Even if you are living in the house you’ve always wanted, there are always ways to make it better. With technological advances and new styles, homes, much like everything else, should change with the times.
In this month’s post, we’ll go over some of our favorite ways to make your Southern California home even better and more awesome than it already is.
Why upgrade your home?
Cut costs
Let’s face it – bills are expensive. Not doing whatever you can to reduce costs could be costing you money.
Bills you could potentially cut by improving your home to make it more efficient include:
- Electricity
- Water
- Cable
- Landscaping
While your wallet is likely the main reason you’d try to reduce these these bills, in the process of lowering them you’ll also be taking action that will be better for the environment.
Make your life better
You only have one life – why not make it the best it can be? Your home is the place you spend the most time out of anywhere. You should be doing all you can to make it a place you love.
When you improve your home, you’ll reap the benefits in real time. Whether it’s making adjustments so your home is more comfortable, more efficient, or easier to maintain, it’s an investment worth making.
Increase the value of your home
In addition to lowering bills and making your life better, home improvements will always make your home more valuable. At times the increase in home valuation could even pay for the home improvement, meaning you’d get to enjoy it essentially for free.
Ways to upgrade your home
Buying solar panels (but not leasing them)
Solar panels are one of the most awesome ways any Southern California homeowner can make their homes better. With solar panels, you can actually control the cost of your energy as opposed to fully relying on the utility companies. With energy costs expected to rise by over 80% in the coming years, this is huge news.
Owning your own solar panels will let you pay up to 66% less for each kilowatt hour. Over time, this will save you loads of money! Plus, solar panels are one of the best ways available to homeowners to increase the value of your home. Converting your home to solar power is a no brainer here in Southern California!
Remember – the only way to truly use solar panels to make your home awesome is to buy your solar panels, not leasing them. Leasing solar panels will not let you take full advantage of the benefits of solar panels, including tax breaks.
- Cost of leasing per kwh: $.18/kwh (plus the lease increases 3% every year)
- Cost of buying per kwh: $.06/kwh (sometimes less!)
Whole house fan
Whole house fans are a great way to effectively cool your home and not waste energy filling your stuffy house with hot air that won’t integrate.
Whole house fans work in conjunction with your air conditioner, not against them.
Homes without whole house fans have hot, stale air sticking around while their air conditioners work long and hard to cool it down. This means wasted energy from the AC working overtime to compensate for all that hot air!
With a whole house fan, that steamy air will be cycled and sucked out from your home, making way for the cold air the AC is producing. This means your AC will run for less time, saving you money and giving you an easier climate to control inside your home.
At Inter Faith, we use only green, quiet whole house fans, ensuring your home stays free of both noise and air pollution.
Battery backup
Many homeowners using solar panels will still take advantage of the grid system in situations when it’s not sunny outside and you can’t produce energy from the sun.
While this is a nice safety net, another option allowing you to further yourself even more from the utility companies is installing a battery backup for your solar panels. These batteries are easy to install and offer a number of benefits, including:
- Using only your own solar power, meaning lower costs and true self-sufficiency
- Being unaffected by power failures of the grid system, such as when power lines are knocked down
- More eco-friendly solution, since you will never use anything but solar power
- No noise pollution like with a backup generator
Eco-friendly lawn
In Southern California, water can be an expensive problem. With recent droughts and water shortages, having water to hydrate your grass lawn may not always be possible.
A great way to combat this and still have an outdoor space you want to spend time in is to turn your lawn into an eco-friendly option, such as…
- Astroturf, or synthetic grass. While it used to get hot underfoot and be potentially dangerous, modern astroturf is a safe and eco-friendly alternative to grass. In addition to not needing water, it will also never need to be cut or maintained
- Native plants: These will be able to survive with no added maintenance such as watering, as they have survived in your area forever
- Desert plants: Some of the most resilient plants available, cacti and other desert plants will have the ability to survive with little water
All of these options will work great in Southern California and will protect your home in the event of a water ban. Plus, you won’t have to be constantly maintain and mow your lawn, giving you time to do the things you actually enjoy!
Other ways to improve your Southern California home
Security system
A great way to keep your family safe, security systems will help alert you to any intruders into your home. Systems come in a range of intensities, from minor alerts to full-fledged systems with motion detectors.
In addition to altering you of intruders, security systems offer a number of benefits, including:
- Lowering your homeowners insurance
- Notification of gas or fire issues in your home
- Determent of crime
- Protection of valuables
- Peace of mind
Smart home integrations
As we enter the 21st century, there have never been more ways to make your home more integrated and connected. While there is nothing wrong with the old ways of doing things, smart home integrations allow for a more convenient home experience and for you to take further advantage of the latest and greatest technology.
Home assistants, including Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomePod, allow you to manage a range of further home integrations with just your voice. These integrations and ease of use lead to a more efficient home that will save you money.
With smart home assistants, you can manage smart home integrations with your…
- Thermostat
- Lighting
- Sound system
- Security cameras
- Appliances
- Window treatments
Ready to take the power back from the utility company?
Contact us online or give us a call at (661) 245-3224 to learn more about solar panels from Inter Faith Solar and Electric.
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