(Getty Images) Wood decks can be a center of relaxation and comfort for their owners. A place where they can while away the afternoon or weekend in peace. A place where they can set up deck chairs or a table and sip drinks as the day lazily passes, or munch on barbecue fresh from the grill. In order to provide years of necessary comfort, wood decks require you do a little care and maintenance each year. Check for damaged boards...

(Getty Images) Skylights and roof windows can provide interior building spaces with the warmth and brightness of natural daylight. Their ability to enhance almost any interior has made them increasingly popular. However, installing a trouble-free, energy-efficient skylight can be very difficult. In order to gain the maximum benefit from a skylight, it is important to understand designs, materials, positioning, and proper installation. Designs Skylights are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some open for ventilation, others are fixed....

(Getty Images) It happens every year in our house. We wake up to the first cold morning after summer and everybody refuses to get out of bed until I get up and start the furnace. Well, this year I'm going to get the furnace going early so I won't have to do the job before my morning coffee or while dressed in slippers and a bathrobe. Also, because I'm not waiting until the last minute, I can give the furnace...

(Getty Images) Until recently, clear glass was the primary glazing material used in windows. Although glass is durable and allows a high percentage of sunlight to enter buildings, it has very little resistance to heat flow. During the past two decades, though, glazing technology has changed greatly. Research and development into types of glazing have created a new generation of materials that offer improved window efficiency and performance for consumers. While this new generation of glazing materials quickly gains acceptance...

A worker with Johnson and Daly Moving and Storage moves a piece of furniture into a truck while moving a family in Tiburon, Calif. (Getty Images) More Americans are on the move again after a record low rate last year, a hint of a thaw in the impact of the economic downturn. The Census Bureau has reported that the nation's rate of moving inched up to 12 percent after hitting a record low of 11.6 percent in 2011 -- still...

(Getty Images) As a child growing up in Philadelphia in the 1950s, Dottie Overal hated the end of summer. It meant hours switching the house from summer to winter mode. Indoors, straw rugs were washed and rolled up and heavy wool ones laid down. Lightweight drapes and furniture slipcovers were whisked off, replaced by thicker ones in forest greens and maroons. Backyards were practically dismantled with storage of hoses, barbecues, lawn furniture, lawn mowers and plastic pools. "It was a...

(Getty Images) Today's best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Whether choosing central air conditioning or a room air conditioner, here's what you need to know about picking the right unit for your...

(Getty Images) Before you blow away the neighbors with your rendition of rooftop reindeer and 500 megawatts of Christmas lights, take precautions that these seasonal "improvements" don't lead to a whole series of home repairs. Rooftop Santas There's no better place for a Yuletide heliport than the otherwise-bland top of the house. But while it might be tempting to string out lights on the roof to spell a holiday message, remember the roof was put there to repel water. The...

(Getty Images) Clean without cleaning out your wallet. Cut related utility bills up to 30 percent with an ENERGY STAR washing machine. A washer with the ENERGY STAR label -- the government's symbol of energy efficiency -- uses about half the energy that a ten-year-old model consumes. You will save up to $120 a year on combined water and energy bills. ENERGY STAR washers, available in both top and front-loading models, use much less water -- 18 to 25 gallons...

(Getty Images) Termites need three things to thrive: food, moisture and shelter. Don't give them what they need!Don't feed them. • Keep your gutters clean. Wet leaves provide moisture and food for the pests, and since the gutters are attached to your home, it's an easy point of entry. Clogged gutters can also contribute to moisture problems by soaking wood off the roof and fascia boards. Wood piles and construction debris, boards left touching the ground or fences without proper...

(Getty Images) • Why use a whole house fan?• Benefits and drawbacks• Savings• Cooling strategies• Selecting and sizing• Installation tips and concerns Why Use A Whole House Fan?A whole house fan is a simple and inexpensive method of cooling a house. The fan draws cool outdoor air inside through open windows and exhausts hot room air through the attic to the outside. The result is excellent ventilation, lower indoor temperatures, and improved evaporative cooling. What Are The Benefits? A whole...

(Getty Images) Air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside. The evaporator and condenser coils are serpentine tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. This tubing is usually made of copper. A pump, called the compressor, moves a heat transfer fluid (or refrigerant) between the evaporator and the condenser. The pump...