Home improvement is an area where a consumer can be easily disappointed. Poor planning, hiring the wrong contractor, and tackling jobs that you?re not prepared for are all reasons for this. In this article we will discuss some important tips to help your next home improvement project go well. Read on to learn more.
If you are having home repairs done by a contractor, one way to save money is to get multiple bids from several licensed contractors that are well established and highly recommended. Make sure that the bids you receive are written and contain fixed-price bids for the needed services. By conducting this type of comparison shopping, you can get quality work at the best possible pricing.
If you are doing multiple projects in one room, consider the order of the projects. If you are replacing the cabinets and floor, it is a good idea to start with the cabinets. If you start with the cabinets, the debris will only hurt the floor that you are about to replace. Sit down and write out a detailed plan before you do any work ? you?ll be very glad that you did.
Energy Efficiency Tips
When it comes to home improvement, be sure to weigh the cost of purchasing CFL bulbs for your home. While they do save energy because of lower wattage usage, the upfront cost is higher than regular bulbs. Also, they may pose a health hazard to you if ever broken due to the amount of mercury used inside the bulb.
To increase energy efficiency and save significantly on your utility bills, consider replacing single pane windows with newer energy efficient ones. The investment you make in new windows now will easily pay for itself over time as your utility bills will be lower and, of course, your home will be more comfortable.
A very simple and cost effective home improvement adjustment you can make is to replace standard light bulbs in your home with ones that are energy smart, which are also known as compact fluorescent bulbs. Not only do they last longer, they save you money on energy costs for the time the bulbs are in use.
A great home improvement tip is to invest in motion detectors for your outdoor lighting. Motion detectors will turn lights on only when movement is detected, and will swiftly shut off when there is none. Having motion detectors on your outdoor lights will save you a lot of energy and money.
Get double-glazed windows, or even triple-glazed windows fitted to your house. These windows can decrease your annual energy bills by hundreds of dollars, as they are great insulators. They are also more difficult to smash, so you home is less likely to be broken into. Additionally, they can significantly increase the value of your home.
A great tip when it comes to home improvement is too replace all your old appliances with newer more energy efficient models. Not only will it look better in your kitchen and laundry facility, but it will also save you on your electricity bill. That?s two birds with one stone.
When planning your kitchen, make sure your stove and your refrigerator are not right next to each other. If you set them side-by-side, they will both have to work too hard. You will waste energy and get less life from your appliances with this arrangement, and neither will perform optimally.
If you use a variety of appliances or computers and peripheral devices, use power strips. Using power strips prevents wasteful energy use because the strips ensure your devices are only drawing power when they are in use. Appliances, cell phones and computers draw power even when they are not in use when you plug them directly into an outlet.
Make your home more energy efficient by putting weather stripping around your windows and doors. This very inexpensive fix from the hardware store, will seal out the hot or cold air and make your heating and cooling system much more effective. You will notice, too, that you can cut down on the drafts that you feel on those chilly nights.
Many homeowners are irritated by the buzzing and flickering emitting from their large, fluorescent overhead fixtures. For a relatively small charge, most electricians can quickly and easily install an electronic ballast. A ballast will cut down on noise and flickering, while eliminating excessive energy usage. Ballasts are also available for lighting that is on a dimmer switch.
Richie Vee, the site?s editor, is the Chief Engineer of one
of the largest Platinum LEED buildings in NYC. His extensive building energy efficiency expertise from working with energy efficient construction helps guide consumers through energy savings for the average
homeowner.
Source: http://www.articleseffect.com/home-improvement-has-never-been-this-easy-before.html
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