, considering the prime objectives behind each of the installations, as well as the assurance of immediate reduction in associated maintenance expenses, all of the home renovations here are more than worth it. Just be careful in selecting a project that makes the most sense to your home’s specifics, geographical location, general climate, interior decor, etc.