The one single home improvement that will provide homeowners with the greatest benefit in energy savings and comfort and possibly qualify them for a federal tax credit in 2010 is thermal Energy Star replacement windows. In the Boston and South Shore MA areas where the winter months are brutally cold, an investment in Energy Star [...]

Energy Star ratings vary by climate and geographic region. This means that the energy efficiency for a window in a warm climate will not be acceptable for a cold climate. The two measures of energy performance include U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient.

U-Factor is a rating for the insulation provided [...]

Before you pick a nationally advertised brand for your replacement windows, keep in mind that a big advertising budget is not always associated with a quality product. Not only are you paying top dollar for brands like Anderson Renewal, Marvin and Pella (typical costs for each double hung window is $1200 each), but [...]

Exposure to lead has been proven to cause physical and mental retardation in children and nerve damage in adults. Those with a high risk of toxic exposure are families living in homes build before 1978 which most likely used lead-based paint during construction.

To protect children and adults from these health [...]

With so many products advertised on TV, promoted by telemarketers with their high pressure sales and bargains at your local home improvement store, it can get very confusing when it comes to making home improvement choices. Do you know that bargain products actually compromise quality and cost you more in the long term?

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