New Years Resolutions to Improve Your Home

The new year is almost here, and you might be thinking about making resolutions to lose some weight or quit a bad habit. While these are positive changes, if you follow through with them, there are a lot of resolutions that you can make about your home that you can actually stick with.

Sure, eating better will be good for your health, but upgrading some of your home appliances and electrical systems will have some positive impacts on your health as you rest easier and feel more comfortable in your house. Here are some upgrades to your home that you can easily commit to during the first few months of the new year.

Upgrade to Efficient Appliances

One of the best ways to save money on your monthly energy bill is to upgrade your appliances. The kitchen is one of the rooms in the house that uses the most energy because we have so many appliances, and if your appliances are old, you might be using more power than what's necessary. Appliances account for about 13% of a house's total energy consumption, so you can save a lot of money in the long run by upgrading appliances like your refrigerator, dishwasher, and washing machine and dryer.

Install a Smart Thermostat

If you're always concerned about keeping your energy bill under control while also enjoying a home that has a comfortable temperature, think about installing a smart thermostat. One of the benefits of this kind of thermostat is that you can set it to turn on your furnace a half an hour before you'll be home. You can even use your phone to turn on the furnace as you're leaving work, which is a great feature to have if you don't always know when you'll be home every night. Smart thermostats also learn your habits, so they can anticipate when you'll want to turn the furnace up or down, which will mean that your home will always be the perfect temperature without a lot of adjustments.

Enhance Your Outdoor Lighting

While you should always be looking for ways to save money on energy costs, skimping on your outdoor lighting isn't the best place to cut. First of all, many types of outdoor lighting actually deter burglaries because burglars prefer to work under cover of darkness. Secondly, some types of lighting are necessary to illuminate the path before you and your family and guests so that no one trips. Thirdly, some lighting fixtures can add beauty to your outdoor areas and allow you to use porches, decks, and patios later into the evening.

Replace Outlet and Light Switches

There are few things in your home that are more important to keep in working order than your house's electrical system. If you have electrical outlets that are old and have signs of damage, you need to have them replaced. But there are even upgrades that are simply nice to have done on your house because they can save you money on your electrical costs, and these upgrades can also add more options to the amount of light and where those sources of light come from in the rooms in your house. One instance in which you should absolutely switch out sockets is when you have a standard light socket near water. In this instance, you should switch regular sockets over to GFCI sockets. You might also find it useful to change outlets that you frequently plug in televisions, computers, and other types of electronics. Surge protected outlets can prevent major damage to your electronics if your house is struck by lightning. You can also install home automation dimmers and outlets to make your home more convenient.

Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It's so important to regularly test and, if necessary, replace smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. In 2015, carbon monoxide poisoning caused 393 deaths in the U.S. This gas is invisible and scentless, so you might not realize that it's there, especially if your entire household is sleeping. A carbon monoxide detector in your home can alert you and your family members of the presence of carbon monoxide even when you're all asleep.

Smoke detectors also save lives in the U.S. every year. Although you can see and smell smoke from a fire, like carbon monoxide, you might not be aware of it if you and your family are sleeping. Smoke alarms are loud enough to wake people up so that they can exit the building safely. You can also update your smoke alarm so that the one that you have in your house gives out fewer false alarms.

Improve Indoor Lighting Fixtures

New lighting fixtures in your home can make every room more comfortable, beautiful, and even safer. A ceiling fan can help you lower your energy costs by pushing warm air down into the lower parts of a room with a high ceiling so that you don't have to run the furnace as much in the winter. Track lighting can make it easier to light a specific area of the kitchen so that it's easier to cook safely. A new lighting fixture can also dramatically update an entire room if you currently have a fixture that looks like it's from the 1980s. You can also install recessed lighting for a clean aesthetic, and you can even add lights that are on timers to provide an added element of security and safety.

Install an Electric Car Charger

If you have an electric vehicle, you probably wanted to save money on gas and help the environment, but you must have a place to charge your vehicle. If you've recently made the leap to an electric car or are thinking about buying one, you should put getting a car charger installed at your home at the top of your priority list.

Consider Business Upgrades

If you own a business or manage one, the buildings that your employees work in and customers shop in might benefit from better lighting. Factories, warehouses, and other spaces need to be well lit so that employees can avoid accidents and be the most productive, and new fluorescent lighting is one of the most cost-effective ways to illuminate large spaces. If you have a boutique store, you want lighting that best displays your products to make them look attractive to your customers. Many types of lighting can add benefit to a wide range of businesses, so if you own a business, you should make the new year's resolution to assess your buildings and determine where you could use new light fixtures.

The new year is a time to start fresh and make changes that can benefit your personal and professional life. Think about all of the ways that electricity, alarms, and lighting options can add value to your life, then make a resolution to optimize the spaces where you live and work.