8 Home Maintenance Projects To Tackle This Winter for $1,000 or Less
We often think of spring and summer as the seasons for making home improvements -- think "spring cleaning" or "summer sprucing."
More: 13 Tips To Avoid Costly Home Repairs
Related:26 Home Makeover Ideas That Each Cost Less Than $500
However, winter can be the perfect time for some maintenance projects. You can improve your home's energy efficiency, ensure your heating system is safe, and even brighten your interior during the dark winter months.
GOBankingRates took a look at eight projects you can do now for $1,000 or less.
Clean Your Chimney
Estimated cost: $75-$400, per HomeAdvisor
If you haven't had a fire in your fireplace yet, you'll want to get your chimney inspected and cleaned. Over time, creosote (a dark brown oil) can build up in your chimney, reducing airflow. Your chimney also could be home for birds or critters, and they could block smoke from escaping.
This is definitely not a job you want to try yourself either. It's well worth paying the expert.
Avoid These: Craziest Things That Kill Your Home's Value
Replace Old Weatherstripping
Estimated cost: $125-$420, according to HomeAdvisor
Feeling a draft when it's cold outside? You might have old, cracked weatherstripping. Replacing your weatherstripping can improve your home's energy efficiency by preventing heat from leaking out.
This is a relatively easy job you can do yourself, and you'll recoup the cost fairly quickly with lower energy bills.
See: 7 Easy Home Renovations To Tackle This Winter
Replace Your Furnace Filters
Estimated cost: $4-15 per filter, according to HVAC.com
This seems like a minor maintenance item, but clean filters are better for your furnace, preventing dust and dirt from getting into the machinery, and for your indoor air. Because you're probably spending more time indoors during the winter months, make sure to replace your HVAC filters.
Learn: Bathroom Renovations That Will Add the Most Value
Insulate Your Attic
Estimated cost: $1.50-$3 per square foot, according to HomeGuide
If your attic isn't properly insulated, you're guaranteed to be losing heat and paying higher energy bills. A completely new installation of insulation for a 1,500-square-foot home will be over budget, but if you're just replenishing what's in your attic, you can do this for under $1,000.
Explore: 7 Easy Home Renovations for $5,000 or Less
Switch To LED Light Bulbs
Estimated cost: $3-10 per bulb, according to howmuchisit.org
Winter is a good time to brighten your home, and new light bulbs can help. Choosing LED lights can save up to 75% on energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. LED light bulbs also last 25 times longer, so you're definitely making a smart investment.
LED light bulbs can cost up to 14 times as much as regular incandescent bulbs, greenenergy.org reports, but you'll make up the savings with more efficient energy use.
Check Out: 32 Insider Tips for Buying and Selling a House
Insulate and Winterize Your Pipes
Estimated cost: $5-10 for Styrofoam covers (according to The Spruce), up to $50 for Styrofoam insulation
This is an essential task if you live in a colder climate. Make sure to turn off your water to external spigots, covering the faucets with a Styrofoam cover. Also, wrap any exposed pipes with insulated fabric.
Read: Homes Won't Be Affordable in These Cities Within 10 Years
Replace Batteries in Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Estimated cost: $10-$40 for a pack of 9-volt batteries at Home Depot
Technically, you're supposed to do this each time you change your clocks to or from daylight savings. But we're guessing you didn't remember then, so do it right now!
Don't Miss: Common Real Estate Myths That You Need To Know
Paint a Room ... or Two
Estimated cost: $75-$100 for top-of-the-line Sherman Williams Emerald brand paint, according to Pro Paint Corner
You might be surprised to think of painting during the winter, but manufacturers offer the best deals on paints during this time, the Washington Post reports. There's also typically less humidity and moisture in the air, so paint will adhere to surfaces better.
More From GOBankingRates
Learn More About GOBankingRates' Best Checking Accounts of 2022
Find Out Which Banks Are the Top 100 Banks Leading the US in 2022
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Home Maintenance Projects To Tackle This Winter for $1,000 or Less
