Explore 1,000+ articles designed to guide you through every stage of your home improvement project.
Solar
Solar Power Generation During Winter
The changing seasons have more of an effect on your energy needs than on the solar panels addressing them. While it’s reasonable to predict a lower efficiency rate from solar panels in the winter, it’s really the sun itself—and less so the weather conditions on the ground—governing how well solar paneling powers your home and…
Solar
California: A Guide to Residential Solar Energy
California began paving the way in solar energy in 2013 and became one of the top states for the most residents using solar power. As a result, home values increased by up to $15,000 on average, according to Berkley Lab, one of the federal government’s national renewable energy laboratories. California solar was here to stay.…
Solar
Florida: A Guide to Residential Solar Energy
There is a reason why Florida is called the Sunshine State. With an average of 237 sunny days a year, the state is a bastion of solar energy production. Its most recent solar installation figures confirm this—the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) ranks the state third in solar installations in and third overall in 2021.…
Solar
Solar Energy Bills: Understanding the Impact and Savings
Most home improvement projects, including solar panel installations, are started and completed during the spring or fall seasons—when the weather is more comfortable and predictable. As homeowners watch their utility bills steadily rise as the winter months give way to spring, lower solar energy bills become especially enticing. In a March 2021 Modernize survey, 40…
Solar
Do Solar Panels Work in the Shade? What to Ask Your Contractor
Assessing contractor quotes is an important step in the journey to increase the value of your home with solar panels. Evaluating multiple solar panel quotes helps homeowners scope their budget and encourages contractors to be competitive with their pricing, which is especially significant in today’s solar energy market. It’s important to understand your project’s unique parameters…
Roofing
Metal roofing was once heavily associated with warehouses, barns, and storage facilities— but no longer. Twenty years ago, the metal roofing market share was just 3.7 percent, but a recent independent study conducted by Dodge Data and Analytics found the 2016 market share for residential metal re-roofing is now 14 percent. This is up from…
Roofing
For the past 20 years, Pantone‘s color experts have released their “Color of the Year,” which influences industries across the globe— including fashion, home furnishings, and graphic design. Similarly, Owens Corning shares their “Shingle Color of the Year” for contractors and homeowners. For 2019, Owens Corning selected Black Sable, a shade described as a “timeless,”…
Other Home Projects
Primer: The Go-Between for Paint and Concrete
You’ve got your painter’s tape, roller brushes, plenty of tarp, and a gallon or two of your meticulously chosen new concrete paint color—it’s the one, and you can’t wait to see how vibrant it looks overtop of that dull concrete wall or floor. But wait just a minute there, antsy homeowner—you’re forgetting something. If you…