Expert Advice on Home Improvement

With the rising cost of gas and electricity, finding ways to cut back on your energy consumption is more important than ever. To help you cope, we’re taking a look at four great ways to make your home more energy efficient that are also eligible for the Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credit: upgrading your heating and cooling system, water heater, windows, and attic insulation. Read in full.

Carelessly throwing cigarette butts on the ground is not only a fire hazard, it accounts for over 30% of all the litter in the U.S. Cigarette butts take 10-15 years to decompose and can leach harmful chemicals—including cyanide, arsenic, and lead—into water supplies. Watch this video.

A number of common household products—including vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and olive oil—that are found in your kitchen can be used to clean your home naturally without harmful chemicals or releasing toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Watch this video to find out how. Watch this video.

Old doors can be reused for a number of home improvement projects, including headboards for beds and dividers in a room. Watch this video to find out how to convert an old door into a writing or computer desk complete with bookshelves and coat rack. Watch this video.

This convenient shoe caddy is made from recycled 5-gallon buckets and scrap lumber. It’s great for keeping track of shoes in your garage, mud room, or closet. To make it, all you need is some 5-gallon buckets, scrap lumber, and leftover paint. Watch this video.

This homemade punching bag for your kids is a eco-friendly project, since it was made from recycled materials. It’s easy to make and can provide them with hours of fun and exercise. Watch this video.

Sawmill owner, Roy Hyde, recycles fallen trees into lumber for custom woodworking projects. This environmentally friendly process keeps valuable timber out of the landfill while providing unusual species of wood in sizes not often found at the local lumber yard. Watch this video.

This homemade rain barrel for recycling rainwater for use in your lawn and garden is an easy do-it-yourself project that costs less than $50. Watch this video to find out how. Watch this video.

Jessica asks, “We have double pane windows and are thinking about installing storm windows in front of them. Would that be a cost efficient way to save on our energy bills?”

While you could add storm windows to your existing double pane windows, the energy savings would not be nearly as great as installing them over single pane windows. Read on to find out more. Read in full.

As we move into the halfway mark of Energy Efficiency Month, I am celebrating on October 15th by being part of a panel discussion in Washington, DC, for the conservation of energy and the solutions to attaining this global goal. I will be sharing my thoughts and suggestions on different products and techniques to bring energy bills down in both new construction and existing homes. Read on to find out more. Read in full.