This happens every winter: temperatures plummet and energy prices soared.
But you don\'t have to make winter your best this year.
By dealing with several projects in your home, you can keep your home warm without going bankrupt.
If you want to save money on this year\'s bill, here are five DIY projects to be completed before they are fully invested in the winter.
Replace outdated bulbs with new energy
As new energy-saving standards take effect on bulbs, traditional incandescent lamps become increasingly scarce on shelves and will soon become extinct.
However, many people still have these energy pigs in their homes.
In the past, some consumers avoided more energy-efficient CFL bulbs because they didn\'t look as good as incandescent lamps.
However, LED bulbs combine the warm tones of incandescent lamps with the energy saving of CFL bulbs.
The price of the bulbs is at $10 or more and the price of these lamps is still very expensive, but it is expected that they will last for 20 years, which makes them a long time --
Regular investment.
In many homes, the hot water pipes coming out of the water heater are completely insulated.
Because these pipes often go through the cold basement and crawl space, they can cool down quickly, causing your water heater to work overtime.
Fortunately, the insulation of these pipes is simple and affordable.
Pipe insulation is around $6 feet, which means you can do the job for less than $20.
Just pack the pipe in the polyethylene pipe and fix it with a little tape.
To isolate the joints and bends in the pipe, cut the two pipes at a 45 degree angle and connect the two inclined pipes together.
Sealing doors and windows is one of the biggest causes of energy loss in the home.
If the caulking around the window has dried and cracked, it is time to peel it off with a caulking agent and re-apply a new layer to seal the exterior of the frame.
You also want to peel off or clear plastic window film with foam weather to seal the window from the house, both of which can be easily removed in spring when opening the window again.
Weather for the door-
Peel off the seal and you can easily fix it around the door with a few screws.
After resolving the leak that enters through the windows and doors, you will want to check if there is a leak at home.
The leaking plumbing system in your home may dump valuable heated air in all the wrong places, making some rooms too hot and others too cold, at the same time force you to fiddle with your thermostat forever to find the perfect temperature.
First check if there are any obvious holes in the exposed pipes and see if there is warm air passing through small leaks around the pipes.
If you do have a leaking pipe, use frankincense or heat
Recognized tape rather than tape, which is not doing well in sticking to the work of the heating pipe.
If the pipe passes through the non-insulated areas of the house, such as the crawling space and the attic, you will want to add a layer of insulation around the pipe.
While you can handle the exposed pipes yourself, you may have to call the professionals to isolate the pipes that are located inside the walls and ceilings, as these spaces are difficult to access and require the removal of the drywall.
Replacing your water heater with a tank-free water heater is becoming an increasingly popular choice for those who want to save money on their monthly bills.
As the name suggests, the tank-free heater gets rid of the traditional tank, but uses a powerful boiler that only heats the water when you need it.
Because these devices can cost a lot more than traditional water heaters, you may not come out early if you upgrade a tank that is still in good working condition.
But for those of you who want to replace the heater for the last leg, the tank-free water heater is an attractive option, especially when you consider the rebate for this energy-saving upgrade.