With the weather really heating up and summer only promising to get warmer, in our home we’re thinking about ways to improve the energy efficiency of our home and help reduce our cooling bills (and winter heating bills). Living out in the country, it’s important for us to stay on top on energy efficient improvements and while I’ve always thought this process started indoors, I’ve recently learned that the exterior of our home is what helps make it energy efficient. You see, we moved into our last home immediately after it was built and knew the details of our windows, doors, siding and roof. Since we lived there for less than ten years, we didn’t need to make many energy efficient changes or upgrades. But when we moved out in the country, we bought a pre-existing home that has already had many years of providing happy memories for families. As we went through the inspection process, we were given a list of ways to make our home more energy efficient and with those in hand, Sears Home Services was the perfect place to start with the changes we wanted to make!
I’ll be honest and say that while purchasing our forever home, I learned more than my fair share about quality homes and the things that can be done to keep them looking and functioning their best. I was educated on heating and cooling systems but more importantly, I was taught that when the times comes to make improvements (or simply make maintenance decisions), keeping energy efficiency in mind can make a BIG difference! While the list of ways to make a home more energy efficient are endless, when it comes to the exterior of my home, I’ve discovered that there are four major improvements to consider. Want to know what they are? Read on and you might just be surprised at how simple it is to increase your home’s energy efficiency when it comes to make changes or uprades!
Think About Getting More from Your Roof
Think all roofs are the same and it’s just there to keep you dry? Think again! That area over the top of your home can make all the difference in how energy efficient you home is. Not only does energy efficient roofing help maintain optimal indoor temperature but it’s also a perfect way to maximize your energy efficiency all year long! In addition to helping keep you home cool in the summer and warm in the winter (and keeping out those pesky things like snow and rain), energy efficient roofing can help lower your monthly bills and save you money!
So, how do you know when it’s time to replace your roof and how do you choose the one that’s most energy efficient? I’m so glad you asked! I recently learned that on average, a roof lasts 20 to 25 years. However, that’s just a ballpark estimate and this number can be impacted by a variety of factors like hail damage, poor attic ventilation, low-quality roofing materials or poor roof installation! If you’re thinking that you’re ready to replace your roof, be sure to ask these four easy questions to help you make the determination! But what do you do once you determine that replacing your roof will indeed increase the energy efficiency of your home? For us, as we’re beginning this process, calling Sears has been the right answer! With same day/next day appointments available for roofing replacement projects and limited lifetime warranties on roofing installation and replacement services, Sears is a great place to start when considering a roofing project! Add to that their complete, turn-key project management that includes measuring, ordering, permits and scheduling and it’s the smart choice for those of us who are in the market for energy efficient roofing! Plus, right now you can save $500 on Roofing purchases of $1,500 or more at Sears! This offer is only valid through October 31, 2017 though so if a new roof is on your mind, act now!
Choose the Right Windows and Doors
While in my mind the roof makes the biggest difference when choosing energy efficient exterior projects, it’s important to remember that windows and doors make a big difference as well! Just think about it….windows and doors are basically openings to the outside of your home. If they aren’t installed correctly or have any gaps, they can let air out and in.
I recently had it explained to me by my more than patient hubby that all windows and doors are not made alike. There are single pane, double pane, insulated…the list goes on. That’s where Sears Home Experts can help! Sears Home Experts are the vinyl windows expert with over 2,000 styles from bay and bow windows to double-hung and tilt-in design! In addition to their amazing variety of energy efficient windows, they also have a variety of shutter color options to ensure that you can find just the right look for your home while still keeping the cool air inside where you want it! While the variety may be overwhelming, these top ten buying tip for new windows are a perfect place to start when considering windows that are best for your home! The best part is, right now you can save up to $325 on new window purchases of $1,500 or more at Sears! Some restrictions do apply so find out today if the windows of your dreams are just a phone call away!
Siding Choice Makes a Difference
While we’ve covered two of the biggest areas when it comes to making a home energy efficient, the final area to consider is your siding. I’ve had different types of siding on the houses I’ve owned and let me tell you, I’ve noticed a HUGE difference! In our old home, I could never keep the house cool. Our new home is a whole different story and I think a lot of that boils down to having siding that increases our energy efficiency! Sears offers trusted Weatherbeater® siding that brings three levels of American made Energy Star-approved vinyl siding options that have surfaces that won’t scratch, peel or flake off!
In addition to looking great, Weatherbeater® siding is also weather resistant, low maintenance and durable making it an easy-care, low-cost option compared to other types of siding! Even better, Sears offers three grades of energy-efficient vinyl siding in popular colors that are backed by a great warranty to ensure they have the right product to meet every home owner’s need! Before starting your siding project, find out which siding materials will give you the greatest return on your home investment. Then contact Sears to find out more about siding installation that includes foam insulation for increased energy efficiency. And right now, you can save $500 on siding purchases of $1,500 or more!
As the weather continues to heat up (or even before it starts cooling down) now is the time to consider making energy efficient changes to the exterior of your home. Take a look at the improvements above and then consider taking on one or all of them with help from Sears to ensure your home offers the protection from the weather that it’s intended to! Start today by scheduling your free in-home consultation with a Sears Home Services expert!
Then tell me, what energy-efficient upgrades have you made or are you considering making to your home?
We replaced our roof 2 years ago out of necessity. We had 2 layers on there and they were starting to leak in one spot, so the whole thing needed to be replaced.
These are great tips. Windows, a good roof, and good siding can all drastically reduce your heating and cooling bills. Climate control can be expensive if you don’t make the most of it.
I could definitely use some new windows to help with the energy efficiency in my house. Good insulation is really helpful for winter and summer!
Christy Maurer recently posted…Road Trip Musts for Traveling with Kids
We’re actually in the (slow) process of doing major renovations around our house and one of the biggest tasks will be getting new roofing (there’s a small hole in the attics roof). We’re definitely looking into brining more energy efficiency to our house.
We try to do everything we can to keep the exterior of our home energy efficient. We have double paned windows and recently had our roof replaced after hail damage.
Alli Smith recently posted…Favorite Book to Read on the Beach and Book Review
This is so important, especially where we live in New England! We find using our storm windows as soon as it gets cold really helps keep the heat in.
Doria recently posted…Meet Zim! – Our Service Dog Journey Volume 3
My sister is closing on her first house this week. She just did another walk through and found out that her windows are not energy efficient and this will be one of the first things they replace.
Katie Kinsley recently posted…PROTECTING OUTDOOR FURNITURE WITH TEAK OIL
These are awesome tips! We own a renovated home, so many opportunities for us to make it more energy efficient, especially in the basement!
Kristen recently posted…10 Benefits to Having a Cat
These are things I will need to talk to my husband about, lol! Such good ideas to save money and be more energy efficient.
The right siding definitely makes a difference. Also, we had our windows switched out for energy efficient ones. We save so much on heating now.
I need to keep this all in mind! We’ve been wanting to get a new roof and I know we could use better windows.
Amber Myers recently posted…Different Places To Enjoy OREO Goodies
These are really great tips that all homeowners should seriously consider. It would be better to invest in good quality roofing, sidings and window insulation. It may seem costly now, but the returns will be awesome. I will have to look into the option of replacing our sidings.
Everyone should be aware of upgrades needed around their home. Check with your electric company as many offer rebates for all sorts of upgrades and will also come out and check your place (doors, windows, etc) to see if they need seals of any kind. There are people in our area (Southern California) that have gotten thousands of dollars in rebates for making home upgrades. Just one more reason to upgrade the exterior of your home.
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You can definitely notice the difference after having your roofing redone. I need to think about updating our siding.
The roof could have such a large impact on energy efficiency for your home! In terms of siding, I actually had no idea about that!
Lisa Favre recently posted…4 Ways to Spruce Up Your Correspondence
We just got a new roof a few years ago and were surprised at how it helped our home energy use. There are some other exterior modifications that we want to do!
My sister could use some new siding on her home. It is currently is such distress and who knows what color it is even suppose to be?!
I want to get new windows so this is a good resource for me. We are going through electricity like crazy this summer!
I didn’t know that siding could make a difference when it comes to energy efficiency. This is all great information.
Stacie recently posted…Top Tips for Hiring a Contractor
Sears offers a great service and they are quick too with their same day/next day appointments. Knowing these facts about energy efficiency and home exteriors is really helpful.
Tara recently posted…Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich
It’s amazing what energy efficient products can do for your home. We have only had the roof re done on the exterior. But the biggest money saver I’ve found is a wifi thermostat. We have saved so much money with it.
Stephanie of The TipToe Fairy recently posted…Break Free from Financial Abuse
Oh this is so great!! I had no idea it was so important.
This is fantastic. I love finding new ways to be more energy efficient.
We have energy-efficient windows, but that’s where our list ends. I need to look into doors and roofing to help save energy.
Soaking in all of these ideas. As we are in the process of buying a home and probably a fixer upper!
Great tips for home ideas for being more efficient. It’s always good to conserve energy
Eileen | Yesmissy.com recently posted…The Arise Box – Ethical Summer Essentials
I’ve learned some things just reading this post. We purchased a home that was only 2 years old so this far we haven’t had to work on the outside.
We have thought about solar panels.
These are all great tips and I’m sure most of us don’t realize how energy efficient (or not!) is our home.
Betty Boiron recently posted…How to Get Daily Spa Treatments in the Comfort of Your Home
We’re gonna have to replace the roof of our new home soon. We just replaced our windows and that made a big difference.
These are all really great ideas. I have also been tampering with the idea of solar power.
I just recently got energy efficient windows. I will tell you this; they have made such a huge impact on our efficiency.
My husband is a solar electrician so we are totally into the solar and energy efficient upgrades. They are a great way to produce power that’s for sure.
This is very helpful post full of useful tips that I will have to pass on to my suburban friends. There is nothing more wasteful than not making those upgrades to make ones house more energy efficient.
This is a great post on energy efficient exterior improvements to their home. Sears Home Services sounds like a great place to go for any home improvements. They have great savings right now too. Thanks for sharing the information.