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You’ve been hanging around the lumber yards lately because you need wood for one of your do-it-yourself projects. You haven’t settled on one type of wood yet, but in talking to experts and other homeowners, something has stuck in your ear. OSB. You’ve heard this acronym around town. What is it, you ask? While it is a widely used acronym, specifically for ocean groups and religious organizations, for our purposes OSB stands for oriented strand board.
We know, we know: The economy’s iffy, jobs are tight, housing values aren’t what they once were. But if there were ever a perfect time to invest in your place by adding more insulation or replacing a creaky old water heater, it’s now. The economic stimulus package passed by Congress last February included a federal tax credit—not just a deduction, but a full-on credit—of 30 percent of the cost of all sorts of energy-saving systems, with a cap of $1,500 per house, if installed by the end of 2010. These upgrades pack the double benefit of slashing your utility bills while increasing your house’s long-term value, too.
1. Build a clothesline
Next to your refrigerator, your dryer is likely the biggest energy-guzzling appliance in your house. And while we wouldn’t ask you to store your food in a vintage icebox, an old-fashioned clothesline is actually a pretty good idea. (If that sounds too retro, think of it as a “solar dryer” instead.)
You can buy a pulley kit like the one pictured here at the hardware store. Or you can order the components online. But it’s easy to make a traditional clothesline yourself, using 4×4 or 6×6 pressure-treated posts for the uprights and 2×8s for the cross arms (which don’t need to be pressure-treated). Simply notch the posts to receive the cross arms, set them in concrete, and run the lines on eye hooks between them. A 4- or 5-foot cross arm should give you enough room for five lengths of line, nicely spaced.
Lumber: $42
Hardware: $10
100 feet of line + 100 wood clothespins: $17
Total: $69
Everything always comes back into fashion. Whether its retro clothing, vintage cars, or designer antiques, 
people love it when the past catches up to the present again. But bringing a little history into the home isn’t just limited to decorative knick-knacks and old-fashioned furniture. It can extend to the actual construction of the house as well. Reclaimed wood has become a popular way to recycle pre-existing wooden structures by incorporating them into newer homes.
Most families own at least one pet, and most of those pets are dogs and cats. In some homes it may seem like Fluffy rules the roost. He has his own heated bed, his own seasonal wardrobe, and even his own doors. Pet doors are a common necessity in many pet owners’ homes. They’ve come a long way over that past several years. There are pet doors for windows, doors, and even walls. They can be as tiny as a Chihuahua or as large as a Weimaraner. Read more…
Many air leaks are easy to find because they are easy to feel – like those around windows, doors, and through electrical outlets. But hidden air leaks in attics, basements, and around chimneys are often more significant sources of energy loss. Consider addressing these big leaks first because they will have a greater impact on improving your comfort and reducing your utility bills. ENERGY STAR’s Home Sealing Do-It-Yourself Guide has great pictures and suggests places to look for these leaks. Visit ENERGY STAR Home Sealing for more information.
Before buying a new heating or cooling system, it makes sense to tighten up your house first. The following steps will reduce your heating and cooling load, improve your comfort, and maybe even allow you to purchase a smaller—and less expensive—furnace or air conditioner when the time comes to replace your existing system.
Step 1: Consider an Energy Audit
Step 2: Find and Seal Air Leaks
Step 3: Insulate
Step 4: Upgrade Inefficient Windows & Doors
Step 5: Replace Old Windows
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