Explore 1,000+ articles designed to guide you through every stage of your home improvement project.
HVAC
How to Save on Your Electric Bill
When the temperature rises, utility bills tend to do the same. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple changes you can make that will reduce your monthly bills without sacrificing comfort. Here are our top energy-efficient tips for how to save on your electric bill and other utility bills this summer. 1. Use a Programmable Thermostat…
Other Home Projects
What Is the HERS Index and Why Does It Matter for My Home?
Want to reduce your home’s energy use? Well, then you’re probably going to want to make some improvements around your home. But which ones? And what should you focus on first? That’s where an energy evaluation can help. The first step in many residential energy overhauls is to have an energy audit performed. Professionally trained…
HVAC
How to Change the Oil Filter on Your Home Furnace
When it comes to heating repairs, some jobs are definitely better left to the pros. Is your HVAC unit smoking? It’s probably best call in a contractor for that one. But minor maintenance tasks, like changing and cleaning the filter on your oil-burning furnace, can be accomplished by almost anyone with a wrench and a…
HVAC
The Most Energy-Efficient Radiator Heater Covers
Your home’s big, old-fashioned radiators may have seem quaint when you moved in, but they can seriously clash with modern decor updates. But where there’s a decorating challenge, there are always solutions, and radiator heater covers have them in spades. If you’ve considered covering your radiator, you may be asking yourself if that will limit your…
Other Home Projects
How to Increase the Energy Efficiency of a Fireplace
How to Increase the Energy Efficiency of Your Fireplace Fireplaces generate a lot of heat — when you’re standing right in front of them. Unfortunately, when the fire is out, they can suck warm air from the room and send it up the chimney, which wastes energy and leaves the room feeling cold. But with…
Solar
Issues that May Arise with a Solar Hot Water Heater and How to Address Them
Once you saw the savings from your solar hot water heater, you started singing its praises from the rooftop. But like any appliance, your system needs a little regular TLC to perform its very best — and to avoid problems down the line. Issues with solar hot water heaters can have some grave consequences indeed…
Other Home Projects
What Should I Turn the Thermostat to During the Day?
What’s the ideal temperature to set your thermostat to during the day? Like many homeowners, you might often wonder about just how high or low you need to set your furnace or AC to run when you’re away from home. You probably already know that it wastes money to heat or cool your homes when…
Windows
Exterior Treatments to Shade Windows from the Sun
One way to use less energy and lower your utility bills is by minimizing the amount of hot sunlight that enters your home through your windows. Here are seven exterior window shades and other window treatment ideas to shade windows from the sun. 1. Awnings Awnings are probably the most common exterior window treatment to…