Don’t suffer high energy bills any longer

3 areas to insulate that will save you money on energy bills

(BPT) – Do you cringe each month when your utility bills arrive?

The annual energy cost for a typical single family home in the U.S. is more than $2,000, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. If you can think of a thousand things you’d rather spend your hard-earned money on than electricity and natural gas, the solution to saving on energy costs is easier than you think.

While you might assume the numerous electronic gadgets you own drive your high utility bills, the real cost culprits are your furnace and air conditioner. Space heating and cooling account for 42 percent of home energy costs – double what the typical home spends running its electronics and small appliances.

What’s truly unfortunate is much of the money spent on heating and cooling homes is wasted, as heat leaks out of your home in winter and comes in during the summer. The reason? About 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated, according to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.

Ending your suffering from high energy bills can be as easy as tackling a few, simple, do-it-yourself insulation projects. Key areas to insulate are your home’s attic, basement, crawl space and garage. Read on for tips on insulating these spaces to improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort, while putting money back in your pocket.

1. Attic

As heat rises and many attics are un-insulated or poorly insulated, the attic is a good place to start for making your home more cozy and cost-effective. Insulating your attic is “a DIY project you can tackle in a weekend, and the savings you’ll get add up every year,” said Tom Silva, general contractor for the popular “This Old House” TV show.

Many contractors and homeowners use loose-fill insulation or fiberglass batts in attics. Although these materials are easy to work with, it is difficult to ensure they do not leave gaps through which heat can escape. And, since they are designed to fit between the joists in the attic floor, they leave the joists un-insulated, which provides many places for heat to transfer from the home into the attic.

An alternative that is also easy to work with, and that provides continuous insulation, is rigid foam panels. Among the rigid foams, expanded polystyrene (EPS) provides the highest insulating power per dollar. EPS panels are simple to cut to size, without creating mess, are recyclable and can be installed throughout your home. One of the EPS brands available at home improvement stores is Insulfoam R-Tech insulation.

2. Basement and crawl space

In addition to insulating your attic, it’s important to make sure the bottom part of your home is energy-efficient. For most of the U.S. other than the hot Gulf Coast region, “it’s cost-effective and wise to install basement wall insulation,” wrote Martin Holladay on his “Musings of an Energy Nerd” blog. As in the attic, rigid foam insulation boards can readily be cut to size and installed on basement walls. While insulation can be applied to the inside or outside of a basement wall, for existing homes it is typically much easier to install it on the inside wall. This avoids having to move dirt away from the foundation and back-fill once the insulation is in place.

While you’re insulating your basement, be sure to also insulate any crawlspaces, including both the walls and ceiling of these areas.

3. Garage door

“Garage doors notoriously are un-insulated,” said David Stassi, field technical support manager at Insulfoam. “Fortunately, readily available DIY insulation kits allow homeowners to insulate their garage door in less than an hour, for less than $100.” Even a beginning DIYer can do the job, as you simply cut the insulation panels to size with a knife and straightedge, and flex the panels into place between the garage door’s horizontal rails. The panels remain firmly in place without messy glues or awkward tape.

For step-by-step instructions on installing garage door insulation or EPS insulation in basements, crawl spaces and attics, visit the Insulfoam YouTube channel.

With a few simple DIY insulation projects, you can save hundreds of dollars every year. Instead of spending too much on heating and cooling, you’ll have extra money for fun things like eating dinner out or taking a well-deserved vacation.

BPT.

Is this your first time buying a home? Well, congratulations! The venture towards home ownership is no small feat and comes with a lot of information thrown at you at once. There’s a lot of questions you might have, so we took the time to answer some of the most common ones for you. Here are a few things you need to know.

Where do I start?

Saving up money and looking into mortgages is step one and two in a home buying process. You want to find out what your lending options are and get pre-approved for a loan. Once you know what your budget is going to be then you can start looking for homes.

What if I don’t have stellar credit?

Your credit score impacts the interest rate you will have to pay for your loan. If your credit score is below 700, you’ll be at a slight disadvantage when it comes to the interest rate. If you have poor credit that is still above 580 you’ll still be able to qualify for an FHA loan but will need to pay for mortgage insurance (protects the lender) which will, unfortunately, be an extra charge.

Who pays the realtor?

Generally, the seller is responsible for paying the Realtor’s fee and commissions. The reason is that they represent and help them make the sale. On the other hand, your realtor usually will split the commission with the buyer’s realtor.

How Much Does the Inspection Cost?

The average cost of a home inspection according to a 2016 study is $318 but can range anywhere from $200-$470.

When Do I get the Keys?

You will receive your keys either at closing or after your county official records the title. If it is the latter then you might have to wait a few more days. Another instance that can hold up the process of you receiving your keys is if there’s a delay in your loans.

Do I need Homeowners Insurance?

Although not always required, homeowners insurance should be on your list of things to get. Insurance can help your home in case of fires or natural disasters like earthquakes. Another important thing homeowners insurance covers are the liability from someone who might get injured on your property.

Today experts will argue that decluttering your home until it becomes a bare minimalist space is the way to go. But what about those of us that like a little clutter–or at least our possessions we wouldn’t dare throw away? Don’t worry, here is a list of ways to declutter without tossing your stuff.

Keep Things in their Spot

The main reason why clutter builds up around the home isn’t from having too much stuff but rather because things are in the wrong spot. Simply keeping things organized can clear up a lot of clutter. Organizing items together will further help declutter your home. Keeping all mail in one area, magazines in a pile, and electronics together can go a long way.

Use Walls

Just when you thought there is no more space around the house, remember you have walls. Walls can be used to add additional shelving, hooks, and other organizational tools. The key point to keep in mind when using walls is that you want anything you put on them to be easy to come out.

Store in Furniture

Do you have drawers that can be used to place electronics or miscellaneous items? Look around your home, you might find places you can use for storage. Using every place possible as a storage unit will alleviate the clutter lying around the home.

Control Your Cords

The easiest way to clear up clutter from any room is to clean up the cords that randomly run through it. There are a lot of products that can help you conceal and clean up cords to free up as much space as possible.

The kitchen is the most important room in a home – sell the kitchen to the buyer and you’ll sell the home. Full kitchen renovations are not always necessary and don’t always result in the highest return. In most cases, your kitchen doesn’t need renovations, just a few updates. Buyers love trendy features that make the home look like a stylish place to live.

1. Subway Tile

A post shared by Cynthia Harper (@cynthia_harper_) on Sep 29, 2017 at 7:25am PDT

If the only thing you update is the backsplash, you’ll transform your whole kitchen.  According to Zillow, homes that feature subway tiles sell for 13 percent more and about 60 days more quickly than homes without.

2. Try Two Tones

A post shared by Latitude Cabinets (@latitudecabinets) on Sep 28, 2017 at 2:19pm PDT

Two-tone cabinets are another trend that buyers love. Try gray and white or navy and blue – neutral tones mixed with wood finishes are also a great pairing.

3. Farm It Out

A post shared by Erin | Cotton Stem (@cottonstem) on Sep 28, 2017 at 8:38pm PDT

Stainless steel sinks are being replaced with apron-front farmhouse sinks are as they tend to create an immediate focal point and project an illusion of a higher priced kitchen. Zillow also reports that homes with farmhouse sinks can sell for eight percent more than those without.

4. Granite Countertops

A post shared by L O V E C U P (@lovecup) on Jul 2, 2017 at 6:19pm PDT

Zillow also found that listings touting the word “quartz” corresponded with a six percent sales premium. Granite countertops saw a boost too, though a lesser one at four percent. Still, homes with granite-topped counters sold 38 days sooner than those with less coveted surfaces, especially laminate.

5. Eat In

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almost 70 percent of homeowners surveyed by Houzz are planning or recently completed kitchen renovations that incorporate a place to eat, with 25 percent adding an actual dining table. Removing a non-load bearing wall to accommodate a table and chairs can be a cost-effective upgrade.

6. Open Floor Plans

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Last year’s Kitchen Trends Survey by Houzz found that homeowners prefer seamless transitions between living spaces and the kitchen. Almost half of renovating homeowners are opening up their kitchens to other interior spaces and 18 percent are opening them up to adjacent outdoor areas.