Plan To Save With These Spring Home Projects
Winter is still making conditions uncomfortable at best for homeowners who want to improve their houses. However, there’s no harm in planning ahead and making lists for projects to tackle in the coming months. In fact, planning for your springtime home improvement projects now can help you save money when the time comes to get to work. If you’re looking to improve your home this spring while also saving money, make sure you plan for these projects.
Perfecting Your Plumbing
While fixing plumbing issues is incredibly difficult during the winter, the warming temperatures during early spring allow for plumbing work without nearly as much of a hassle. Once temperatures outside have stayed consistently above freezing for a while, it’s safe to get to work on your much-needed plumbing updates and upgrades. Check on your water heater first, since that’s one of the areas that can help you save more on your energy bills in the future. Water heating makes up 18% of your home’s energy costs, and improving your heater’s efficiency can shrink your utility bill significantly. While you’re working on improving your plumbing, check on your water quality as well. About 80% of the country has hard water, and hard water is often less efficient for washing and cleaning.
Save With An Energy-Efficient Environment
One of the main elements to focus on when renovating for savings is your energy use and how energy-efficient different parts of your home are. In fact, some energy improvements around your home won’t need to wait for spring. Fixing your home’s energy use could be as simple as switching out your lightbulbs, which can easily be done before the weather warms up again. Today’s LED bulbs can be six to seven times more energy-efficient than conventional incandescent lights and cut energy use by more than 80%. Next time you’re picking up other home goods, be sure to grab some LED bulbs to replace your existing light bulbs as they burn out.
Some energy-efficiency fixes are best kept for later, however. For example, your home’s heating systems are likely getting a workout with the cold outdoor temperatures. While you could perform cleaning and maintenance on them now, waiting until spring means you don’t have to worry about temporarily shutting off heat to your home. Efficient HVAC systems require maintenance inspections twice a year, so try to time yours with spring and fall. This way, temporary loss of service isn’t as serious an issue as it would be in winter or summer.
Beautiful Backyard Improvements
Once the snow has fully melted, you can start making all the changes to your backyard you’ve dreamed about during winter. Your plans for your backyard can be as simple or as outlandish as you’d like. Some plan to add patios to their yard, while others may add full tennis courts. Whatever you’re adding to your backyard, make sure it’s something you and your family will use. This way, it will be easier to justify the cost of the addition. If your family loves grilling, a patio will be perfect. For those who love their sport, a tennis court can allow you to practice at home. Make sure you’re handling the installation correctly, so you don’t have to pay for it twice. Tennis net should be attached to two side posts at a height of 3.5 feet, and patios should be constructed of weather-resistant material suited for your climate.
Lovely Front Lawns And Landscaping
Finally, no spring home improvement is complete without some attention being given to your home’s curb appeal. After all, in a Zillow survey, real estate agents named curb appeal one of the five most important factors in selling a home. Before the last frost, make a plan for how you want to tackle your front lawn. What sort of seeding do you need to include? What plants are most affordable, and what will grow well in your climate? The right landscaping can help you save on everything from maintenance costs to energy costs, so careful planning is essential to a wallet-friendly lawn.
Everyone has different plans for what they’d like to accomplish this spring. However, almost every homeowner has at least one home improvement project in mind. Use this list to get started planning out a project that will help you save this spring.