A new year offers plenty of time and maybe some fresh motivation to whip your surroundings into shape. But which projects give the most bang for your buck? We’ve got 20 for you to consider. Some are pricey, some are cheap, some involve shiny new smart devices, and others are as low-tech as they come. Many are perfect for do-it-yourselfers. All will help put cash back in your pocket in the long run.
No, it doesn’t have to be a fancy smart thermostat, though if you want the convenience of scheduling heating and cooling from your phone, a product such as the Nest Learning Thermostat might be worth the extra spend. But if you reliably program your thermostat to keep your house cooler in the winter or warmer in the summer while you’re away, the Environmental Protection Agency says you can save roughly $100 a year on heating and cooling costs, making it a purchase that pays for itself. Bonus: Your power company may also give you a rebate for installing one.
Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of low-tech, inexpensive home improvements that can pay off big time. Whatever modest amount you spend re-caulking and replacing worn-out weather stripping around windows and doors can be recouped in as little as a year in the form of lower utility bills, according to the Department of Energy.
One of the best ways to save? Keep your heating and cooling expenses in check with some humble attic insulation. HouseLogic suggests checking to see if joists are visible over the insulation in your attic. If so, adding some more could lead to long-term savings of as much as $600 a year. HomeAdvisor pegs a cost of roughly $1 to $7 a square foot depending on the kind of insulation you choose.
Installing energy-efficient bulbs in just the five most frequently used light fixtures in your home can save $75 a year, according to the Department of Energy. CFL and LED bulbs also have a much longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs — roughly 10,000 or 25,000 hours, respectively, compared with 1,000. And if you want to save even more in the long run, app-controlled smart bulbs such as the Philips Hue ($50 from Home Depot) are easy to put on a schedule, turning themselves off automatically so you won’t waste electricity.
Smart lights are great, but if you’re not ready to make the investment or want a more versatile option for small appliances and other power hogs, add a few smart switches. For $15 or less, the GE Sync Smart Plug can give you remote control of your favorite fan, a humidifier, the Christmas tree lights, or even that curling iron or space heater you’re always forgetting to turn off. That way you save energy and eliminate a fire hazard.
A low-flow showerhead may not sound all that appealing — after all, there’s nothing like a long, hot shower with amazing water pressure to help the day’s worries melt away. But if you’ve owned your home for a while, you may have showerheads that allow anywhere from 3 to 5 gpm, or gallons per minute. In comparison, new showerheads range from 1.5 to 2.5 gpm. Savings for a family of four are estimated start at $70 annually just by replacing a showerhead, federal officials estimate.
If you’re drinking bottled water because you’re skeptical of what comes from the tap or simply don’t like how it tastes, an easy-to-install water filter could help kick this pricey, bad-for-the-planet habit. This under-the-sink model from Filtrete costs $51 and installs in just half an hour. Filters last for six months.
If you’ve priced out a traditional monitored security system, chances are you already know what we’re about to say: They’re expensive — very. Smart security devices such as the Nest Security Camera or the Ring Video Doorbell can give peace of mind without the monthly bill, and they’re easy to monitor remotely from a phone. If monitoring is a must, smart-tech companies are getting in on the game, too, with less costly options such as the Ring Alarm System.
Appliances continue to evolve into ever-more efficient, convenient machines. Where to begin if you need a total overhaul? Nab an Energy Star-certified refrigerator, washer, and dryer — these are the biggest energy hogs, according to Consumer Reports. Replacing an aging refrigerator alone can save $220 over the life of the product. For the most savings, nab the smallest size you can get away with and consider a traditional top-freezer model.
If your unshaded home is baking in the sun, it’s time to plant some trees. Aside from gaining instant curb appeal, trees can save big bucks, especially in the summer. A little shade can reduce annual cooling costs anywhere from 15% to 50%, according to the Department of Energy. But that’s not all — trees planted as windbreaks can cut down on heating costs in the winter. Choose a 6- to 8-foot tree and your windows will get immediate relief; your roof could be shaded in as few as five years.
Though trees are a great way to block sunlight from making your air conditioner work overtime, you might not have room or prefer a more instant solution. Low-E, or low-emissivity, windows are specially made to let in less heat in the summer and keep in more of it in the winter. You could see as much as $300 in annual savings, the Department of Energy estimates. Of course, new energy-efficient windows aren’t cheap. One budget alternative to consider is low-E film, which can be applied to existing windows and costs roughly $6 to $14 a square foot.
That lush green sea of grass in your yard looks lovely, but remember how much time you spend maintaining it and how much money you spend watering it. Through xeriscaping, you replace some or all of that lawn with native plants, particularly ones that are drought-tolerant. Ultimately, you could cut water bills in half, experts say, not to mention untold hours mowing, fertilizing, and otherwise babying your lawn.
Related: Reasons to Get Rid of Your Lawn
If you just can’t part with your lawn, we get it. But one easy, convenient way to score some long-term savings is by replacing your old sprinkler controller with a smart model such as the Rachio Smart Sprinkler. Aside from offering the benefits of a typical smart device, such as being able to control sprinklers from your phone or with a voice assistant, these systems can sense exactly what your lawn needs, skipping cycles if the soil is already saturated or if there’s rain in the forecast.
Though costly, a new roof is a necessary evil if your old one is past its prime. The good news is that it can save you plenty on your homeowner’s insurance — as much as 20%— because advances in roofing technology such as higher shingle wind ratings will more effectively protect a house from nasty weather. Opting for a more energy-efficient “cool roof,” often at a cost equal to that of a normal roof replacement, can also help homeowners save money on cooling.
Related: 20 Repairs to Leave to the Pros to Avoid DIY Disasters
Considering heating and air-conditioning account for the vast amount of a home’s energy use, it's sensible to make sure each system works as efficiently as possible. Chances are the very ducts meant to ferry warm or cool air to your living spaces are leaking — allowing as much as 30% of the air inside to escape before you ever benefit. Sealing up your ducts, either yourself or by using a contractor, can remedy the problem and save a mint on your utility bills.
A ceiling fan can’t cool the air, but using it in concert with your air conditioner will let you boost the temperature on your thermostat 4 degrees and stay comfortable, according to Angie’s List. That could mean some nice utility bill savings. Your ceiling fan doesn’t have to gather dust in the winter: Reverse the direction of the blades to push warm air back down and stay cozier without cranking up the heat.
In the cozy-versus-classic battle for the ages, it’s true that wood floors are typically costlier to install than carpet. But they can be a money-saver in the long run. If you’re looking to sell in the near future, hardwood floors can help your house sell faster; if you hope to stay in your home for a long time, there’s good news for you, too, because while wall-to-wall carpet usually lasts only 10 years, hardwood floors can easily last triple that time — or much longer, if well cared for.
Got an older water heater? Go touch it. Does it feel warm? If so, you could save some cash by buying an inexpensive water-heater blanket that will reduce heat loss and, in turn, your water-heating costs. Water heater blankets are inexpensive, starting around $20, and easy to install yourself.
Once your water heater reaches the end of its lifespan, think critically about whether you need a behemoth with a conventional storage tank. A tankless water heater that heats water on demand can be up to 34% more efficient than a conventional water heater for a small household using 40 gallons or less of hot water each day, according to the Department of Energy. You’ll pay more to install this type of water heater, but it’s easier to repair and typically lasts much longer — 20 years or more — than conventional models that may last just 10 to 15 years.
Any homeowner who’s had a washing machine give up the ghost or a pipe burst on an uncharacteristically cold morning can tell you how expensive it can be to repair water damage. A leak detector is a cheap way to tell there’s a problem before it gets too severe. As with many devices today, you can go low-tech, opting for a traditional alarm with some form of siren, or you can grab a smart alarm such as the Fibaro Flood Sensor that sends an alert to your phone — great if you’re away from home for long periods.
