6 Handyman Services That Can Save You Money on Your Energy Bill

Most homeowners want to keep their property in excellent condition, but sometimes the motivation to spend all your free time taking care of regular maintenance chores and nagging repairs just isn't there—or you don't have the tools and expertise needed to tackle everything on your to-do list.

The solution is to hire a professional handyman service to get every task crossed off your list quickly and efficiently. You may be concerned that there's not enough wiggle room in your budget for home repairs and maintenance, but there are a variety of services from professional handymen that can actually save you a lot of money in the long run by drastically decreasing your monthly energy costs.

You've probably heard that energy efficiency is important to decrease your utility bill, but you may not realize how many parts of your home can cause those costs to skyrocket when they fall into disrepair. The team at My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea is experienced in a wide range of home repairs that decrease energy loss and save you money.

1. Door & Window Repair

When it comes to reduced cooling and heating efficiency, degraded exterior door and window frames are major culprits that can cause your air conditioner or furnace to work overtime. Window and door frames, which are also called jambs, are usually made from wood and are therefore vulnerable to wood rot, which causes them to crumble apart and let in air drafts and moisture that raise or lower the temperature, depending on the weather outside.

Since your HVAC system uses a lot of energy trying to keep the house at the temperature you've set on the thermostat, those air drafts can have a surprisingly outsized effect on your energy costs. Your handyman can repair frames, add weatherstripping, and install new, energy-efficient replacement windows that will decrease your bill.

2. Siding Repair

Siding is your home's armor—the first line of defense against rough weather, wildlife, or just wear and tear over time. When it has suffered damage such as cracks, holes, gaps, and missing pieces, it causes issues similar to the problems with damaged exterior doors and windows by letting in moisture and air drafts. That leads to a host of other unpleasant problems such as moisture damage and pest infestations. We'll get your siding repaired or replaced to restore its energy efficiency and avoid costly water damage mitigation.

3. Drywall Repair

There's no drywall on the exterior of your house, so how can damaged drywall cause your utility bill to increase? When there are holes or cracks in your drywall, air can escape inside walls. Basically, damaged drywall means you're paying to heat or cool the interior of your walls, which is obviously a big waste of money. We'll take care of the entire drywall repair process, including painting and refinishing the wall so the repair is invisible. We can even rehang your framed photos and curtains for the finishing touch!

4. Gutter Cleaning & Repair

Rain gutters aren't directly responsible for energy loss, but it's probably safe to say that overflowing, broken gutters are the biggest indirect cause of high utility bills. Here's why: normally, your gutters collect all the rainwater that falls on your roof (just one inch of rain on a 1,000 square foot roof produces 620 gallons of water). But when they're crammed full of dead leaves, dirt, animal nests, and other debris, all that water has nowhere to go and pours down the exterior of your home instead, causing problems such as:

• Leaky roof

• Damaged siding, soffits & fascia

• Rotten window & door frames

• Cracked foundations

Since every one of these problems causes your home to lose energy efficiency, keeping your gutters in great shape really does save money, and not just on your utility bill—repairing water damage is an expensive and time-consuming headache.

5. Dryer Vent Cleaning

An automatic laundry dryer is a very convenient appliance to have, but it needs regular dryer vent cleaning to stay safe and efficient. Lint and other debris is supposed to get caught in the lint trap, while the dryer uses its vent to get rid of hot, humid air. But over time, lint makes its way into the vent and builds up, partially or completely blocking the air flow.

The blockage causes the dryer to work much harder to dry laundry, which creates two problems: it raises your utility bill by using more energy, and much worse, it can create a spark that sets the flammable lint on fire and sends flames racing through the walls of your home. Needless to say, a house fire can cause devastating property loss, injury, and even death. That's why it's critically important to get your dryer vent professionally cleaned at least once per year.

6. Porch Screen & Awning Installation

The energy-related benefit from a porch screen or awning installation service may not be immediately obvious, but it can reduce the need for air conditioning in a house that gets a lot of direct sun exposure. When the sun is beating down on the exterior walls of your house, it raises the temperature inside considerably. Naturally, that causes your HVAC to kick in and get to work. But, a screened-in porch or patio awning absorbs the sun before it can reach the actual house, keeping temperatures cooler inside so your AC doesn't have to run as frequently. And it's not just your house that benefits from the coverage—it has the added bonus of creating a cool, shady place for you to enjoy the outdoors without worrying about a sunburn.

Want to Save Money on Energy Costs? My Handyman Can Help!

Nobody wants to pay more than they have to on their utility bills, but when your home is in a state of disrepair, that's exactly what happens. Whether you're in Ann Arbor or a nearby area such as Whitmore Lake or Ypsilanti, My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea can find ways to make your home more energy efficient and cost-effective.

Give us a call today so we can get started on saving you money with handyman services that reduce energy loss.