In these tight economic times, it seems everybody is looking for a way to pinch pennies. One of the best places to begin is in the home. But the commitment to lower utility bills requires biting the bullet and opening the wallet.

There are many home improvements that will start you down that frugal road - insulation, radiant barrier foil, and replacing your incandescents with fluorescents. But a huge ROI is installing replacement windows.

There are a lot of variables to consider. It’s a balance between budget, aesthetics, and the geographic area you’re located in. Another consideration is what you need to install in order to order to qualify for an energy tax credit. It’s not enough to simply have Energy Star products like it is with refrigerators or dishwashers.

Where you live is as important. What will qualify in Wisconsin is not necessary the same as in Texas. What wacky, goofy, out-of-touch guys those legislators up in Washington are.

Then there’s the choice of filler in double-pane windows. The most common choices are air (poor), argon (better), and krypton (best, and not just because it freaks Superman out).

The prices for these three fillers go from low to high along with their efficiency. Krypton doesn’t cost more just to clean out your bank account; the gas itself is expensive. Many experts will tell you that the price isn’t justified as the payback time frame is so darned long.

Read more about fillers, pros and cons of the different types of frame materials, the U-factor, and how the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) applies to your choice. Education is key before you talk to a salesman.

Other related articles:

• Save Money with Door and Window Weatherstripping
• A Certified Home Inspector can Improve Energy Efficiency
• Save Money with Solar Window Film

I know; the first time I heard of soy-based insulation, I also had a what-the-heck moments too. It’s true though. It is available in both open-cell and closed-cell versions; the closed kind is best suited to exterior walls and the open for the interior.

One problem is that it is hard for the DIYer to retrofit because of things like, well, drywall, brick, and siding. But for new home construction it’s hard to beat. Read the whole article on soy insulation.

If this thing really takes off, I wonder if the same thing will happen to corn due to ethanol. What a misguided concept that is. Problem is, corn is one of those primary products. It goes into all kind of livestock and chicken feed. It goes into cereal and many canned and boxed foods

It’s the old law of supply and demand. When more of the available corn crops go to fuel initiatives, the price goes up. Ergo, food prices go up, up, and away, just like the old Superman show on TV. In fact, this morning on the news, it was announced that this summer the price on meat will be the highest in 20 years.

I suppose you could always go vegan. As long as you don’t include corn in your meager bottom-of-the-food-chain food lineup.

But back to insulation. Add it to your home. You will save money every month on your utility bills and you can claim an energy tax credit the next time you file your taxes. I know - I lowered my bottom line during the last filing for both attic insulation and radiant barrier foil, which is classified as an insulating product.

So, the bottom line is insulate thyself. And stock up on meat by-products while you still can.

You will also want to read:

• Radiant Barrier Foil and Paint
• Save Money with Door and Window Weatherstripping
• Great Ways to Get the Most out of Your Air Conditioner

I wrote on this topic way, way back in February of 2009. Drywall contractors, mostly in Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, thought they were getting a good deal on materials. As they found out later to their financial dismay, they were buying and installing tainted Chinese drywall.

Gotta love those trading partners. You know, the ones that feed our kids toys with lead paint on them, export poison toothpaste, and want to put the Dalai Lama out of business.

After many lawsuits over this highly corrosive drywall, the federal government finally stepped in and rendered guidelines. The Consumer Product Safety Commission informs us that electrical wiring, outlets, circuit breakers, fire alarm systems, carbon monoxide alarms, fire sprinklers, gas pipes and drywall need to be removed from affected homes.

Inez Tenenbaum, chairwoman of the commission, says, “We want families to tear it all out and rebuild the interior of their homes, and they need to start this to get their lives started all over again.”

Well, it’s unclear why it took the CPSC this long to state the obvious, but the stickier issue of who is responsible for funding the demolition and reconstruction has yet to be determined.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is of this opinion, “The way I see it, homeowners didn’t cause this. The manufacturers in China did.” “That’s why we’ve got to go after the Chinese government now.” At least one lawmaker has the cojones to dare to put the blame squarely where it belongs. After all, some of the drywall manufacturing companies are run directly by the Chinese government.

The problem is that the liberal majority in congress just now are too morally flaccid to take that approach since the Chinese government is currently funding their bloated social programs, nationalization of private industry, and bailouts for incompetently managed sectors of the economy.

In fact, many senators are floating a trial balloon that states that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (yes, our friends in FEMA) should help homeowners pay for costs not covered by insurance. That means tax money from citizens still lucky enough to have jobs in this current Obamanation. I’m not making this up. Meanwhile, our rockstar “people-think-I’m-cool!” president with the lowest approval rating in my memory is too busy shooting hoops to address the economy.

Meanwhile, people who live in these homes are getting sicker and sicker. The drywall in question emits 100 times as much hydrogen sulfide as domestic drywall. If you remember your high school chemistry class, you’ll recall that this is very bad news. And the government is going to put FEMA in charge?

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

You might also enjoy reading:

• Drywall Texturing Made Easy
• How to Tape and Float Drywall
• The Best Home Remodeling Tips Revealed

Technology marches on. Resistance is futile. Whoever would have expected the evolution of all the apps for Apple’s iPhone? It makes sense though. If Apple can make this phone the must-have gadget of the day, there is no doubt that they will remain profitable. Have you seen their stock performance lately?

Surprisingly, there is a whole slew of apps that make remodeling easier. I’ve recently posted an article by a guest author on the 20 top iPhone home improvement apps. Some are fairly average but others are quite clever.

I, for one, have not moved up to something as sophisticated as the iPhone for uber-computing. Nope, can’t afford it when I have to fund the kid’s unlimited texting. That stuff will eat you up if you don’t buy the package.

When she first wanted it, I went over and thought I signed up for it. Next month, I got a texting bill from AT&T for about $1200! I called them and they said I had signed up for unlimited texting on the principal line (we’re on a family plan with 3 phones). I said no, I specified her number.

They countered with, “Sorry, it defaults to the principal number.”

I tactfully told them they could default to kissing me where the sun don’t shine because that was obviously trickery, and not only was I not going to pay the texting charges, they might as well hire a collection agency because I wasn’t going to pay the regular bill either.

All of a sudden I became a valued customer again. Go figure. As for kissing my backside? There’s an app for that!

Other articles you might enjoy:

• How to Build a Recessed Medicine Cabinet
• Circuit Testing With a Multimeter
• Surveillance Systems for Home Security

So you’ve got that fat tax refund coming soon and you’re wondering what to do with it? Tired of the way your home looks but moving to new digs isn’t exactly on the horizon in these troubled economic times? Why not satisfy both of those things by remodeling your kitchen?

Independent studies show that upgrading a kitchen or bath bring the largest ROI of any area of the home. Two of the most important things to consider are kitchen lighting and wiring. There are two reasons for this. First and foremost, electricity is potentially dangerous and you must protect yourself and your family.

Secondly, the electrical building code is getting more and more strict, and with good reason. I know that as DIYers, we’ve been known to, ahem, do projects without pulling permits (wink, wink, nod, nod), but it’s still important not to cut corners and obey the code.

If you’re one of those unlucky souls with a bad case of aluminum wiring, it’s time to replace all that junk. Danger, danger, Will Robinson! If you’re not old enough to understand that reference, don’t worry about it; it just means you’ve missed some high cultural cinematic material…

Lighting options have never been brighter, so to speak. Fluorescents have always been popular, but they are now available in more shapes and sizes. Halogen bulbs are great but they put out a lot of heat. LED bulbs, on the other hand, are beginning to kick butt. They haven’t fully evolved yet but are getting better all the time. I converted my little MagLite to the 3-bulb LED and couldn’t be happier.

How do they keep those flashlights so cheap? They’re the best on the market, and the cheapest. Go figure.

Speaking of kitchen remodeling, I spent part of yesterday afternoon replacing our garbage disposal. The last one I installed was a Badger 5, but this time I went with a Badger 1. I don’t work it too hard anyhow, so why pony up the extra bucks?

You might also want to read:

• Typical Electrical Building Codes
• The Benefits of LED Lighting
• Using GFCI Receptacles in the Bath and Kitchen

It’s true that it’s still cold out there, but summer will be here before you know it. So what’s the rationale for a home inspection just now? For one thing, those income tax refunds are just around the corner. If you want to find out what you need to do to conserve energy next summer and have time to do it, a certified home inspector will give you a great deal of relevant info.

For example, you might get recommendations on adding insulation, caulking windows, or installing radiant barrier foil. But a home inspector will also load you down with other info - structural integrity of the structure, condition of plumbing, foundation damage; things like that.

Note that there’s a difference between home inspectors and energy auditors. An energy auditor is more tightly focused on energy conservation, so the only aspects of the structure he or she is interested in is how it relates to your energy bill.

For example, he’ll do a blower door test. This will tell how “tight” the envelope of your home is. In general, the tighter it is, the more AC or heater air is escaping.

You should also ask for that a thermal or thermographic imaging be done. You’ve probably seen one of these on a weather report on TV. It’s a colored picture where the redder an area is, the hottest it is and bluer, cooler. This will indicate both leaks and the absence of insulation.

So basically, what you pay one of these pros is like Karma; you’ll get paid back in the long run.

Related Articles:

Save Money with Solar Window Film

Install Insulation to Save Energy

I’ve got electric central heat here in my house, but the winters aren’t too severe here in South Texas so it’s not too much of an issue. But I know that readers here and over at Suite101 where I write the home renovation and repair articles live all over the place, and some have severe winters.

For that reason and because of the available energy tax credits, I’ve researched other methods of heating. It turns out that biomass fuel technology is a green and sustainable way to heat your home. Pellet stoves do a dandy job in this area.
Wood Pellets from $279, Free Ship Offer - get details

The stoves don’t come cheap and they do require some maintenance, but they are very efficient and economical to operate. The fuel (pellets) are made from things like corn stalks, scrap from cabinet shops and furniture factories. Since this is material that was destined for the landfill anyway, and will just be regrown again, it qualifies for a renewable and sustainable resource.

And we all know how hip it is to be green, long before Frank Sinatra sang that song. Boy, just knowing that song dates me, doesn’t it?

So, if you are looking to upgrade your home heating system, you might want to look into a pellet stove. They come as inserts for your existing fireplace if that’s the route you want to go, but you’ll just irritate Santa Claus.

Basement framing and remodeling is always on of the top search terms on my home improvement site. It’s no wonder why; you might as well use the extra space as a family room, game room, or man cave. Also, it adds to the home equity. In these times of economic depression, homeowners are choosing to invest in their current residence rather than trade up.

The Advantages of Metal Stud Framing

So when it comes to framing a basement, you have the choice of wood or galvanized steel studs. I prefer metal framing. There are several reasons for this. Notably:

• Metal studs and track are lighter, so getting them downstairs is easier.
• The studs have keyways cut in them from the factory, making it easier to run Romex and PEX plumbing or PVC.
• Metal is straight, whereas wood tends to warp, making hanging the drywall easier. And my regular readers know that I’m all about easier.
• If you decide to get creative, it’s a piece of cake to frame arched doorways or case openings.

Let’s Look at Residential Wood Framing

Basements have been known to be moist which leads to things like rot in wood. Also, since basements are below grade, they stand a good chance of having a termite problem. The solution to this is to use Bluwood studs.

Bluwood is a bit more expensive than plain pine but it’s worth it. It really is blue in color. That is from being treated with boron. And the boron is what gives it the magical properties.

Many people use pressure treated wood. This also a good choice, but be aware that it’s important to use the right fasteners (drywall nails or screws) because the modern chemicals will degrade untreated metal. They may have taken toxic chemicals like arsenic out of pressure treated wood, but the new chemicals are caustic to metal.

Whichever way you go when you frame your basement, be sure to update your homeowners insurance policy to reflect the changes.

Just like death and taxes, homeowners insurance is a fact of life. It’s a major pain in the buttocks unless you need it; then, it’s a lifesaver. Like car insurance, there is inevitably a deductible which is just shy of the the amount of the claim you’re trying to file.

What’s a homeowner to do? For one thing, be sure that your homeowners policy is adequate to cover replacement cost because that is the intent of it. This is a mistake that many homeowners make, thinking that the price they paid is the correct number.

But in the passing years the prices for both building materials and labor have risen. Next, do what you can to keep the premiums at a minimum.

There are a few things that you can do to lower what you now pay or to keep it at its already low level as you make home improvements and increase the coverage amount by reassessing your higher coverage requirements.

So check out the suggestions below and try them on for size. Mix and match; have fun and run with it! (Yeah, right! I know this kind of stuff is about as entertaining as a root canal…)

• Install an automatic fire sprinkler system. Insurance companies like State Farm, Farmers, and Allstate will give you a discount. Although they have to strike a risk balance between water damage and fire damage, they recognize that the risk is lower with sprinklers.
• Have a metal roof installed. When it comes time to re-roof your home, if you are planning to stay for an extended period of time, go with a steel roof rather than asphalt composition shingles. The two things that the insurance company is likely to take into consideration is fire risk and hail damage.
• Raise your deductible. This works just like car insurance. The more you have to pay before they start to kick in, the less they will charge you in yearly premiums.
• Buy all your insurance from the same company. This is a powerful bargaining chip. Putting all your eggs in one basket allows you to argue for better rates and might just ease your paperwork load.

So do what you can to rein in your cash outlay in these hard financial times. A penny saved is a penny earned.

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In these tough economic times when the administration bails out businesses that are “too big to fail” and ignores small business, you might think entrepreneurs would just pack their bags and go. But no, as it turns out, that flame refuses to be extinguished.

One such example is the Magnogrip. Simple in concept; handy in practice. It’s basically just a Velcro-secured wrist band with magnets sewn in. The magnets are strong enough to hold nails, screws, nuts, bolts, etc until they’re needed. Then, they’re close at hand (pun intended).

While you might use your carpenter pouches for production work like hanging drywall, that would be overkill for going around the house hanging pictures, installing baseboard or door trim, or even working on the car.

And call me crazy, but I’m going to try it out for holding flies the next time I go kayak fishing.

One good thing is that the Magnogrip is available now at home improvement stores like Home Depot,  and Ace. Just in time for a Christmas stocking-stuffer gift? They say timing is everything…

Want to get timely but not annoyingly frequent home improvement news and tips? Brilliant! Sign up for my newsletter at subscribe@icanfixupmyhome.com. Important: If you don’t get the confirmation email in a timely fashion, check your spam and/or junk folder and add listserv@icanfixupmyhome.com to your address book.

Why? Because some email clients filter out unknown domains. Ouch. Meanwhile, visit my main site by clicking on the banner below.