1. Seal Your Ducts
According to House Logic, sealing your ducts can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system by as much as 20%. Just because your air ducts are tucked safely within your walls does not mean they're energy-efficient; sealing small holes/leaks and insulating with fiberglass insulation may make a big difference. If you don't feel like tackling this project yourself, you can always hire a professional heating and cooling contractor to help you.
2. Install A Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats allow you to "program" specific temperatures for different times of day, which in turn allows you to save energy by cutting high energy usage where it isn't necessary. For example, consider turning your thermostat down at night while you're asleep or during the day when your family is at work/school. By programming your thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature, you don't have to worry about remembering to do it yourself.
3. Upgrade To LED Light Bulbs
The fact that LED light bulbs are much more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs is common knowledge at this point, but that doesn't change the fact that most homes still rely heavily on incandescent lighting. This year, make a dent in your energy bill by upgrading all of your interior lighting to LED bulbs.
4. Cut Costs Wherever Possible
Just because you've always done something one way doesn't mean it's the most effective (or most affordable) way to continue doing it. Now is a great time to look critically at your home and your expenses to find ways to cut unnecessary spending. Can you find a home insurance provider that will offer a better rate? Is your mortgage rate higher than 5% and should possibly be refinanced? Don't be afraid to ask your providers these tough questions.
5. Get Organized
Clutter has a tendency to accumulate, but you can take back control this year by picking one room per month to organize. Spacing out your efforts this way will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed with the task of organizing your entire home at once, but the end result will be just as effective.
6. Make Necessary Repairs As They Arise
Things break, leaks happen, and repairs are a normal part of life for homeowners - and procrastinating on these repairs is just as common. Unfortunately, putting off certain repairs an actually cause them to worsen, resulting in a more costly repair. Making it a point to tackle repairs as they arise can keep your home in better condition and keep the cost of repairs down.
7. Get Your Whole Family Involved
Family time is incredibly valuable. Don't fool yourself into thinking that home improvement projects need to come at the expense of spending time with the people you care about the most! Double your efforts (and your fun) by inviting your kids to help with your home improvement tasks. Your kids will learn valuable lessons about caring for the home, and you will make special memories together at the same time.
Happy New Year from The Property Shop!
From all of us at the best real estate agency at the Lake of the Ozarks, we hope you and your family have a truly wonderful new year! If you are thinking about buying a new house at the Lake of the Ozarks in this coming year, we hope you'll remember The Property Shop. Happy New Year!
The Property Shop at the Lake
2086 Horseshoe Bend Parkway
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
(573) 693-1100
(573) 480-7760
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