Every homeowner knows that a home is both expensive and takes hard work. On average, homeowners spend between 1 and 3 percent of their home’s value on repairs and improvement. However, you can always cut costs; let’s look at some smart ways you can save money while you maintain and improve your dream home.

If you are purchasing a home, consider hiring a professional home inspector. This way, you don’t have to rely on your own eyes and the seller to tell you what may need to be fixed or replaced should you buy the home. Hiring an inspector is a great way to keep arguments about what needs to be fixed to a minimum.

Your AC unit’s filter should be kept clean. If the filter is clogged, it will force your air condition to work harder and use more energy. This could lead to longer than necessary running time and costs. To prevent dirt and grime from building up on your filters, change them out every month.

Aluminum Foil

Use aluminum foil to cover your outlet covers and switch plates before you paint. Aluminum foil is simple to apply and keeps the covers from getting paint all over them. Cleanup is a breeze! Remember to remove and recycle the foil only after the paint has dried.

Two PVC pipes can be easily attached using primer and cement made for PVC. Don’t buy anything else, as it won’t work and could cause a leak. Make sure the pipes have no water on their surfaces.

Ask a reputable professional to help you inspect the condition of your existing floors before you decide to lay down all new hardwood. You may already have wooden floors that are hidden by old carpet or vinyl flooring that are waiting to be uncovered and refurbished. You can wind up with nice, high-quality flooring for far less money than purchasing new hardwood.

If you are doing home improvement work on water pipes in your kitchen or bathroom turn off the shutoff valves. Any time your work involves the pipes or water supply in your home, you need to locate the shutoff before starting your work. This can help you avoid a flood.

Insulate the attic to save money on heating costs. Heat rises, and in the autumn and winter, you lose heat if you have poor insulation, especially in your attic. Most hardware stores carry insulation, and its installation is very simple.

After reading the tips for home improvement discussed in this article, you can rest assured that your next trip to the large home improvement stores won’t break the bank! You can still enjoy your house and keep you money by doing home projects and saving money while you do it.