Five Fall Home Improvement Projects for Under $50

Fall is sometimes the best time to embark upon home improvement projects, especially those that don’t break the bank. It’s cooler outside, the air is crisp and clean, and you might even be taking some much-needed time off work. Following are five fall home improvement projects that won’t cost you more than $50, but will help prepare for the bold chill of winter.

1. Insulate the Attic

Although you’ll probably save money heating the house during the winter than cooling it during the sweltering days of summer, why turn down the opportunity to save a bit of cash? A great fall home improvement project is to add insulation to the attic, which doesn’t take much time or much money.

For about thirty bucks, you can purchase a sheet of insulation and apply it to what’s already in the attic, potentially saving hundreds of dollars before spring. Most of the heat you lose during the summer rises out through the attic, so this is your major weak spot in your home. Fall home improvement was never this easy.

2. Fill the Cracks

Gaps, cracks and holes in your home can result in serious loss of heat through the winter, so try filling them in as a fall home improvement project. You can get a tube of high-quality caulk at your hardware store for under $3.00, a pack of foam sealants for under $5.00 and a few packages of weather stripping for less than $2.00 each. The experts at realestatejournal.com say that the average home as combined cracks and gaps amounting to sixteen square feet of space!

3. Buy New Bulbs

If your electricity bill is getting you down, sink it to your level with compact fluorescent bulbs, which can last up to 10,000 hours and lower the cost of lighting your home by up to 60%. They’re slightly more expensive than the regular incandescent bulbs at around $12.00 per bulb, but their longevity and electricity savings more than make up for the additional cost. You can find them at the hardware store and at many department stores, as well as online.

4. Install Smart Thermostats

If you’re tired of playing the guessing game with your thermostat, try this fall home improvement project. You can install a “smart” thermostat, which can be programmed to lower and raise the heat in your home depending on what you’re doing. For example, it might lower the temperature before bed, then raise it an hour before you wake up in the morning. It can be programmed to lower when you go to work or out shopping, and even to stay on all the time if you’re home. They cost around $50, and are well worth the investment.

5. Insulate Your Hot Water Heater

If your hot water heater is driving up the cost of electricity, you can make it a fall home improvement project to insulate it for the winter. A basic water heater blanket costs around $10.00 at the store, and can be applied in less than thirty minutes by yourself. This saves thousands of dollars needed to buy a new, energy-efficient heater, and will help keep the tank warm in between heating cycles.