Did you know that making a few simple changes to your home can save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bills every year? Not only save you money, but prove to future buyers of your home they can save money too? And in this way, proving your home is worth more? In this video, I'll show you 7 energy-efficient home improvements you can make to start saving money today. Let's get started!
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First, Get an energy audit
A local electric company, Entergy, allows you to do one through them for free. They will come and do insulation up to a certain amount, I'm not sure what that number is, but it does make it so you can get your home to have some improvements like light bulbs. Another local company NAEC has a loan program where you can apply for funds for these energy efficient Home Improvements for qualified members (you are a member if you get service from the co-op) and the interest rate is only one percent. This could be used for anything like insulation, putting a new heat pump in, weatherization, Energy star windows in. It might be something you want to take advantage of if you need to do major home improvements and you don't have the cash available.
II. Upgrade your insulation
It obviously makes your home more energy efficient by putting in an extra layer between the outside and inside. You can do anything from putting rolls of insulation in your attic you can do blown in insulation. You can insulate your outlets throughout your home so it's all types of insulation, but it's going to save you money on your energy bills because it's keeping that extra layer. It's keeping hot out or the cold in, whichever way you want it to be depending on the season that you are in.
The National Association of Realtors remodeling impact report from 2022, with insulation you get 100% return on your investment. Usually insulation doesn't cost too much, depending on the type you decide to go forward with but to get 100 return and save on your energy bills, I mean, why not? They also included a joy score when they did the report and it's a 10 out of 10 Joy score so obviously people are getting the benefits from the installation. When they go to sell their house, they're getting a bonus by selling it more than they used to insulate it.
III. Install energy-efficient windows and doors
Windows and doors, well, they're holes in your house so you want to make sure that you can do everything to make sure those holes don't let in more cold or hot air, depending on the season. If you have newer windows that are energy efficient, it's a keeps the drafts out. One thing you can do without replacing them is just adjust your blinds to the season. If it's winter, open up your blinds and curtains and let the sun in so it can warm you. In the hottest, sunniest part of the day in the summer, you would want to keep them closed to keep the heat out. You can also put weather stripping on if you're not going to be replacing your windows and doors. Around the windows, around the doors, it covers up the little cracks you might have around the edges. It keeps out the drafts and pests. Adding a storm door outside your regular door can help all the drafts coming in every time you open the door. Maybe you just want to see what's out there and don't necessarily need to feel it and so a storm door is a great way to do so and help you maintain your Energy Efficiency.
Both vinyl and wood windows have a greater than 60% return on your investment in that same 2022 report and a joy score of 9.6 out of 10. It's not as great as insulation but it is still a great return on your investment. Steel and fiberglass doors, whether it's all one piece or has the window in it, they also had over a 60% return and a 9.5/10 Joy score. If considering replacing your doors, a garage door gets a 100% return on your investment and a 9/10 Joy score. All of these improvements are better for you as your homeowner as well as when you go to sell your home. You're going to get your money back for the investment you made.
IV. Replace your light bulbs
It doesn't really sound like a home improvement, but it makes a huge difference to your bottom line and it's such a simple change. You can use LEDs or CFLs; both are going to have more energy efficiency and save you money by reducing your bills. Yeah, they're kind of expensive when you first buy them, but they last for so much longer and while they're on, they're using less energy. They can save you 25% of energy and they last 10 times longer. When you talk about total costs of some of these bigger items, it's like nothing, a few dollars every time you go to the store, every time you replace a light bulb, just upgrade one at a time.
V. Upgrade your appliances
When you're considering Home Improvements and selling your property, depending on if you decide to leave your appliances in your home or not, appliances is a smart place to look. Every buyer is going to appreciate the refrigerator, stove, dishwasher or sure, dryer, whatever you decide to leave is a bonus. If they're new or they're energy efficient they're going to appreciate that much more. Therefore, your house is going to be worth more because the buyer appreciates having them, too. It is recommended to get energy STAR certified appliances so you're actually saving money with them over the years you use them and not just upgrading to something that's new.
When you talk about appliances, you might not think of water heaters, but you might want to consider a tankless water heater or another model that is energy efficient. This way, you are saving money to heat your water as well as using all the appliances to heat and cool your food as well as wash your dishes and your clothes. You do want to compare when you are going to purchase not only Energy Efficiency but also how much energy they use in the overall cost of monthly use and the lifetime of the appliance. Check for tax credits when you go to upgrade appliances.
I just checked on the Energy website today; they offer credits for certain ones; I think they were talking about dehumidifiers and window air conditioners, so check with your electric company. Check with your tax accountant and see what you can get credits for not only saving money on your energy bills but selling your home and also on your income taxes. When you upgrade your heat and air, you want to make sure that it's a certain level so you can get a tax credit for upgrading, I do believe you need a 16 Seer heat pump to get the credit. Double check, do your research and make sure you're actually making an improvement to your home and getting the money all the credits available to you.
VI. Install a programmable thermostat
Entergy has a program where they will put your thermostat. They did it for us; they get to monitor our usage and see how the system is working, how the thermostat's working, what usage we use. That was an easy decision to let them put that in, in my opinion. I also have an app on my phone so I can change the heat or air. There are three different settings, automatic, just air or just heat. You can set up programs for specific dates and times, so you can have it turn on before you wake up and turn off before you go to bed, turn it off when you go to work put it on before you come home. It's saving you money because you're not using it when you're not there, so you why not? You don't have to remember to turn it down when you leave or if you're going on vacation. You don't have to worry about it turning on when you don't really need it to.
I also get a notification about humidity when it gets really warm in the Summers. If the humidity is really high it will ask are you sure everything's working okay or is it just hot outside? It's really nice to have an extra layer to make sure everything's working okay and help your systems work well. You might want to consider doing an annual tune-up on your heat and air system so you don't have to replace it or upgrade it so soon. Replacing your filters regularly also helps ensure your system will work smoothly.
VII. Use renewable energy sources
Consider renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines when upgrading your home. Make sure you're installing it in an area where it will get lots of sun or wind otherwise you might be wasting your money! This can really provide savings long term, long after you're gone even on your energy bills. Talk to your local electric companies and your city offices to make sure you're in compliance with everything and you will be getting the best out of it. Some energy companies will even buy your power from you and be able to resell it to customers. Usually you are still connected to the local power grid so if you don't have enough energy from your sources, you can still use regular electric. It doesn't have to mean you're completely on your own. Consider all the options available: there's not just solar panels on the roof. They have solar shingles, they have ones you can put in your yard that rotate towards the sun and collapses so there's all kinds of new things available. You can really be more energy efficient and have renewable resources, which really help save the planet.
Another important thing to think about with these renewable sources is, if you're buying a home, make sure you know if they are leased or owned. More often than not, solar panels are not owned by the seller and so you can get into some complicated issues about whether you're taking over the leaves or they're taking them off the home. Make sure you're aware if they're staying with the home, if you're taking over a lease, if there's an additional mortgage. All of these details need to be addressed when you're buying a home with renewable resources
Insulating, upgrading windows and doors, replacing light bulbs, upgrading appliances, using a programmable thermostat and considering renewal energy are all energy efficiency home improvements to make your house run smoothly and less expensive. Keep in mind the savings of daily use as well as long term investment in the future sale of your home and the return you will receive. Start making a difference today by implementing some of these energy-efficient home improvements. Share this video with your friends and family to help them save money and reduce their environmental footprint. Leave a comment sharing your own tips and experiences with energy-efficient living. For more information about selling your home, watch this video, tricks to pass home inspection. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day.
