How Home Improvements Can Help the Quality of Your Living Space

Whether you live under the bright lights of NYC or in the privacy of nature out west, everyone loves to feel safe and comfortable in their homes. But let's face it, over time, homes go through normal wear and tear that requires some fixing.

Some upgrades can be made purely for aesthetic purposes and make your home look nicer, but others are more practical and can really improve your quality of life. Here are a few simple upgrades you can make to really make a difference in your home:

Peripherals For Air Vents

To be clear, any upgrades or repairs you need to make to your home's HVAC system need to be done by a professional. But, you can use your air vents to control the flow of air in your home, whether you want warm or cool air. You can attach air deflectors to your vents and will prevent air from leaking or letting outside air in. Americans get around a billion colds a year, so a well-controlled HVAC system is important.

New Light Bulbs

If you're looking to make your NYC home more energy-efficient, you can't go wrong with installing LED light bulbs in your home. These last longer, use less energy, and will help cut down on your energy bills. As an added bonus, LEDs are relatively inexpensive, so you can outfit your entire home with them.

Check Your Plumbing

Believe it or not, there are some water storage tanks in use that are more than 100 years old. If you have one in your NYC home that's still running, you'll want to make sure everything is in good shape, especially with winter coming. While you're at it, check your home's plumbing system. Even a simple leak coming out of a toilet or a dripping sink can have a big impact on your home. It can cause water to pool up in places it shouldn't and it can drive up your utility bills.

Clean Up

One simple, but very effective way to improve your quality of life in your NYC home is to de-clutter it. Chances are good you've got a storage room just teeming with clutter or maybe a closet that's filled to the brim. By de-cluttering your home, it will obviously be cleaner, but you'll feel accomplished and you'll likely have cleaner air inside too, once you vacuum and remove dirt and dust.

Find Other Ways To Go Green

If you're truly committed to cutting down on your energy use, you should look for other ways to be more energy-efficient. That doesn't necessarily have to include something big like installing a solar panel -- though that certainly helps -- but you can instead install LED bulbs and install energy-efficient blinds and windows. If you truly are looking to go bigger -- like if you need a new roof -- you can have an energy-efficient one. It will block most UV rays from the sun, provide better insulation from the heat, and actually cool the entire house more than a traditional roof.

You'd be surprised at how little changes to your NYC home can drastically improve your quality of life. Something as simple as installing new light bulbs can give you more light inside while lowering your energy bills. Installing new blinds or curtains can protect your furniture, block more UV rays, and keep your house cooler. Cleaning on a regular basis can remove dust and dirt so you'll breathe cleaner air. So get to work on simple changes; you'll be surprised what a difference they make.

Home Improvement Projects That Will Increase Your House's Value

If your kids have recently moved out of their childhood home, you are planning to sell in the near future, or you are looking for some projects to embark on, perhaps it is time to get started on a home improvement project or two that will increase your house's value. You can choose to work on many of these projects yourself, or you can hire a professional to attend to needs outside of your comfort zone.

Consider a Garage Door Replacement

How old is your garage door? Is it getting rusty, is it not working properly, or is its color outdated or covered in dirt? Perhaps it's time to consider a garage door replacement. With diligence, this project can take only one day to complete. You can purchase a garage door, a garage door kit, and other materials you will need to complete the project at a home improvement store. Be sure to enlist some help with removing the old door and installing the new one so you don't get hurt.

This project can cost up to $2,000 if you do it yourself, and you will likely get most of that back when you go to sell your home down the road. You can also choose a nice color for your new garage door that complements the colors, ambiance, and style of your home.

Finish Your Basement

Another project you can work on yourself is finishing your basement. If you use it as a space for storage, you can still do so once it's finished. For prospective buyers in the future, having a finished basement that allows a family to choose how it's used is a wonderful benefit that is highly sought in the real estate market.

Before you get to work, you may want to invest in a proper professional inspection for mold, moisture issues, and water issues. You don't want your basement to be contaminated or unable to hold in moisture after redoing it. Finishing your basement includes sealing the walls, installing foam board sheets, building the walls, and much more. Alongside research, you can find videos online to help you through this process. Since videos are growing to become one of the most popular ways of consuming content, with YouTube having over 2 billion visitors every month, there are dozens of basement DIY videos to follow. This project will take some time, so be prepared and perhaps enlist some help from a handy family member or friend.

Consider Building a Deck

Do you have extra space in your backyard? Consider building a deck to increase your home's value. Surely you and your family will enjoy time relaxing on it, too.

Building a deck can take anywhere from one week to one month depending on how big you want it, how much time you have each day to work on it, and how much help you can get building it. This job is labor-intensive and will require much attention to detail. The average cost of building a deck is between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on how large it is. However, you will gain much of it back when your home is sold in the future. Get an excellent and reliable concrete contractor in Orange County CA or somewhere near you to get it done beautifully. Many families seek decks for pools and for extra sitting space outside, so this project is well worth it.

Embark On a Minor Kitchen Remodel

14% of homeowners planned to make improvements to their kitchens in 2018. Are you next? A minor kitchen remodel costs a fraction of a full remodel, around $20,000, and will help increase your home's value. You can also expect to recoup about 70% of that cost after you sell your home in the future, making it a worthy investment.

First, consider repainting the walls and cabinets in your kitchen. This low-cost task can brighten the room and completely transform its look. If your kitchen cabinets are old, consider entirely replacing them. A new set will make your kitchen look great. Then, look into purchasing new, energy-efficient appliances for your kitchen. These simple projects will increase your home's value and transform the overall look of your kitchen for the better.

Deep Clean Your Home

A simpler project you can easily embark on is deep cleaning your home. This includes sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, and utilizing tools to reach and clean every corner of your house.

Another aspect of this project may include deep cleaning systems and appliances in your home, such as your oven, chimney, fireplace, and heat exchanger. If your oven isn't self-cleaning, it should be cleaned once every three months or so. Manufacturers suggest cleaning chimneys and fireplaces once a year and heat exchangers a minimum of once every five years. These pieces in your home are important to clean for the safety of your family and the overall health of your home.

Consider taking on one or two of these projects if you would like to increase the value of your home. Whether you plan on selling your house in the near or distant future, it's not a bad idea to get a head start on improving and adding onto parts of your home. Not only will future prospective buyers appreciate what these projects have to offer, but you will be able to enjoy them, too.