Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. After years of leftover science experiments, Thanksgiving dinners and midnight snacks, he s probably served you well, but old Mr. Fridge is adding more to your electric bill than he s worth. Your refrigerator hogs more electricity than almost anything else in your house. If it s an older model, it s using twice as much as a new Energy Star certified model would to keep the same milk cold. A new fridge is a big purchase, and there will be a small fee to dispose of the old one. But some electrical utilities are actually giving rebates of $150 or more to customers who replace their old refrigerators with new, energy-efficient models. To find out what s offered in your state, check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiencies, or D-S-I-R-E. Even without the rebate, buying an Energy Star certified refrigerator makes sense. A mid-size fridge more than 10 years old can cost $100 a year to run. Today s Energy Star compliant models cost half that much: some use less energy than a continuously running 75-watt light bulb. And with so many great new features like digital temperature control, French doors and even an alarm to tell you when the door s been left open a new fridge is a great investment that works for your family 24 hours a day! Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. It may seem like a bit of a stretch to think of housework as a money-saving endeavor but, believe it or not, dirt can cost you money. For instance, did you know that if enough dust builds up on your refrigerator coils it can burn out the cooling fan and overheat and destroy the motor? That s a very expensive repair or replacement you can avoid. Run a vent brush under the fridge to clean the coils and vacuum them thoroughly with the brush attachment each season. Be sure you unplug the fridge first, though! Vacuum baseboard heating units often to help them radiate more efficiently. Clean out your dryer vent every couple of months to help it dry your clothes faster. Dirt can hide where you least expect it. Unscrew the aerator from the end of your kitchen faucet and check for sediment that could be reducing your water flow. Make sure you get the benefit of the light you re paying for: dirty glass on porch and overhead light fixtures, sconces and even windows can actually block a lot of light. Dirty furnace filters make your heating system work harder and cost you more. Next time you re at the hardware store, buy a few extra filters and date them so you ll remember to change them regularly. If you have an electronic air filter, don t wait until the cleaning light is blinking red; frequent cleaning lowers costs. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Ernie Wernecke of Princeton Custom Cabinetry installs the counter and backsplash in the inset bar of the Miami condo. The chrome-finish Whirlpool bar fridge has already been installed. An adjacent under-bar cabinet has also been faced with chrome-look Formica. The sleek, retro look is completed by the counter edging that looks like brushed metal. Wernecke shows Bob how the counterpiece is dropped into place, secured from underneath through the cabinet with screws, then held down by the backsplash. Wernecke uses glue to affix the backsplash so as to maintain a sleek, unbroken finish on the counter and backsplash. The entire installation will be held in place by the full mirrors that come next.

The kitchen is set for company, but the counters are clean and uncluttered. Appliances in white complement the adjacent living space in this open-plan apartment. The Whirlpool double-door refridgerator in white, with lots of storage and features, blends with the oven and cooktop, also from Whirlpool, and the Energy Star dishwasher with high-end features like wine-glass racks and special wash cycles. Bob challenged the crew to outfit the kitchen completely by shopping online from Sears.com. Juicers, pots, pans, blender, combination microwave-convection oven, coffee grinder and brewer, were all selected, delivered, and tucked away in this getaway kitchen designed for easy entertaining.

The EdenPURE Infrared Portable Heater can cut your heating bills and save you money. With over 1,000,000 EdenPURE heaters sold EdenPURE is #1 in both savings and reliability. Remember not all heaters are the same. There are many imitators on the market but only one EdenPURE.

Getting a Dremel® Multi-Max Oscillating Power Tool is almost like getting 5 tools in one. With it you can cut, grind, remove grout, scrape and sand. Powerful and heavy-duty, the Multi-Max is just the tool to help you tackle a wide variety of do-it-yourself projects.

Sustainable materials, non-wasteful practices and energy efficiency are hallmarks of eco-friendly housing efforts. Now, one organization and a federal program are looking more directly at how these efforts can make homes healthier for their occupants.

you and your family stay comfortable the entire season while protecting your investment. The good news is that it doesn t have to be expensive. There are a surprising number of easy things you can do at minimal cost that can maximize energy savings this winter. BobVila.

Many homeowners will have to deal with big heating bills this winter. But there is good news. Those bills are not expected to contain the huge price hikes 23 percent for heating oil and 18 percent for natural gas predicted earlier this year. A slowed economy has driven down some prices.

Advanced framing is the name given to techniques designed to reduce the amount of lumber used and waste generated in a residential construction project and to improve a home's energy efficiency.