Preston Sandlin

With the mercury already dropping and colder weather starting to settle in, the last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is a broken furnace or boiler. But when an old heating system fails in the middle of winter, homeowners will be faced with the tough and often expensive decision of whether to repair the existing system or purchase a new one.

Repairs on an existing furnace or boiler may be the least expensive immediate option, but could cost consumers more in the long run since older systems tend to break down over and over while consuming more energy, and drive up utility bills more than newer systems. However, there are times when simple repairs can prolong the life of an older furnace or boiler, making replacement a less immediate need.

According to Ken Ely, a home heating and energy efficiency expert with Lennox -- a leading provider of home comfort systems -- homeowners should ask the following four questions before making the decision whether to repair or replace:

1. Is the furnace or boiler on its last leg?
Excessive energy consumption and frequent repairs are the trademarks of a system at the end of its useful life. If the heating system is more than 15 years old, replacing the aging system with a new ENERGY STAR-qualified system can save time, money, and headaches -- and keep you warmer and more comfortable in the long run. If the system is less than 15 years old, routine maintenance may be the way to go. In fact, an annual check-up can significantly increase the heating system's performance and extend the life of the unit.

2. Are your energy bills going up, up and up?
While the cost of home heating oil and natural gas is on the rise, an older, less efficient heating system may also be the culprit when it comes to high energy bills. By replacing an older furnace that is 60 percent efficient with one that is 95 percent efficient, homeowners can save approximately 57 percent on energy bills and up to $5,513 over a five-year period. Energy calculators, such as the one available at lennox.com, can help consumers compare the savings of different high-efficiency systems and determine whether to repair or replace an older unit.

3. Were you feeling left out in the cold even before the heating system stopped working?
Duct problems, insufficient sealing or inadequate insulation can create hot and cold spots in the house. When making the decision to repair or replace a heating system, talk with a reputable home heating and cooling contractor about your home comfort issues to determine if you need to replace the existing system or if the issues can be resolved with repairs or duct sealing.

4. Is the heating system still protected by a warranty?
If the existing system is still under warranty, it may make sense to have the furnace or boiler repaired depending on the type of coverage the product warranty provides. If there is no warranty left on the existing system, consumers may want to buy a new heating system that comes with an entirely new warranty for added peace of mind. For example, products like the Dave Lennox Signature Collection G71P gas furnace, come with a standard limited 10-year warranty for parts and a limited lifetime warranty for the heat exchanger.

With unlimited color and texture options, stone countertops have become a leading choice in the kitchen for homeowners who want a modern yet elegant appearance. But you, like many others, might be wondering how you keep the unique stone surface clean and shiny?

When you first get your countertops, the stone surfaces are sealed in order to keep stains out of the naturally porous material. But this is just one line of defense in protecting the beauty and integrity of the stone. A little tender loving care will help protect your investment and keep it looking like new. The key is to use the right cleaners on the surface so you don't cause any unnecessary damage.

"Using harsh household cleaners over a period of time will break down the seal and eventually causes the surface to look dull," says Jim Gray of Rock Doctor, maker of a variety of products that clean granite, marble and other natural stone. "We recommend using a specific product designed for cleaning stone that will insure that the seal is protected and the stone will continue to look like new."

In the kitchen, stone countertops are exposed to acidic foods, oils and many other items that can damage the finish. Using a non-abrasive cleaner like Rock Doctor Granite Cleaner will keep the surface free of damaging stains and will not harm the seal that is applied to the countertop.

To restore the luster on your stone countertop you may also use a polish in conjunction with the cleaner. One option is Rock Doctor Granite Polish that not only adds a radiant shine but will repel water and actually enhance the seal already on the surface. Your countertops will be protected and might actually look better than when you first got them.

To help properly maintain your stone it is also advised to clean up spills -- especially acidic juices and cola -- as soon as possible. Use coasters under glasses to prevent glass rings from forming and use clean towels or rags to avoid scratching the surface when buffing.

Here are some additional do's and don'ts when caring for stone countertops:

* Do clean surfaces with a mild detergent or Rock Doctor cleaners.
* Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing.
* Do blot up spills immediately.
* Do protect countertop surfaces with coasters, trivets or place mats.
* Don't use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine or onyx surfaces.
* Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub and tile cleaners
* Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.

With just a little time and investment, your stone countertops will be the envy of the neighborhood and will look like new for years to come.

DIY. So last year. Now it's GIY. As in green-it-yourself. And just like DIY projects, there are plenty of easy GIY weekend home improvement projects that will save energy and money and add value to your home. Oh, and we should mention you can help protect the planet while you're at it.

Being green is easy and important. And fall's a great time to tackle home improvement projects that will have an impact on the environment. People everywhere are taking small steps that make a difference in the fight against global warming. From buying energy-efficient appliances, to reusing grocery bags, to properly inflating tires, millions of Americans are clamoring to do their part for the earth.

So what are some GIY projects you can tackle now that will help save energy, money and the planet?

1. Insulating -- One of the easiest GIY projects that delivers the biggest green payoff is upgrading your home's insulation. By doing so, you can decreases your carbon footprint, increase your home's energy efficiency and save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling energy bills.1 Yet, nearly 80 million U.S. homes are estimated to be under insulated to the Department of Energy (DOE) standards.

The Department of Energy recommends attics -- where 30 to 40 percent of a home's total energy loss occurs -- have up to an R-value of 60. To meet these standards, your attic should have at least 19 inches of fiberglass batt (roll) insulation or 22 inches of blown insulation. A good rule of thumb -- if you can see the wood beams (joists) in your attic, you definitely don't have enough insulation. Even if you can't see the joists, you still may not have enough and with nearly 80 million American homes under insulated it's likely we or our neighbors could use more. Owens Corning, makers of recognizable PINK insulation, offers a step-by-step guide to adding insulation to your attic at www.InsulateAndSave.com.

2. Heating & Sealing -- Reap the most benefit from the insulation upgrade you just finished by ensuring that your furnace, ductwork and weather stripping around doors and windows are in good shape.

While it's a good practice to have your furnace serviced by a professional each year before winter, you can improve your furnace's operation and efficiency. Change the air filters throughout your house every 30 days and regularly vacuum dust from air return vents. Lubricate the blower motor following the instructions in the furnace's owner's guide.

Check weather stripping around doors and windows and repair or replace any cracked or faulty stripping. Don't forget stripping around garage doors and the door from the garage into your house, as these areas can be major heat drains for your home.

3. Lighting - Once you're done with the two projects above, replace those incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs -- like compact fluorescent light bulbs - to decrease the amount of electricity you use for lighting as much as 75 percent. It's a simple task to go through your home and replace light bulbs.

Although energy efficient styles may cost more, they last longer than incandescent bulbs and conserve so much energy that they quickly pay for themselves. Each bulb will save you about $30 over its lifetime and produce 75 percent less heat than incandescent bulbs. If changing all bulbs at once seems daunting, ENERGY STAR recommends replacing the most-used bulbs in your home, such as overhead lights in the kitchen, table and floor lamps in the living or family room, and outdoor porch or post lamps.

For more energy-saving, GIY home improvement ideas, visit www.energystar.gov.

If you're selling your home, you're not just competing against the house down the street anymore. You're mixing it up with desperate new-home builders with pockets deeper than yours, banks willing to sell foreclosed homes at a loss, and buyers who know that sellers are at a disadvantage. You definitely need an edge.

Remodeling remains one of the best ways to set your home ahead of the competition. Upgrades to outdoor areas that expand the living space and add curb appeal can help sell your home faster and for a better price. Homeowners seeking to improve their living spaces are not making the traditionally popular - yet costly - upgrades to kitchens and baths. Instead, they are adding to the curb appeal with outdoor structures or landscaping if they are planning to sell.

But did you know that using high-quality materials throughout your home can also improve value and salability? Homeowners need to make the whole package appealing, which means it has to be long-lasting, low-maintenance and visually attractive.

"Cheaper materials may save money at the outset of a renovation project, but in the long run they reduce the potential value of a home," says Richard White, an architect who specializes in custom homes.

In fact, in homes that increased in value by at least 100 percent, owners spent 2.5 times more on improvements than in homes where the value increased by less than 50 percent, according to a study by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

White offers the following insight into using high-quality materials to enhance the value of your home:

Choose timeless, not trendy. Often, trendy building materials can't compete with traditionally popular ones for staying power and durability. Choosing traditionally popular materials for your renovation can help ensure your house is appealing to a wide range of buyers through years of evolving fads.

"People trust building materials they know," White says. "If I grew up in a home with Western red cedar siding, I know the qualities of the wood and what it will do for my home."

Long a traditional favorite, Western red cedar has a number of qualities that make it a preferred, quality material for decking, siding, and the increasingly popular outdoor living spaces that can enhance a home's value, White says. Natural preservatives in the wood make it very durable for outdoor uses, even in more severe climates, according to Web site realcedar.org. Its texture and coloration give it a rich, natural beauty that enhances interiors as well, in features such as interior paneling, vaulted ceilings, trim and boxed-in beams.

One trend worth tapping, however, is the movement towards more eco-friendly homes. Many buyers are looking for homes that incorporate recycled materials or new ones drawn from renewable sources, energy-efficient design and a minimal carbon footprint. When choosing products for your remodeling project, consider the steps the product took to reach your home.

Curb appeal projects can be as simple as sprucing up the landscaping with a Western red cedar arbor, trellises, or adding a wood fence to increase privacy; or they can take the form of a pergola or even a gazebo or deck to expand the outdoor living space. From the smallest project to the grandest, Western red cedar's versatility can add beauty to the outside of a home

Synthetic materials such as vinyl and plastic are manufactured with nonrenewable materials. Minerals making up cement, stucco and metal are mined from the earth and not replaced.

Woods such as pine, fir, and Western red cedar are renewable resources, grown and harvested sustainably. The environmental costs of wood production are also much less than mineral or synthetic materials. Production of concrete requires 70 percent more energy than wood building products and releases 67 percent more pollution into the air.

"Wood has a lower environmental impact throughout its life cycle than other building materials" says Paul Mackie of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association.

Even if you have no immediate plans to sell, and are remodeling to improve your enjoyment of your home, remember that someday you may want - or need - to compete for buyers in a tight market. The right remodeling enhancements, done with the right high-quality materials, can help any home become more attractive to buyers and sustain its value through conditions such as the current market