Issue Date: April 7, 2002
Setting priorities
8 projects you can do today that will save you money tomorrow.
By Lou Manfredini
Small projects can add value to your home at a fraction of the cost of renovations.
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WITH HOME IMPROVEMENTS, it's always important to think like a seller, whether you'll be holding on to your house for one, five or 10 years. That's the only way to guarantee that the money you put into it now will increase your home's value when it comes time to sell. With that in mind, here are eight things you can take care of right now.
Arrange to have your mechanical equipment serviced. Your furnace, boiler and central air conditioner are machines that need annual servicing by a professional. Your water heater should be drained to remove corrosive sediments, and its burner should be cleaned. It might cost you $100 a year to clean and inspect the furnace and water heater, and it'll greatly extend the life of your equipment.
Clean and stain your deck. People hear the words "pressure-treated wood" and somehow think their decks are immune to the need for maintenance. Wrong. A wooden deck can become discolored and ugly in less than a year. To remedy that, clean your deck with a power washer (you can rent one from a hardware store), then sand it carefully with a palm sander. Now apply a deck preservative -- specifically, one that contains linseed oil and the pigment of your choice.
Create a dry basement. A leaky basement can turn your house into a mold-filled mess. Take action now: If you have small cracks that leak, they often can be repaired professionally with an epoxy injection ($500 to $700). For bigger leaks, you'll need a sump pump. A construction crew will excavate a perimeter drain around the edge of the basement floor, then connect it to the pump, at a cost of $2,000 to $5,000. It's worth every penny.
Install new windows. If you've suffered through another winter of drafty windows and are tired of propping them open in the warm weather, consider replacing them. It's an expensive proposition ($400 to $700 per window, installed), but you'll lower both your heating and air conditioning bills and add real value to your home. In many cases, a reputable window company can change every window within a few days, leaving interior and exterior trim intact.
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs. They may not add to the resale value of your home, but these bulbs ($5 to $9 each) can shave one-third off your electricity bill. With new technology, they can be screwed into lamps, recessed ceiling lights -- even into fixtures attached to dimmers. An extra advantage: They last as long as 10,000 hours, compared with 800 hours for an ordinary incandescent bulb.
Install a programmable thermostat. At night or when you're not at home, there's no reason to keep your house fired up to 70 degrees in winter, or kept to a cool 72 in summer. Programmable thermostats can be set to raise and lower your home's temperature automatically, according to your schedule. They're easy to install and can save you as much as 30% on your energy bill over a year.
Recaulk your shower or tub. Botched caulk jobs that look like bad cake decorations trap moisture in the bathroom and become breeding grounds for mold. Who wants to stand naked near that? Cut the old caulk out carefully with a sharp knife, then tool a new bead of silicone caulk into place. Use masking tape to mark the edges of the caulk, then smooth the fresh bead with your finger. Peel the tape away, and you'll have a professional-looking, leak-free finish.
Install ceiling fans. These help reduce energy costs in the summer by supplementing the air conditioning. But they also help in the winter by drawing hot air down from the ceilings. Be prepared to pay $250 or more for top-quality fans, and hire a professional to install them so they don't wobble or make noise.
Contributing Editor Lou Manfredini is the host of radio's "Ask Mr. Fix-It" program and a regular contributor to the Today show. His new book, Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home (Ballantine Books, $23.95), is in stores now.
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