Thinking of doing some home renovations? These six fixes will not only make your home more comfortable and visually appealing, they’ll significantly cut down on your electricity bill, too! The long-term savings are priceless.

Here are a few areas you can target during your next home improvement project to increase your home’s energy efficiency.

• Get a low flow toilet or showerhead. You can save a significant amount of money over time by installing these low flow fixtures. Naturally, prices will depend on where you live, but you can reasonably expect your new fixtures to pay for themselves in 10 years of use or less.

• Check your insulation. Improvements can help keep the temperature of your home regulated, which will keep your energy bill lower all year around.

• Install CFL bulbs in your home. These light bulbs are more energy efficient and last much longer than regular light bulbs. If you are preparing to take the plunge and buying new bulbs for one room, then you should consider buying more bulbs at a cheaper price and install them around your entire home to maximize your savings!

• Try a clean and smart dishwasher. These appliances use less hot water, and can even be programmed to run during off-peak hours when they will use cheaper electricity.

• Consider a programmable thermostat. They help you save a lot of money by tweaking the temperature in your home—you can even set it up to turn off while you are at work or sleeping and turn back on when you get home!

• Install ceiling fans. What you may not know is that ceiling fans can be used effectively during both the summer and the winter. During the winter, your fan should circulate clockwise to push warm air down and trap it low to the ground where you can feel it. In the summer, run it counterclockwise to create cool downward airflow!

Are you hungry for some further reading? Check out our Bright Insights blog post about 5 DIY projects that are sure to increase your home’s energy efficiency!

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