home improvement
3 Energy-Saving Home Improvement Ideas
Last Updated on September 15, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Energy-Saving Home Improvement Ideas
(Family Features) Making improvements around the house to curb energy usage is not only good for the environment, it can make a big impact on your utility bills, too.
Energy-efficient appliances are a good starting point as you work to reduce your home’s overall energy usage. Depending on local tax laws, you may also qualify for tax incentives for these purchases.
There are also relatively simple DIY projects you can do around the house to improve energy conservation.
Seal air leaks. Gaps around windows, doors and other openings are major contributors to wasted energy. In the winter, they let cold air in, making your furnace work harder. Conversely, in the summer, cool air escapes and forces your air conditioner to run extra. In most cases, weather stripping or caulking can provide the necessary seal. Larger gaps may require low-expansion foam or minor drywall work. Remember to pay careful attention to the attic and basement, which can be unexpected sources of energy loss.
If replacing your door’s threshold is impractical or your threshold is not adjustable, a door bottom or sweep may effectively keep out unwanted drafts. These options install directly on the door, eliminating the need to tinker with the threshold itself or remove the door for more significant alterations.
Update insulation. Deteriorating or minimal insulation, which is found more often in older homes, can make it difficult to effectively manage your home’s temperature. While spray foam is a tempting solution that has less of an impact on your walls, it can be tricky for a novice to install correctly.
A simple and effective alternative is fiberglass batts or rolls, which can be easily cut to size and fit between studs and beams. While this approach requires sheetrock removal and re-installation, it’s also one of the lowest cost options for insulation replacement.
Regulate temperatures. Over time, thermostats can become less sensitive, leading to inaccuracies and wasted energy. Installing a programmable thermostat is a cost-effective, easy fix. Choose a model that allows you to adjust temperature settings relative to your usage, saving energy and eliminating paying for cooled or heated air when you’re not home.
For example, on summer days when you’re not home, program your system to maintain a temperature 5-10 F higher than is comfortable when you’re present. Then set it to cool to your preferred temperature approximately 30 minutes or 1 hour prior to arriving home.
Find more tips to net big savings in both energy efficiency and money at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
SOURCE:
Family Features
Consumer Corner
5 Summer Safety Risks Homeowners Often Overlook When Hosting
Summer is the perfect season for gathering outdoors with friends and family, but if you’re a homeowner planning to host barbecues, pool parties or holiday celebrations this year, it’s important to consider the potential safety and liability risks that may be affecting your own backyard. Set your summer up for success by paying special attention to these five often-overlooked seasonal safety risks.
5 Summer Safety Risks Homeowners Often Overlook When Hosting
(Feature Impact) Summer is the perfect season for gathering outdoors with friends and family, but if you’re a homeowner planning to host barbecues, pool parties or holiday celebrations this year, it’s important to consider the potential safety and liability risks that may be affecting your own backyard. A little advance planning can help you ensure that your guests enjoy safe, healthy experiences at your home and leave with only happy memories.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, thousands of injuries each year are linked to fireworks, grills and swimming pools. While most summer gatherings end without incident, Mercury Insurance is encouraging homeowners to remember that smart preparation can help you avoid unfortunate accidents and costly damage.
“A few simple safety checks can help homeowners create a safer environment for everyone while protecting the property they’ve worked hard to build,” said Larry Anderson, underwriting operations director at Mercury Insurance.
Set your summer up for success by paying special attention to these five often-overlooked seasonal safety risks.
Guest Injuries and Liability Risks
Since summer gatherings naturally increase foot traffic around a property, it should be safe to walk around. Uneven walkways, loose decking, poor lighting and pet-related incidents can all lead to injuries that homeowners may not anticipate.
Before hosting events, audit your property to repair trip hazards and ensure walkways and outdoor gathering areas are well-lit. If you have pets that may become stressed around large groups, secure them before guests arrive. Since unforeseen events can still occur despite your best efforts, review your liability coverage to understand available protections.
Unsupervised Pool Areas
Swimming pools can provide endless summer fun, but they also present one of the most serious safety risks around the home. Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death for young children, making active supervision essential whenever children are near water.
If your backyard includes a pool, ensure that gates and barriers are functioning properly, keep rescue equipment nearby and consider pool alarms and self-closing gates for additional protection. Most importantly, never leave children unattended around water.
Backyard Grill Fires
Grilling is a summer tradition, but outdoor cooking equipment can quickly become a fire hazard if used improperly. Placing your grill too close to flammable objects, letting grease build up and leaving the grill unattended can all increase the risk of property damage.
Start by making sure your grill is set up at least 10 feet away from homes, fences and overhangs before you fire it up. Clean grease trays regularly, never leave a grill unattended while cooking and keep a fire extinguisher accessible during outdoor cooking.
Fireworks Too Close to Homes and Landscaping
Fireworks-related fires increase significantly during summer, particularly in dry climates where even one stray spark can ignite vegetation or nearby structures.
The safest option, when possible, is to attend professional displays rather than hosting your own. However, if you’re planning on lighting up your skies this summer, follow all local laws and restrictions regarding fireworks and keep your launch site well away from homes, vehicles and dry landscaping. Have a water source readily available when using legal consumer fireworks.
Outdoor Electrical Hazards
Extension cords, decorative lighting, outdoor speakers and fans often receive extra use during summer gatherings. Damaged cords or overloaded outlets can create shock and fire hazards. As you set up your summer entertainment systems, check your equipment to be sure it’s rated for outdoor use. Keep electrical connections away from pools and water features, avoid overloading electrical outlets and take a few extra minutes before each gathering to inspect outdoor cords for wear and damage.
“Most homeowners focus on making their gatherings enjoyable, but safety should be part of the preparation process,” Anderson said. “Taking a few minutes to identify potential hazards before guests arrive can help prevent accidents and allow everyone to focus on enjoying the season.”
For more home safety resources and insurance information, visit MercuryInsurance.com/Resources.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Mercury Insurance
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5 Ways to Make Moving Day Less Stressful
(Feature Impact) With the kids out of school, warmer weather and extended daylight, summer is an ideal time for families to relocate. In fact, more than 60% of moves in the United States occur between May and September, according to industry data compiled by moveBuddha. However, even with the most favorable conditions on your side, the process can quickly become overwhelming without a plan in place.
Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, a little preparation can make moving day easier, safer and less stressful. From packing and activating necessary services to securing your space and getting to know your family’s new surroundings, these tips from the experts at KeyMe Locksmiths can help you avoid common pitfalls and make the move as smooth as possible.
Pack Smart to Make Unpacking Less Daunting
Packing is typically one of the most time-consuming – and most dreaded – parts of any move, but creating an organization system from the get-go can save time and energy when it comes time to sort everything in your new home. Pack non-essential items such as decor, books, out-of-season clothing and seldom-used kitchenware and appliances first, even weeks in advance if lead time allows, and clearly label every box by its contents or the room it belongs in.
Be sure to keep toiletries, medications, oft-used electronics (and their chargers) and a few days’ worth of clothing accessible until moving day. Also keep important documents like birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, medical records, insurance policies, moving contracts and receipts, and any other pertinent financial documents in a dedicated lockbox that stays with you rather than going on the moving truck.
Transfer or Set Up Utilities Ahead of Time
Arriving at your new home only to find the electricity, internet or water aren’t yet active can be a real setback. A couple weeks before moving day, schedule transfers or new service installations for necessary utilities, including electricity, water and sewer, gas, cable and internet, trash and recycling, home security and any other services your family needs, ensuring activation dates are a few days before the big move.
Tackle Home Security for Peace of Mind
An often-overlooked task when moving: changing the locks. Even if the previous owners or tenants returned their keys, it’s nearly impossible to know how many copies may still exist. Replacing or rekeying locks is an important first step to ensure you’re the only ones with access.
Beyond changing the locks, homeowners may also want to consider adding extra layers of protection such as video doorbells, exterior security cameras, motion-activated lighting, smart locks, window sensors or a monitored security system.
To connect with a professional locksmith for lock installation, rekeying and assistance with select home security upgrades, visit Key.Me to access KeyMe Locksmiths’ nationwide network of trusted local locksmiths. Once your new locks are installed, you can also conveniently create reliable spare keys at any of the more than 8,000 self-service KeyMe kiosks located in major retailers nationwide.
Prep Spaces Before Move-In Day
Before couches, chairs, beds, dressers and tables fill every room, take advantage of the empty space to give your new home a thorough cleaning. Focus on areas that may be harder to clean once the home is inhabited, such as floors, baseboards, cabinets and closets.
This is also an ideal time to paint, update flooring, swap out light fixtures or update existing cabinet hardware, allowing you to start with a clean space that matches your personal tastes.
Get to Know Your New Area
Settling into a new house involves more than just unpacking boxes and making it feel like home. Take some time to explore your new neighborhood and locate the nearest grocery stores, medical facilities, parks, restaurants, schools and more. Also introduce yourself to your neighbors and consider joining community groups to help build connections and learn more about the area.
With peak moving season underway, these tips can help you spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying your new home.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (family moving)
SOURCE: KeyMe Locksmiths
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(Sheeka Sanahori) There is always something: a leaky faucet, chipping paint, gutters full of leaves or a room that no longer works the way it used to. Homeownership comes with a permanent background hum of maintenance, repairs and decisions that can only be ignored for so long.
What homeowners do next depends a lot on where they live.
A new international study from Angi, a home services marketplace, found that Americans are among the world’s more proactive homeowners, with nearly half (49%) taking a preventative approach to maintenance, scheduling regular checks and staying on top of concerns before something breaks. South Korea leads the study at 56%. Japan sits at the other end: 60% of Japanese homeowners address issues only when they arise.
When it comes to DIY home repairs, France leads the study. Sixty-five percent of French homeowners say they handle most repairs themselves, the highest rate among the surveyed countries.
Home care, it turns out, looks fundamentally different depending on where people live and what they believe home is for. Cultural differences are also at play for homeowner behavior beyond the toolbox. In France, 2 out of 5 homeowners enforce a no-phones rule at the dinner table, the highest rate in the study, while Canadians and Japanese are nearly twice as likely as Americans to require shoes off at the door (69% vs. 37%).
Opinions vary from country to country, even for keeping a tidy home. A majority of Germans and Americans prefer to keep a “lived-in and comfortable” appearance. Forty percent of Brazilians believe a home should always be clean and tidy, more than any other country. Of all the countries surveyed, the Dutch were the most likely to respond with “home is for living, not impressing others.”
In North America, homeownership tends to be tied to investment. Americans and Canadians are the most likely of any country to renovate specifically to increase property value, while many European homeowners prioritize comfort and quality of life over resale potential. When a home no longer fits, the instinct varies just as sharply: More than three-quarters of German homeowners would renovate rather than move, the highest rate across all countries surveyed, while 41% of British homeowners would rather relocate. Americans take a more pragmatic middle path—37% say they would stay and make do.
Unexpected and emergency repairs remain a universal source of stress regardless of the country. The most maintenance-minded Americans are also the youngest: Gen Z and Millennial homeowners lead on proactive upkeep, with 51% preferring to check home systems before problems start and 55% using smart security technology compared with 19% of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation.
A home is never just the structure itself. It reflects the routines, priorities and tradeoffs people make, from the repairs they tackle to the rituals that shape daily life. Around the world, home care is less about one right way to do it and more about what people believe a home is supposed to be.
Methodology
Angi, along with its international family of home service marketplaces, commissioned an online survey of 4,492 homeowners across 10 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Brazil. The U.S. sample included 1,237 homeowners. The margin of error for U.S. findings is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted between May 1 and May 19, 2026.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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