home improvement guy

Water leaks may seem harmless, but they can quickly escalate into one of the biggest problems around your home. Not only do leaks waste water, but they can also send utility bills sky-high, invite mold growth, and cause expensive damage to your house.

As you review your home’s efficiency this Earth Month, take these simple steps to get rid of water leaks.

1. Update your appliances

Older toilets can be some of the biggest water wasters in your house. Toilers ...

The pre-spring doldrums can really take a toll on your house. The flurry of activity around the holidays is long in the past, but spring itself is still some weeks away. Put that time to good use: Before you do your spring cleaning, you can set yourself on the path to household order.

Your best bet is to hire a professional organizer. Pros usually charge between $55 and $100 per hour. If you hire them on a per-project rate, the average fee is $580. Consider looking for pros certified ...

How long would you drive your car without changing the oil? You should think about heating and air conditioning the same way. Your HVAC system works harder than nearly any other system in your house. It often runs daily, working hard to heat or cool your home in response to the temperature outside. That’s a lot of wear and tear on an expensive system.

Regular HVAC maintenance keeps your system in tip-top shape, lubricates the gears (literally), and minimizes wear-and-tear damage. HVAC ...

Whether it’s the dead of winter, a broiling summer, or you live in a comfortably moderate climate, your home’s energy efficiency is a big deal. You spend a lot of money to power heating and air conditioning and keep your home climate-controlled, and you don’t want to see that go to waste. While big-ticket installations such as solar power and geothermal heating and cooling systems play a huge role in efficiency, don’t underestimate the power of these everyday acts to dent those energy bills. ...

What’s the saying — the eyes are the window to the soul? Well if that’s the case, your windows are a view into the soul of your house. They impact nearly everything, from curb appeal to temperature, lighting, and aesthetics. Needless to say, when it comes time to replace your windows, you’ll have many decisions to make.

While windows can last many years, efficiency of new windows improves every year. You can make a big difference in energy costs by upgrading to a more efficient new ...

If you’ve ever bought or sold a house, you know the crucial role home appraisers play in the outcome. Even if you haven't had the (sometimes stressful) pleasure of buying or selling a home, you should still familiarize yourself with what a home appraiser does—and how it impacts your bottom line should you ever find yourself closing in on a home sale.

On average, a single-family residential home appraisal will cost between $300 and $500, though that price may go up for larger homes. ...