If you have an older home or are thinking about buying one, there are many improvements that you want to consider doing right away. They will be worth your while in terms of being able to afford your home’s upkeep and fully enjoy it. Here are 8 upgrades that you should make as soon as you can.
-
HVAC
Unless your older home were recently updated, you would likely have an older heating and air conditioning system. It will also not likely have all the newest energy efficiency developments on the market in the last five years. Yes, it is an expensive investment, but without making it, you will end up paying thousands of extra dollars each year to heat and cool your home. Calibration service providers will have properly calibrated a new system and will last you well over 20 years. Now is the time to do it!
-
Thermostat
Some older homes may have been fitted with a new thermostat during previous renovations and repairs. But few older homes will have the latest programmable thermostat that will let you regulate the heat in your older home automatically. This will allow you to lower the temperature in your home while you are away during the day or sleeping at night. A programmable thermostat will become another energy-efficient tool that will help your older home become affordable and more comfortable to live in.
-
Windows
One of the first things you should do after you move into your older home is to walk around and stand near the windows. See if a breeze or any drafts is coming through them. Don’t be surprised when you feel that burst of air. Older homes will need their windows replaced right away. In the summer, you lose any benefit of air conditioning, and in the winter, you will freeze if you don’t take this important first step and improve your older home.
-
Sealing
Older homes are not usually sealed properly. Unfortunately, that wasn’t their priority in the days before energy efficiency. Many people believed it was better to have a house that breathed instead of a perfectly sealed one. Sealing is something you can do yourself, but it might be worth your while to get an inspection and some suggestions from a reputable contractor t see if more complex repairs and sealing might be required.
-
Insulation
There weren’t as many insulation options available when many older homes were built as compared to today. As a result, most of them are not well insulated. But, like replacing old windows and sealing all the cracks, insulation can save you a lot of energy and money in both the short and long term. Your contractor or handyman can give you some suggestions on the best way to start this process which may be best to do a piece at a time as you lovingly restore your older home.
-
Water Heater
You will almost certainly have to replace your water heater. In most older homes that are not up to today’s standards, you are likely losing hot water and money that is just going down the drain with your old model water heater. Experts suggest that you can reduce up to 20 percent of your annual energy costs just in this one move. You can save money and never worry about running out of hot water ever again.
-
Kitchen
We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, preparing and eating meals and just socializing. If you have an older home, you will want to replace the appliances as soon as you can and the flooring and the kitchen cabinets. Some older homes have a kitchen with charm, but few have the modern appliances and durable flooring that we’ve become used to.
-
Painting
You will have to paint and replace the wallpaper in any old home. Some of the rooms may have been updated, but just for that clean, fresh look, you will want to apply a new coat of paint to many of them. Paint your master bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom first. Then you can move in and enjoy the rustic surroundings while you decide on design and colors for the rest of the house.
