As a child I was notorious for leaving the door open when I went outside to play. We lived in the DC area, a hot and humid part of the country, and my father would shout after me, “Close the door! I don’t want to cool the whole neighborhood!” Or in the snowy and cold winter, “Close the door! We’re not trying to heat the whole street!” I did not understand these things until I was a homeowner myself. Now, I am very conscious of energy efficiency and make every attempt to keep my cooling and heating bills as low as possible, not to mention maintaining my home in such a way as to minimize repairs. I don’t want to have to find someone to do a new roofing installation! Having said that, part of home ownership is the maintenance of the home, and the wise homeowner will know the phone number of a service that can do professional siding, gutter repairs, and new roofing installation.
Aside from teaching the children to close the doors, there are many ways to keep energy bills low. Typically, most families spend one third of their energy budget on air that escapes through drafty areas such as drafty attics, windows and doors. A new roofing installation or the installation of new double pained windows that replace older single paned windows can significantly lower unnecessary expenditures, and, depending on where you live, you could save in excess of $500 per annum. High-quality windows, and high-quality windows repair can go a long way toward contributing to this savings. Even picture windows, bay windows or sliding door windows can be as highly energy efficient as good quality single windows if the installation is carried out professionally by a qualified company.
Another significant saving comes in the form of secure roofing. To avoid having to do a complete new roofing installation, the integrity of the roof should be inspected at least once, or preferably twice a year. This would include gutter cleaning maintenance and gutter cleaning maintenance. A roof in need of repair or replacement will cost the DIY homeowner significantly less than having it professionally done, anywhere between $1000 and $4000, while a professional roof service doing a new roofing installation will charge between $2000 and $8000. The price is calculated based on what is known in the industry as squares. A square is a ten foot by ten foot section, and the average roof size for a family home is between 22 and 26 squares (that would be 2200 to 2600 square feet). The DIY-er, of course, does not have the benefit of not having to do it himself! A new roofing installation is no joke, and best left to professionals.
In the event of storm damage, if the home has been previously well maintained, the cost of repair would remain minimal. Siding, gutters, roofs, and windows can all be damaged by storms but a responsible home owner will minimize repair costs by spending between one and four percent of the home’s value annually on maintenance and necessary repairs as soon as they are needed. The cost of maintenance increases as the home ages.
In summary, to keep your home from consuming your entire paycheck in energy bills, maintain it by doing regular inspections, and hiring professionals to do maintenance and repair. Your pocket will thank you in the long run!
