Insulation wasn't standard for newly built houses until the mid-70s oil crisis. So if your home is older than that, check out your attic floor - it's the place you'd be most likely to find the stuff. None? Consider adding it to the attic and the basement. Even if there's some insulation there already, you may benefit from adding more.
Annual savings: About 5% on your fuel bills (if you have some insulation already) to 25% (if you have none).
Up-front cost: About $1,000 to insulate the attic and foundation yourself; about $2,000 to $4,000 for a handyman to do it.
The credit: 10% of the cost of materials (credit cannot exceed $500).
Quick Fix: A Smart Power Strip (costing about $30) could save you $30 per strip a year. Most electrical devices gobble energy even when they're shut off and unplugging them is a hassle. Plug in your printer, speakers and other peripherals and they'll get power only when your computer is on. Same goes for TV and stereo equipment. Each strip will pay for itself in about a year.
Add insulation
| There are sexier home improvements than closet and cabinet organizers. But what other upgrade will simplify your life and boost the salability of your home? Here's the best gear for organizing stuff now and impressing buyers later. (more) An open-air "room" adds inexpensive living space that may come in handy at resale. And it needn't have a price tag as big as the great outdoors. (more) A remodeling trend may look good on paper, but it may not make your home more livable - or more valuable. These five alternatives will. (more) |
