A new concept in solar power, photovoltaic shingles, can help protect your home from the elements while generating pollution-free electricity.Wires from the photovoltaic cells on each shingle connect to a junction box. The current is sent to a battery for storage, and an inverter converts it to AC power. You can operate everything from a home computer to a security system with the electricity generated by these shingles.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. While we all know they don t like to be fenced in, after thousands of years of domestication, dogs need boundaries to be safe. Fortunately, dog owners have lots of options to choose from when it comes to fences. If your yard isn t fenced or you d simply like to keep Rover out of the lily bed, you can build him a dog run with 4- to 7-foot wire or polyethylene rolled fencing. Staked into the ground without the use of heavy equipment, this dark mesh fencing is designed to be easily movable, strong and unobtrusive. You can also find chain link or powder-coated metal kennel kits to keep your dog safe outside and limit his range. Look for fencing that s 12-gauge or heavier and doesn t include aluminum fittings, which can weaken over time outside. If a kennel or dog run isn t something you want in your yard, an underground electronic fence may be the answer. Some brands are even wireless now so no ditch digging is necessary. As the dog approaches the fence boundary, his collar emits first a warning sound and then an electronic stimulus, or correction, to keep him away. To avoid confusing your dog, training has to accompany this system. Electronic fences are available with incremental strength levels for training and for different sized dog breeds. You don t want your dog escaping and getting injured because of a dead transmitter battery so look for a system with the longest battery life possible. And remember to check the battery regularly. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. When photovoltaics or the conversion of solar energy to electric power came on the scene 30 years ago, it was so inefficient that few thought it could ever power American homes. But the technology has come a long way, and demand for PV systems in the U.S. is now growing at almost 25 percent per year. In sunny California, brownouts and energy crises have pushed the state to set an ambitious goal of putting photovoltaic systems on a million roofs by 2016. The cost of installation can be daunting for homeowners, but government incentives make them much more enticing. The federal government rebates $2,000 per system. In California, the state not only gives a property tax reduction for the cost of the system, it also rebates $2.50 for every system watt. So, a 4-kilowatt system that costs $36,000 only winds up costing the homeowner $24,000. In Florida, homeowners can get $4 per system watt, so the same system costs only $18,000. Add to that the value of the electricity generated by the system which, depending on your area, can be between $250 and $750 per year and photovoltaics start to make a lot more sense. As roof-mounted panels or even integrated into asphalt roof shingles, photovoltaic cells contain silicon wafers which react to sunlight by releasing free electrons. These electrons create direct electric current, or D/C power. The system s inverter switches the D/C to the alternating current, or A/C, that powers our homes. Household photovoltaic systems have become simpler and better adapted to mainstream use now that grid-tied net metering is easier and no battery backup is needed. Any electricity the system generates that s not used in the home gets sold directly back to the power company. In sunny areas, the larger 4-kilowatt systems available today can generate half or more of what the average household consumes. Even where it s not so sunny, photovoltaic systems have become so viable that many forward-thinking developers are pairing them with geothermal heat systems to market the new non-polluting, low-energy home. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Bob reviews two types of water barriers installed in the basement to prevent water intrusion. The water barriers block moisture that comes through the walls and channel it into a perimeter drainage system in the floor. Larry Janesky of Basement Systems reviews the WaterGuard system and explains how the pipes are set to a proper elevation by backfilling with crushed stone. Pitching the pipes makes the water drain into a sump hole where it can be pumped out of the home. Janesky shows Bob the WaterGuard ports that open into the embedded channels for inspection or cleaning, and provide a drainage outlet for the dehumidifier. Janesky then reviews the TripleSafe Sump Pump and how it works to pump collected water out of the home. The system uses three pumps to minimize the risk of flooding by pump failure. The primary pump has a secondary backup pump in case the it fails or becomes overloaded. Both pumps are hardwired into the home's electrical system. Each pump has its own discharge pipes so that the system will not be overloaded by increased demand. A third pump is battery-operated in case of power failure. An alarm sounds when the battery-driven pump kicks in to alert the homeowner so that power can be restored before the battery runs down. IceGuard fittings have been put on the discharge pipes outside so that water will clear the home even if the underground discharge pipes are frozen.

One of the key aspects of refinishing a basement is making sure it's dry and warm. Bob talks with Larry Janesky of Basement Systems about the steps taken to keep the Melrose basement dry. An interlocking plastic underlayment works as a subfloor for the basement floor. It's very important not to have organic material on the floor as it will be susceptible to mold from water vapor. Before the underlayment was put in place however, a perimeter drain was dug into the basement floor. The perimeter drain sends the water to a sump pump system. The system installed is called a Triple Safe System as it has three pumps inside; an AC pump, an AC backup, and a DC battery backup pump. Using this system, the basement should stay flood-proof. There is some standing water where the sump pump is being installed but this should not be a problem since the system has an air-tight lid on it so water cannot evaporate back into the home. A charger box for the sump pump alerts the homeowner when the pump is running on battery backup. Ice guard fittings have been placed over the pipes that carry the water to the exterior of the home so that water will drain even when water in the pipes is frozen. In an older home like this one, the foundation may be a little weaker and more porous than homes built today. To prevent rain water from seeping in through the foundation, a vapor barrier was installed. A product called Clean Space was also installed over the walls to direct water buildup from condensed water vapor into the perimeter drain. A flood ring was installed around the water heater, which will drain water into the perimeter drain. Dehumidifiers in basements should be basement rated. Normal dehumidifiers are designed to take water out of warmer air and might not be adequate for dehumidifying basements. A SaniDry Basement Air System was installed in the basement of the Melrose home. It can process 100 pints per day and has air filtration built into it. The system is Energy Star rated and will perform well in basement environments.

Carlos Leuchtmann of Blue Ridge Plumbing installs the Moen filter faucet in the kitchen. Unlike other filters, the Moen faucet has the filter cartridge right in the spout. A three-volt lithium watch battery is popped into the housing, then the cartidge fits in, and the entire assembly slides into the faucet and locks in place with a quarter turn. The battery enables the filter light to tell homeowners when the filter needs changing. The black nose piece on the front of the faucet is the filter button. When pushed, filtered water comes out a separate small spout alongside the main water spout. It only filters water when pushed. The package comes with a spare filter for easy changing.

Bob checks in on the Habitat for Humanity Blitz project in Yonkers, New York. He talks with Deane Evans of the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) about the photovoltaic roof shingles. This new product from United Solar Systems, called the Solar Shingle, protects the house from the weather and generates electricity at the same time. Ren Anderson from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows Bob how to nail the solar shingles on the roof just like conventional three-tab roofing. In this project, eight solar shingles are blended into the conventional fiberglass shingles to provide about 120 watts for charging battery-operated tools and toys in the shed below. Energy storage is provided by a 120 amp/hour battery. Ren hooks up the wires leading from the shingles to the other system components, which include a fuse, voltage regulator, and an inverter (which converts the direct current from the shingles into an alternating current that can be used by typical household appliances).

Bob meets Mark Newton of Solid Wall Systems to learn about the solid-pour walls that will frame this storm-resistant home. Bob watches the crew attach number 5 steel reinforcing bars to the existing rebar that was set in the stem walls and slab as they were poured. These up-rods or vertical rods will run the entire height of the walls. They are tied to the foundation bars with a battery-powered wire gun. Once the vertical rods are set, the crew will measure for and mark the openings before setting the wire mesh that will further reinforce the walls. Newton shows Bob how headers are constructed using stirrups that tie in the rebar and make it ready for the pour within a specialized header form. Newton then shows Bob the locking forms that will be used for the pour and the clips that hold them together. Spacer wheels are attached to the mesh to keep it centered in the wall between the two forms. Break-free wall clips are also attached to hold the two forms together. These clips are designed to break away once the forms are removed.

1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Lyn St. James visits the Dream Garage to share her automotive expertise with Bob. Together they look under the hood of lumberman Tony Shelpey's racing Camaro that he's brought by for the occasion. With temperatures outside falling, Bob parks his 1974 Jaguar E-type B-12 roadster in the barn for the winter. Lyn's advice: top off all fluids, disconnect the battery and check the air pressure in the tires. To be especially meticulous she suggests putting the car up on jackstands or blocks but cautions that the stands should be put under the axles, never under the car's frame.

Internet Home Alliance's Tim Woods discusses home security options, including sensors, installation, and wiring.