Making Cents on Smith Mountain Lake

People in Smith Mountain Lake and around the nation are looking for ways to cut back on their expenses! If you have tightened your belt to the point of breaking and are looking for some simple steps to cut back on utility costs, here are some tips that just might help! Most homeowners can easily take care of most of these on their own.


One of the easiest steps you can take is to do an energy audit. This may help you pinpoint the areas you can improve your home’s efficiency. Some utility companies will provide an assessment free of charge or you can do your own audit online. This assessment tool can even help you calculate how long it would take to recoup the costs of upgrading your appliances to more energy efficient models.

Sealing off leaks is a big step in the right direction. Weather-stripping, caulking and weather tape are all fairly inexpensive. One area that is often missed by homeowners is sealing around the plumbing. Windows account for 10% of leaks, but 13% of leaks can come from where pipes enter the structure. A word of caution: make sure you know what you are covering! Some pipes may be exhaust pipes for a gas furnace or water heater. Sealing them improperly may compromise the way they work. If you are unsure, ask a professional!

This may sound too simple, but install a programmable thermostat. These thermostats can be more expensive, but they quickly make up for that in heating and cooling savings. You can program the temperature of your home by what your actual needs are instead of running at full blast 24/7. You will see significant savings by adjusting the temperature while you sleep and while you are away at work.

Now this may sound strange, but you can save money on your water bill by creating your own low flow toilet. You can fill a mason jar with water or put a clean brick in the back of your tank. This displaces the water so you actually use less water when you flush! This conserves water and keeps money in your wallet!

There are several state and federal programs available to help you upgrade the energy efficiency of your home. The Federal tax credit for energy efficiency will be available through December of 2010. You can upgrade appliance or even add a renewable energy source. There is a new program in the works that may cover even more in energy upgrades, so keep an eye out for the Home Star program.

Making your home more energy efficient can increase its worth! If you have questions on what kind of upgrades will make your Franklin County home more valuable, call Vicki Millehan. She is your local real estate expert in Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding area.