4 Simple Home Projects That Will Start Saving You Money Immediately

Although the weather is pretty reasonable right now in most parts of the country, summer is just around the corner, which can spell hot weather and big utility bills. Fortunately, there are lots of very simple home projects you can do on your own that will start saving you money right away.

The goal is simple: saving energy and water without having to do anything too complicated.

Here are some great projects for new homeowners, or for people who just want to try their hand at a little DIY, that can help you lower your bills and give you more wiggle room in your budget.

1. Seal up your home

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when the winter comes and you're freezing from the drafts coming from the windows and from under the door, the value of a well-sealed home will become very apparent. In the warmer months, it's not so obvious, but it's just as important to have a well-sealed home to keep cooler air inside.

This is a simple project that only requires a few supplies:

• Enough caulk to go around the windows, doors, and trim inside and outside of your home
• A knife to remove the old caulk
• A caulk gun
• New door sweeps to replace any damaged ones
• New door seals where needed

The cost of sweeps and door seals will depend on your door configurations and sizes. Sweeps tend to run $10 to $15, and $16 to $42 for door seals.

Caulking around the outside of a home is a lot more universal, requiring the same tools and materials for most homes. Expect to spend up to $0.20 per linear foot of caulk, plus a weekend's worth of time. It's not a task you need to repeat yearly, but watch for cracking or shrinkage that indicates it's time to do it again.

2. Install heat-control window film

If you've already seen heat-control window film at your nearest home improvement center, you may have wondered if it really works. Although it seems like a weird little add-on that won't make enough difference to be worth the effort, I can tell you personally that it makes a massive difference.

The General Services Administration did a study on the heat-control film (also known as low-e film) installed in some buildings it was trying to save money on across seven climate zones, and found that the HVAC savings averaged about 29% over prior years after installation.

Lucky for you, you can pick up a roll big enough for three windows for about $50 at a big-box home improvement store. You'll also need an installation kit, which is a one-time purchase for about $20.

3. Put up an awning

Awnings were incredibly popular before air conditioning was common, and for a good reason -- they really keep the heat out on those blistering summer days. Sadly, they fell out of fashion for a long time, and are only now starting to see a renaissance. Fortunately, there are tons of designs and materials to choose between, from simple fabric awnings to motorized and aluminum numbers, so there's an awning for every budget.

You can expect to spend about $200 on a simple retractable fabric awning that's 98 inches long and 60 inches wide (remember, these hang at an angle, so it won't stick out a full 60 inches).

4. Install ceiling fans

Ceiling fans are the Swiss Army knives of the home comfort appliance world. Depending on which way the fan rotates, it can help move warm air from against the ceiling down to the people below, or help people feel cooler through evaporation. They also help circulate air when used consistently and in every room, so you don't have as many hot or cool spots.

Due to this behavior, ceiling fans also make it possible for you to raise your thermostat up to four degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, saving money and energy. Ceiling fans cost pennies to run, but can save up to 12% on cooling costs on average. You can pick up a 52-inch model with a light kit starting at about $60, and install it yourself in a couple of hours.

Simple projects can save you a bundle

When you bought your home, your mortgage lender made sure that you could afford the payment, but it didn't say anything about the cost of heating or cooling your house. High utility bills in older homes can become a huge problem for homeowners, but there are plenty of simple ways to make your home really affordable to live in. Down the line, you can consider taking out a second mortgage or a HELOC against your equity to do even bigger projects with even bigger impact, like upgrading your HVAC system altogether.