08 Jan 10 Expensive Mistakes You’re Making in Your Home

10 Expensive Mistakes You’re Making in Your Home

Are you spending extra money on upkeep? Homes already cost a lot of money to maintain. Here are a few mistakes you may be making in your home.

1. Not customizing the temperature.

To keep your energy costs low, it may be a good idea to invest in a customizable thermostat. If you’re away at work all day, you can program your heater to shift down while you’re gone, and back up before you return home. You don’t want to spend your money heating or cooling an empty house.

2. Using incandescent light bulbs. 

Over the life span of an incandescent light bulb, it can use $180 worth of electricity. a CFL will only use $41 worth of electricity over the same time period and an LED bulb will only use $30.

3. Setting your water heater Too high.

Your water heater is keeping the water in its tank hot 24/7, unless you have a tankless water heater. Keep an eye out for the temperature as each season changes. Decrease the temperature in the summer, and increase it in the winter.

4. Ignoring problems on your roof. 

It’s easy to ignore problems on your roof, but it will lead to bigger problems later on. Repair them as soon as possible, and this will save you costs down the road.

5. Not adjusting your air vents. 

Homeowners will often turn up the air conditioning or heater in the whole house to tackle temperatures in one area. Instead, adjust air vents to direct the airflow more evenly throughout your entire home.

6. Ignoring a leaky faucet. 

One drop of water per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year, which is enough water for more than 180 showers. If you have a leaky faucet, this problem can be costing you a fortune.

7. Ignoring leaky windows and doors. 

The cold and winter winds love to enter your home through leaky windows and doors. Many homeowners ignore them and adjust the heat. Make sure to caulk leaky windows and put a rubber seal around doors to keep the warmth in.

8. Using the wrong air filter size.

We all forget to change out the air filters for our HVAC systems sometimes or accidentally purchase the wrong size.  Using the wrong filter or a dirty filter can increase your bills and cause expensive issues for your furnace. Set a reminder to change them, and use the correct filters.

9. Over watering your lawn. 

Keep a close eye on your sprinkler system to make sure it is running correctly. Run your sprinklers during the day occasionally so you can see how they are performing when you’re not around. A broken sprinkler or a sprinkler directed the wrong way can waste a lot of water.

10. Paying a handyman for a simple job.

Before calling a handyman to fix a simple job, try asking a neighbour or a family member if they can help you and know how to fix the problem. Don’t pay a handyman for a job that is simple enough to do yourself.

Keeping your home well maintained allows you to reduce certain expenses such as heating costs, but especially to avoid major problems in the future. A house that has been well taken care of will, in most cases, be more valuable in the eyes of the buyer.

If you want to do some minor renovations in preparation for the upcoming sale of your home, don’t hesitate to contact our team of Ottawa and Kanata REALTORS^®. We will be happy to help you define your priorities and find qualified contractors.

Source: Top 10 Most Expensive Mistakes You’re Making on Your Home, Cary Teller, rismedia housecall, October 25, 2016.