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If you are looking to make changes in your home, you should choose to make changes that can give you the biggest return on investment. This is achieved by remodeling items that can help you to become more energy efficient. There are a few places in your home where you should start first.
Replace Windows
Whether you believe it or not, the quality of your windows can greatly affect how energy efficient your home is. Older window models can allow cool to warm air to leak out of your house, which lets money go out the window. On the opposite end, poorly designed or sealed windows can also let cold drafts into your home, requiring you in turn to spend more energy heating your home. While you can also reseal your windows, according to Nu Look Home Design, it might be better for your home if you fully replace your windows. Newly replaced windows will also be more energy-efficient and increase your home’s overall value.
Seal Points of Entry
To go along with the reasoning behind why you should replace your windows, you should also make sure that your home’s points of entry are tightly sealed. If your home is sealed on the doors or windows, you will be able to be more energy efficient in the long run. According to Proterra, sealing points of entry will also help keep ants and other pests out. This is important because although it is relatively easy to seal points of entry, it is much more difficult to remove pests from your home once they have entered. Gaps in the sealant of any size can be an issue because pests come in all shapes and sizes.
Install Solar Panels
On a much larger scale, according to Astral Energy, you can make your home more energy efficient by switching over to solar power. If you install solar panels, you will be creating your own energy for your home instead of relying on a power grid. This is a much eco-friendlier option to power your home and it is particularly lucrative if you live in a sunny place. However, solar panels do store energy for later, so you do not have to worry about the sun coming out every day. As a bonus, those who power their homes with solar panels have a much lower energy bill or do not have one at all.
Making your home more energy-efficient can be a long process. However, once you see how much money you can save and how much your life can improve, you will wish you would have made the switch earlier.
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