Home Fixes And Renovations To Reduce Your Bills

Home renovations can be intimidating to get started on, if not for the amount of work necessary then for the sheer cost of fixing things around the house. It's easy to look at the mountain of work to be done and keep putting it off. However, some of these home renovations could actually save you money in the long run, even if it seems a bit expensive up front. Here are just a few home renovations that could help you reduce your bills and eventually pay for themselves.

Wise Water Use

One of the biggest drains on home resources is also one of the most notoriously annoying: leaky or inefficient faucets and fixtures. While a single tiny leak might not look like much, you'll want to get it fixed as soon as possible. Just one leaky faucet alone can waste 100 gallons of water every day. That cost can add up quickly when it comes to your water bill. Make sure you fix up any leaks you're aware of as soon as you find them, and if you're planning for larger changes to your home, swap out existing fixtures for low-flow options.

Once you've fixed up your faucets and fixtures, make sure to use them in the most cost-effective ways possible. Many people might have effective faucets and water fixtures, but often fail to use them as best they can; this includes things such as buying water bottles when tap water works just as well. Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour, contributing to an already overwhelming amount of plastic waste while also spending unnecessary money on a resource they already have access to. Skip the bottled water; use a reusable container for tap water instead.

Adding Insulation

This particular home fix is often skipped over because it may be a bit intimating for the average homeowner. However, this is one of the home improvement projects with the biggest bang for your buck. In fact, spray foam insulation can cut monthly AC and heating costs as much as 60%. Properly insulating your home can quickly pay for itself through its impact on your overall heating bills.

It's not just your heating and cooling that will be improved by insulation. Insulating hot water pipes can help you save on the long-term costs of hot water in your home. It might be a slightly more expensive project, but it has the potential to pay for itself in roughly just one year.

Technological Solutions

Using the right technology in your home can also help you reduce your overall expenses. Installing smart thermostats, LED lighting, and low-energy appliances are all effective ways of shrinking your energy bills. While these technologies might have a higher upfront cost, they're likely to cut down your spending over time.

Additionally, did you know that well-designed landscaping can reduce the need for air conditioning by up to 50%? There are a wide variety of types of home improvements you can make to help improve your home ownership expenses. Which of these fixes can you see yourself using to shrink your spending?