I am ready to make some improvements around my home but want to do things that will pay for themselves and continue to save money for a long time. Any tips?
"When considering home improvements [that] provide the best return on investment, a homeowner has to strike a balance between their budget, how long they plan to stay in their home, upgrades which can produce immediate results, improvements which will help resale, and those which [affect] lifestyle," explains Tim Hennelly, the owner of Casa Buena home inspection company of Little Rock.
What is really important is setting priorities and goals that can be achieved and noting which improvements overlap several of those objectives, he says.
"A deck, for example, is an item that many people can afford [is within their budget], can be enjoyed by all members of a family [affects lifestyle] and is one of the items always listed as a top item with a positive impact on resale," Hennelly says.
For homeowners who may not have a need for any big projects and might be more interested in energy-saving improvement, there are several options that can improve the efficiency of their home and provide an immediate effect on their utility expenses.
"Undertaking these improvements can also help homeowners on a tight budget save money they can then apply to more expensive projects," Hennelly says. "For example, according to This Old House magazine, it is estimated that on average a homeowner can save about $500 annual energy costs by closing the damper when not using the fireplace," he says. "That $500 can then be applied to adding more attic insulation, providing even more savings on a monthly basis."
That accumulated savings can then, in turn, be used for bigger, more expensive improvements to continue the savings, such as upgrading the home's windows to thermal windows, adding high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, or water heaters. Some energy-efficiency tasks are fairly simple to do while others can be a bit more involved, Hennelly says, and prioritizing tasks is the key.
"Consider starting with an energy audit to identify items needing more attention than others," he recommends, adding that some utility companies have programs that provide incentives for the audit and the noted improvements. Another option is for a homeowner to go online and research how to conduct his own do-it-yourself energy audit.
The audit can identify areas which, when corrected, can reduce energy costs.
A few things a homeowner can do to reduce his energy costs include installing a programmable or smart thermostat to control the heating and cooling when residents are away from the house.
"Those preferring to control their thermostats manually should just keep it set at the temperatures recommended by utility companies; 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter," Hennelly says.
Other ways to save on energy costs include installing low-flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water consumption from faucets to toilets and installing weather stripping around drafty windows and doors.
"The weather stripping can also be added to electrical switches and outlets on exterior walls as well as to interior attic hatches and pull-down ladders," Hennelly says. "These items can allow as much leakage as an open fireplace damper which can mean an additional $500 annual savings."
Those who have a room that is harder to heat and cool than the rest of the house may want to consider installing an inline electric duct heater with a built-in fan to correct this problem and reduce energy costs, he suggests.
Homeowners can also buy devices such as Kill A Watt detector and plugging them into an outlet. When any appliance with an indicator light, adapter or power cord is plugged into it, the device will show how much energy is being consumed even when the appliance is not in use.
"Such items can account for up to 10 percent of energy costs," Hennelly says. "Taking such steps can have an immediate impact on reducing energy costs, which means money in your pocket."
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We'll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email:
lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 06/13/2015