Home Improvement Help and Maintenance Tips:
Energy Bills on the Rise

According to the US Department of Energy, homeowners spend, on average, $1,300 a year on utility bills, most of which is wasted energy from poorly insulated windows and doors. Simple energy efficient improvements can save 10% - 50% on energy bills and help reduce air pollution by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment.

There are several quick “fixes” homeowners can do to reduce energy costs within their home. House Doctors offers these home repair tips and habits to help harness energy:

• Install a programmable thermostat or set your thermostat back at night.
• Insulate doors and windows with plastic, caulk and/or weather stripping. An uninsulated window or door can lose 10 to 20 times as much heat or air conditioning as the same area of a well-insulated wall.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period.
• Homeowners with gas or oil hot-water storage tanks and pipes should insulate them, being careful not to cover the water heater's top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment; when in doubt, get professional help.
• Remember to turn off lights when they are not needed. Lighting can account for up to 10 percent of the electrical consumption in a household.
• Reduce your utility bill by up to 21% by turning down the thermostat from 70ºF to 65ºF. Lowering it even further, to 60ºF, can save another 18%.
• Change light switches to dimmer switches and use lower-wattage bulbs when possible.

Many homeowners do not have the time or knowledge to do many of the simple repairs which could save them hundreds of dollars over time in utility bills.  A small investment now and your energy costs could be significantly reduced in the future. Rod's Home Improvement is the perfect solution, we can come in and do many minor repairs, saving you the physical energy and the financial energy.