Renovating your home is part and parcel of being a homeowner. Most homeowners have no choice but to make improvements to ensure their living space is more comfortable and functional. Others are focused on increasing their home’s resale value and creating an aesthetically pleasing space that impresses buyers. In any case, there are common home renovation items that most people focus on, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and master bathroom. However, there’s more to home renovations than these items. There’s so much you can do and so many other areas of your home you can focus on improving. As such, here’s a quick guide on the home renovation items you must know about.
Energy-Efficient Roofs
At one point or another, you might wonder whether it’s time for a roofing replacement. If your roof is old and requires frequent repairs, then it’s probably a good time to replace it. Most importantly, if you have been seeing an unexplained increase in your energy bills, an old and inefficient roof might be to blame. To reverse the situation and reduce your energy bill, consider purchasing an energy-efficient roof and hiring a reputable roofer to install it. Energy-efficient roofs not only help lower your energy bill, but they can also come with tax savings, and they help to reduce your carbon footprint.
Basically, when you install an energy-efficient roof, your roofing system will work with you to reduce the energy consumption of your home. Your options for an energy-efficient roof replacement include asphalt shingles, solar tiles, metal roofs, green roofs, and roofs with insulation and cool roof coatings. Take a metal roof, for instance. This is one of the most energy-efficient options that have high reflectivity and emissivity. All that means is that metal roofs reflect solar energy, and they re-emit heat, which helps keep your home cooler and ensures your HVAC system uses less energy. What’s even better is that metal roofing offers many options. You can choose from panels, tiles, and shakes. Similarly, you can choose metal roofs made from different colors or materials, such as steel, aluminum, and copper.
Yard Upgrades
When it comes to home renovation items you need to know, the exterior of your home also deserves mention. After all, if you’re looking to boost curb appeal and create the right impression of your home, the exterior has to look good as well. So if you want to refresh your yard and increase the resale value of your home, you should consider a variety of yard upgrades that pay off. One of them is to give your yard a makeover. For instance, if you have overgrown trees and shrubs on your property, you can start by hiring an affordable tree service to spruce up your greenery.
You can also work with a landscaping company to help you implement an effective lawn care program to help your lawn look lush and vibrant. When it comes to fixing your home’s facade, there are also several things you can do to upgrade your home’s look. You can replace your front door, your garage door, or clean your siding, all of which can make a huge difference to how your home looks. On top of that, look into what structures you can add to enhance the beauty of your property. The list includes adding a deck or patio, building an outdoor fire pit, or installing a water feature or gazebo.
Safety Installations
Since your home is one of the most important assets you have, renovation items you’re considering must include ways to protect your investment. Fortunately, there are many ways you can secure your home. One of the best ways to keep your home is by safe is by setting up a security system, which can include features such as an alarm system, professional monitoring, and safety cameras. Due to technological advancements, you can now get security cameras that you can operate via a mobile app and which come with impressive features, such as motion detection, night vision, weatherproof casing, and two-way talk.
You should also safeguard your home from fires by installing a fire alarm system and CO detectors. It’s also a good idea to buy new fire extinguishers if the expiration date has passed on your current fire extinguishers. Other ways to keep your home secure are making sure your doors have solid security features, installing effective locks on your windows, making sure your garage door is secure, and using home automation. Setting up these security measures may not be as fun as decorating your home, but this is one of the most practical home renovation items. You’ll sleep better at night knowing you and your family are safe and that your assets are well-protected.
Clean Water Systems
As you’re renovating your home, it may also be a great idea to purchase a whole house filter that ensures that it cleans and filters the water entering your home from every point. This type of filtration system is designed to remove contaminants from your home’s water supply. For instance, it can remove excess minerals, turning the hard water into soft water. It can also remove sentiment and ensure that the water you drink does not smell like chlorine. There are many different types of water filters available on the market, including water softeners, UV purification systems, sediment filters, and carbon filters. It’s important to do your research before deciding which water filter is best for your needs.
If you want the best water heater quality, be sure to clean your water heater and remove any sediments that might affect the functionality of your water heater. This also minimizes the need for water heater repair and increases the life span of your water heater. You can also invest in self-cleaning water heater systems that prevent sediment from accumulating at the bottom of your water heater tank. These are all home renovation items you can consider to ensure clean water systems in your home.
Energy-Efficient Windows
If you’re looking for home renovation items that help increase the overall energy efficiency of your home, there are more ways to do this than installing an energy-efficient roof. For instance, energy-efficient windows can help you reduce your energy bills, allowing you to save more over time. You can choose from several types of windows that increase your energy efficiency. There are fixed windows, which can’t be opened, and this creates an airtight seal that prevents air from entering or escaping your home. You also have insulated windows, which are double-paned, with each pane being separated by insulating gas. If you want to take things up a notch, you can go with triple-paned windows that offer additional layers of insulation.
If you don’t have the budget to replace your windows, consider making use of a residential window tinting service. The trick is to ensure you apply an energy-saving film that can reduce and block heat effectively. Having energy-efficient windows is one of the most cost-effective home renovation items because the wrong windows can make it difficult to maintain an ideal indoor temperature. Windows that are not air-tight will allow air to leak inside or to escape from your home, and this gives your HVAC system even more work to do. The increase in energy bills might not seem like much, but it all adds up over time.
Additional Home Light Fixtures
Your home could do with additional home light fixtures, especially on the outside. For instance, it’s generally encouraged to have enough outdoor lighting to light up the landscape. This will boost your home’s security since vandals, burglars, and intruders are not willing to be in the spotlight. Having sufficient outdoor lighting can effectively deter criminals, so be sure to place lights in strategic positions of your home, such as the front and backyard, near outdoor structures, and along pathways. Bright lights eliminate hiding places, and you can even combine your outdoor lighting with home automation that allows you to schedule lights to turn on during specific times.
When it comes to indoor lighting, it’s important to realize that you can use various light fixtures to enhance a room’s design and ambiance. If you have any outdated or non-functional light fixtures, you can start by hiring a local electrician to take care of the issue. Also, if you want to save energy with your lighting choices, make sure you switch to LED lighting, which uses the most energy-efficient lighting technology.
Before you consider adding more home light fixtures, it’s best to take the time to review the most common types of light fixtures and the effect they can help you create. For instance, you can choose from floor lamps, chandeliers, pendant lighting, wall scones, decorative accent lighting, and table lamps. You should also be aware of the difference between ambient light, task lighting, and accent lighting to effectively create rooms with layered lighting.
Home Plumbing Systems
One of the major home renovation items that every homeowner should consider is the plumbing system. From the get-go, it’s best to enlist the services of a plumber since your home’s plumbing system comprises water supply pipes, vent pipes, drain pipes, and other components to make up a complex network. This can make it complicated to figure out if there’s anything wrong with your plumbing system unless you are utilizing professional plumbing services. Take, for instance, toilet repair. It’s possible to perform common toilet repairs such as repairing the flush valve or replacing a ballcock on your own. But, if there’s a major clog deep in your plumbing system that’s causing your toilet to flood, then you need a plumber with the right equipment to diagnose and fix the issue.
There are also many other common plumbing repairs that might require you to hire a plumber. For instance, if your sinks are not draining properly, this indicates you might have a drainage issue, and this is where a plumber’s drain snake comes in. The drain snake is a long and flexible instrument that’s effective at dislodging clogs in your plumbing pipes. The advantage of working with a plumber is that they can also perform inspections to identify and fix issues before they become worse. This keeps your home plumbing systems functioning smoothly and saves you a lot of time, money, and frustrations.
Home Additions
Home additions are another popular home renovation idea that can help you add more space to your home. The good news is that they come in all shapes and sizes, depending on your budget and your preferences. For instance, if you have a large budget, you can go big by adding another story to your home. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a mid-size home addition project, you can add walls to your patio to create a fully functional room, which can be used as an extra guest room. If you’re looking for a micro-addition, consider a small kitchen bump-out so that you have more storage room in your kitchen.
Small bump-outs also work for bedrooms and for instance, you can create room for a closet that’s specially designed by a custom closet design company. Other ideas include adding a new enclosed porch or adding a deck to your home. Whatever option works for you, this is often preferable and cheaper than looking for a larger home.
In conclusion, it’s worthwhile adding these home renovation items to your checklist of things to do to achieve your dream home. It’s common for some homeowners to wonder which areas of their homes they need to tackle. Besides the obvious places like the kitchen and bathroom, it’s easy to overlook other areas of your home that could do with a bit of improvement. Remember, the goal is to spruce your home from the inside out, which is why it’s a good idea to prioritize these home renovation items. When you incorporate the right home renovation ideas, you can enjoy watching your home coming together beautifully!
