Adulting.
It’s a thing.
What may have first started as a single word social media comment by young millennials who have finished their college days and are beginning the adult life of making house payments and budgeting for utilities, is now a tongue in cheek way to bemoan the increasing responsibilities that many 20 and 30 somethings feel.
During the Christmas season of gift giving, adulting can take on a whole new meaning. For while you are excited that your father gave you and your husband $1000 to help pay for the new garage door and opener, the fact that paying for construction projects now is part of your Christmas wish list is a little sad. You likely find your self longing for the days when the Christmas cash from your Grandmother went toward a night out on the town in stead of toward the construction projects to install and repair of sewer and water pipes. You wold love to go back to the days of spending the Santa money on purchasing a second leather jacket instead of as a down payment for installing tankless water heaters.
When covering the cost of construction projects is normal, however, many young millennials find themselves forgoing fun for function.
Do You Have Home Improvement Construction Projects on Your Christmas List?
It would be nice to return to the days of asking for the latest technology gadget for Christmas, but for many home owners, the reality of keeping a home in good repair often trumps frivolous Christmas gift requests. When you get to the point where you are swapping your wish for a new motorcycle to a request for a new furnace you know that you have crossed the threshold into adulting.
The unexpected cold snap that hit large portions of the country the week before Christmas, in fact, may have derailed many more fun Christmas dreams. When a furnace fails to adequately heat a home when the temperatures plummet to single digits, homeowners have no choice but to divert Christmas gift funds to a more practical use.
Although furnaces typically last an average of 15 to 18 years, when fail to function properly there is no choice but to fix them immediately. Fortunately, for many home owners, the installation of a new, more efficient furnace can lead to substantial savings down the road. And while the future savings may not seem like much of a remedy for the pain of the initial cost, many home owners understand the logic of installing the most efficient heating and cooling systems. Did you know, for instance, that the lowest efficiency allowed by law for new gas furnaces is 78%? And while this may seem impressive, some of the newest and best furnace models can achieve 97%, nearly total efficiency.
Even if you have not reached the point of a heating emergency, the best home owners know that if a furnace is more than 10 years old, it is best to have it inspected once a year.
Home Improvement and Construction Projects Extend to the Summer Months As Well
Once you transition into the adult world of home ownership you soon find out that the cost of maintaining a home can be a year round adventure. For while you may find yourself dealing with furnace issues in the winter, you can also experience the unexpected costs of replacing an air conditioner is the summer as well. Again, investing in a new, high efficiency air conditioner can pay dividends for years to come. In fact, making the switch to a high-efficiency air conditioner and taking other actions to keep a home cool could reduce energy use for air conditioning by as much as 20% to 50%.
Given that two-thirds of the homes in America now have air conditioning, it may not come as a surprise that air conditioners cost U.S. homeowners more than $11 billion every single year. Fortunately, this sizable investment can be protected with regular maintenance that can keep an air conditioner running efficiently.
It may not always be fun to face the realities of becoming an adult, but most home owners will improve, and in some cases increase, the value of their investment if they make the necessary repairs as they are needed. Even if it means giving up a few Christmas gifts!