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Seven home improvement projects that can help you save

At Reliant, we’re here to help you increase your energy efficiency, so you’ll have a better chance to save on your electricity bills.

Seven home improvement projects that can help you save

At Reliant, we’re here to help you increase your energy efficiency, so you’ll have a better chance to save on your electricity bills.

That’s why we’ve created a do-it-yourself section featuring simple, common-sense tips and tricks to help you make the most of your home.

You’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about home improvement projects, along with guides on a handful of easy-to-follow DIY projects that could help you cut year-round energy usage.

Reliant's do-it-yourself home energy improvement project guides
 

Regardless of your level of home improvement expertise, we have seven great DIY home improvement projects you can try. These seven projects are fairly quick and easy to complete and can help increase the energy efficiency of your space.

Seal air leaks with caulk Weatherstripping exterior doors Turn a ladder into a drying rack Make a simple door draft stopper Apply window film to block the sun Insulate hot water pipes Build your own rain barrel

Frequently asked questions on DIY home energy projects

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Certain projects require a professional for safety reasons, such as projects that involve electrical work or changing the structure of a room. If you are working in an area that may pose a safety risk, such as a bathroom (where both water and electrical wiring are present), you will be required by law to hire a professional electrician.1 In addition to putting you at risk of injury, attempting a project that should be handled by a licensed professional could lead to home damage and rack up the costs of your project. Always exercise caution when entering your attic or accessing other spaces where the flooring or other surfaces are dimly lit and potentially hazardous.

On the flip side, there are plenty of DIY projects you can tackle yourself to achieve a sense of accomplishment. Smaller-scale projects that improve the look and feel of your home and also increase energy efficiency are great projects for DIY home improvement. For instance, you can probably fill in cracks around your windows with caulk or make a decorative door draft stopper fairly easily.

Most landlords will not allow you to make changes to rental properties, so it is very important to check with your landlord before considering any type of remodeling. Sometimes, minor changes are permissible if they are reversible once you move out — for example, painting a wall.2

It may better suit you to tackle smaller DIY projects that will help you crack down on that energy bill but leave your property unchanged. A great project of this scope would be making a DIY door draft stopper that will help to keep heating and cooling in intended areas and cut back on drafts. Or, if you want to reduce how often you run your dryer, create an affordable and eye-pleasing laundry drying rack. You can find instructions for both of these projects in this section.

As with most things, there are both pros and cons to DIY home improvement projects. On the positive side, homeowners can benefit from purchasing supplies at local home improvement stores and doing DIY projects themselves to cut down on costs. It’s done on your timeline, and you can decide when you want to work on the project. No need to wait on a professional to come work on it.

On the other hand, a con can be that you may bite off more than you can chew and wind up spending more fixing what you’ve messed up. Or, some people find that the turnaround time for the project takes too long. If you need a quick turnaround, you might need to hire a professional. But, if you’re looking to gain a sense of satisfaction and grow your experience, DIY may be right for you.3

Keep it fun and choose projects you think will make a difference in your home or that you will have a good time completing. It can be interesting to track how much, if any, changes you see in your energy usage and costs in the months following an energy-efficiency project. Those results can help you determine which other projects might make a difference.

You can find energy-saving tips and projects all over the Internet, but the ones that will help you the most are probably not the same as the ones that would work for someone living in a different town, climate or type of home.

  1. Understand the scope of improvements or projects you're willing to take on and your own skill level. Unless you already have a lot of experience with home improvements, start small and go from there.
  2. Read some of our energy-saving tips to get an idea of some small behavioral changes you can make and then consult this guide for larger improvement ideas.

Once you have a good idea of what you're able to take on and the improvements that could make a difference for your particular home, you can test the waters (and your theories about what will make an impact) with small projects first. For example, you could start out by changing out standard light fixtures for energy-efficient light fixtures or installing a smart thermostat. After that, you can try out some of the simpler DIY projects in this guide and then, as you feel more confident, progress on to some of the more complicated weekend projects. In short, the best projects for you are ones you feel confident you can do safely and that will work for your home. Even small changes can make a big difference.

If you reach a point where you need to call in for backup for your renovation projects, you may need to reach out to a local handyman or renovation project professional. Lifehacker has an excellent article that can help you decide if you want to tackle a project yourself or call in an expert. Even if the experts complete part of the project, such as the more complex portions of a kitchen remodel, and you complete only the smaller-scale portions such as installing energy-saving light bulbs and appliances, you can still get the efficiency upgrades you want in the long run.