Making your home energy efficient can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year in savings. While in some cases the initial investment may seem daunting, making these important changes will more than compensate for the expenditure, and some fixes are nowhere near as costly as you might expect. There are dozens of fixes that can lower your utility bills, just a few mentioned here.
Insulating an attic, where heat loss is found to be the greatest, will run around $200 per 500 sq. ft., and you could qualify for a 10 percent tax credit as well. You should notice lower heating bills almost instantly.
Weather stripping (check its condition every year) and exterior-grade caulking, at about $20 each, will seal gaps and cracks outside your home, including around windows and doors and where siding may gap at the corners of the house. A reduction in heating and cooling bills will be reflected right away.
Some studies estimate as much as 40 percent of a home’s heated or cooled air is lost through ductwork leaks before it ever reaches its destination. A professional injection process costing about $750 will seal the ducts, with a payoff in fewer than two years.
