Money & Finance

ROI on green modifications

While virtually all energy saving modifications will pay for themselves over time, some of them, because of their low initial cost, or high energy savings pay for themselves much faster. Here we will discuss some of the modifications and options you may want to include in your home that will pay for themselves the fastest, and some others that you may want to choose to pass on.

You can find a very comprehensive table of ROI for green modifications at http://www.greenandsave.com/master_roi_table.html

The easy stuff

Programmable thermostat
- ROI - 156.5%
- Cheap and easy to install, expect a programmable thermostat to pay for itself in the first year and save you thousands over the life of your home.

Compact florescent lights
- ROI - 133.3%
- While a little more expensive than traditional incandescent bulbs, these lights will pay for themselves within the first year on average. Factor in the fact that they last about 10 times longer and you have yourself a pretty smart purchase.

Low flow shower heads
- ROI - 111.1%
- Using about 50% less water you can expect these to lower your water bill and save you from having to heat as much water as well. Look for them to pay for themselves within the first year of use. Plus, with recent design improvements, they have plenty of power.

A little harder