Sudarsan Chakraborty

Buying a house is a major investment decision that involves a lot of money. As such,further investments in home improvements are often carefully considered,regardless if they may be easy to do or a bit more complex.

Questionsarise around the usefulness of these upgrades. How often would lights be usedin this particular room? Do solar panels make sense financially? Does thisspare room need to be converted into a space that is more useful?

However,it’s not uncommon to see people rush to make improvements only after somethinghas broken or a particular problem pops up. Resorting to such reactiveresponses are likely to force you to make unexpected costly expenses. The bestapproach is to anticipate potential issues in advance and make the necessaryupgrades in a timely fashion.

Whatare some wise investment moves in the home that can save you money long term?

1. Getting smart with lighting

Justdrop by your local hardware store and you’ll find that there are a number ofsmart lighting options to choose from – from light emitting diode (LED) lightsto compact fluorescent lights (CFL). Compared to the traditional fluorescentlights, these more modern lighting fixtures are energy efficient whilemaintaining a high degree of brightness.

Ifyou’re willing to spend a bit more with this, there are lights that have motionand occupancy sensing capabilities.

Thesefeatures enable lights on unoccupied rooms to automatically switch off,reducing unnecessary energy consumption. Some advanced lighting systems willalso analyze lighting usage to find the ideal times during the day when thelights should be turned on.

2. Installing solar panels

Solar panels that are for sale have been becoming more affordablein recent years, thanks to constant advances in solarenergy technology.

Improvementsin their efficiency to absorb sunlight and convert those UV rays into usefulenergy have been crucial. The cost of sourcing and manufacturing the materialshave also contributed to lowering overall prices.

Withsolar panels, homes can reduce dependence on non-renewable sources of energyfor heating and electricity. While it is still a considerable investment at thestart, savings can snowball over time, resulting in significantly lower energybills.

3. Installing a smart thermostat

Assummer approaches, homes across the country are likely to start resorting toair-conditioning more frequently, but we all know what can be quite costly foryour monthly billing.
Considerinstalling a smart thermostat that can efficiently regulate temperature in thehome. It does this by making sure that appliances that cool (or heat) roomsturn on or off, depending on whether or not people are present. You can alsoprogram these devices to maintain a specific temperature for most of the day.

4. Investing in effective drainage

Don’twait until you encounter a flooded basement before you act. Without effectivedrainage, heavy rain or flooding can compromise the integrity of your home.
Installgutters and downspouts that effectively divert water and waste from any area ofyour property. Seriously considering replacing old or damaged ones that are nolonger serving their purpose.

Thebest part about this is that finding and installing gutter parts and othersimple drainage fittings are fairly straightforward. If you prefer, you canalways enlist the expertise of professionals.

Think long-term

It’salways good to think ahead and work on those home improvements that cantranslate to big savings. Consider these options and remember that theseupgrades will also contribute towards increasing the value of your home.Something to think about when decides to sell or rent out your property.