Looking to Make Your House More Efficient? Try These Tips
Even though it’s cold outside as I write this, it’s still a good thing to start planning some of your outdoor home projects that will need to be done when the weather warms up. Especially if you think the projects will cost a little money, you’ll want to start planning and saving now. Consider these projects for the upcoming spring and summer “honey do lists.”
Gutter Guards
If you live in an area that has a lot of trees or debris coming down, you’ll want to keep your gutters clean so they don’t overflow and direct too much water next to your foundation. Leaf gutter guards can help keep the leaves out of the gutters and let water go through. If the guard gets a big pile of leaves on it you can easily brush it off instead of having to dig out big chunks of debris from those small gutter nooks and crannies. Some people say they aren’t much of a benefit, but there are actually several types to look at and as long you get something that is easy to insert and easy to wipe off should something get stuck instead of sliding off the edge, then you should be fine.
Residential Solar Panels
Whether you’ve given it serious thought or not, I’d guess the idea of wanting to save energy at home has crossed your mind. For the more ambitious there is the project of putting up used solar panels to heat your home. My parents did this back in the 80s, even back then it went a long way toward reducing energy costs for home heating. The technology has only improved since then so it’s something to consider. Weigh the upfront costs against the long term savings and see if it’s something worth investing in. Large companies are getting on the green bandwagon and doing a lot with solar panels these days. You could be one of the many homeowners who are also evaluating this option.