*Disclosure: I’ve received compensation from TD Insurance for this sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own.*
Buying An Old Home
& Improving Efficiency.
When I bought my 1938 Colonial Style home it didn’t take long before we realized that this house needed some major help becoming more efficient!
Making your home more energy efficient home is not only great for the environment, but it’s good for your wallet too!
As a single mom, I didn’t want to get stuck with a big energy bill every month, so I knew I was going to put some effort into getting this place up to snuff. I also wanted to get the most of my renovation dollars, and make sure that this house would be desirable for repurchase when I go to sell! Having a big oil bill every month is not going to look good for my real estate listing.
TD Insurance has some great efficiency tips on their website (linked here) and it inspired me to talk to you guys about some of the steps I take to make my home more efficient (I even learned a thing or two from TDI!)
I learned that a huge part making your home more energy efficient is just a simple matter of proper maintenance. The same way you check up on your health, you should schedule a check up for your home – it can help you prevent small issues from turning into larger issues like leaking pipes, collapsed roof and heating issues.
Now let’s get started with some of my fave tips!!
Keep The Heat.
Don’t loose the charm.
Keep the heat in! Improve your home’s insulation and make it more airtight while ensuring there is proper ventilation. Caulking and weather stripping are inexpensive ways to reduce air leakage from your home.
In my house I was able to salvage the beautiful metal grates on the old radiators.
I had to pull out the old radiators to insulate behind them, then I was able to lift up the hot water base boards and frame the old radiator covers back on the wall. It was a great way to keep the charm and have lots of air flowing through my heaters.
What To Do About Old Windows.
Give them the love they deserve.
When I renovated, I decided I wanted to keep the old windows. They are beautifully made, suit the home and add so much character. There was no way I could part with them. In order to make these windows more effective at keeping the heat in. I installed custom built wood storm windows on the exterior, and cellular shades on the main floor.
These cellular shades, are top down, bottom up… So they keep the warmth in and add R Value, but I can expose the top of the wood windows to show off the detail!
After I painted the windows black in the dining room, I decided to install black cellular shades to blend in perfectly and offer warmth in the winter and keep the sun out in the summer.
A few things I didn’t know about heating (thanks TD Insurance!)
Regular maintenance of your heating system is important for both efficiency and safety. Make sure it is done once a year.
Clean or replace your furnace filter at least every three months during the heating season.
Ceiling Fans Circulate Heat.
Who knew?!
Lucky for me I installed fans in 2 of the bedrooms upstairs in the house. I knew they would help move the air around in the summer, but after reading tips from TD Insurance I also learned that you can you also help push valuable heat around to warm your space up quickly in the colder months!
Real Fireplaces
Draw the heat out of your home.
I have a working wood fireplace in my home. It’s lovely and ambient, but it actually sucks the heat out of my house. So, in order to not lose your shirt with your heating bill be sure to close the chimney damper whenever you’re not using the fireplace.
Smart Thermostats
I installed a smart thermostat in my home, so I can control the heat when I am away, or program it for various times of the day.
Installing a programmable thermostat may save you money on your heating bill. Lowering the thermostat at bedtime and before leaving the house reduces your energy consumption without affecting your comfort.
Stop The Drip
Dripping faucets waste water. Hot water from a dripping tap could fill more than 15 bathtubs in a month!
The Reality Of Laundry
Laundry is just a realty for all of us. It’s not the most fun to do, but it has to be done. The more kids and adults living in the home, the more the laundry piles up! All that laundry isn’t cheap, so here are some tips to ease the burden.
When using the washing machine, always adjust the water level to the size of your load.
Wash your clothes in cold water and save on the energy used (which goes toward heating water).
Use a longer spin cycle for heavier items.
Make sure to clean the lint filter on your dryer before each use.
Remove lint buildup from around the exhaust area.
Skip the dryer all together and hang your clothes to dry.
For more home efficiency tips, definitely check out TD Insurance here:http://homes.cleaning/DIYMOM-TDIAO-BP1