You’ve just moved into your new home, and you’ve started to unpack. But before you get too settled in, now is the perfect time to walk your house and find ways to save money in your new home. Here are some things you should look for in order to save money in the long run.
- Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees F – Since anything hotter can scald the skin, energy used to heat water to a higher temperature is wasted.
- Cover your water heater and exposed pipes – Exposed water heaters and pipes (especially old and poorly insulated ones) can easily lose heat in a cold garage or basement. Investing in a blanket or insulation to wrap these can cause up to a 4 degree difference in water temperature!
- Install energy efficient LED lightbulbs – While LED lightbulbs seem expensive, they are an investment worth making! They are more energy efficient and have longer lives than incandescent bulbs, saving you money over time.
- Choose energy efficient appliances – While you’re out shopping for new furniture, consider updating some of your older, inefficient appliances. Not only will they keep your energy bill low, but they will be more reliable than older appliances as well.
- Install ceiling fans – Ceiling fans are a great, low cost way to keep air circulating throughout your home. Be sure to maximize the use of them by setting them to blow air down in the summer and up in the winter.
- Clear space around your AC unit – To make sure your AC is working at maximum efficiency, be sure that there aren’t any overgrown shrubs or grass blocking airflow. Taking 20 minutes to clear a perimeter around your unit can make a huge difference.
- Check your insulation – After you move in, be sure to check out your attic space to make sure there is enough insulation. If there isn’t at least 6 inches, install more as soon as you can so you don’t waste money heating your attic.
- Plant shade trees – When the trees mature, their leaves will shade your home from sunlight to keep it cool in the summer. Then when they lose their leaves in the winter, sunlight will be able to stream in.
- Change your locks – This is one of the very first things that a new homeowner should do! Not only for the peace of mind of knowing who has access to your home, but for the added security that new knobs and deadbolts will offer.