Expert Advice for your Lawn & Garden TV Host of Today's Homeowner^® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Ceiling fans are a great way to keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter if you know how to use them properly. Though there is much confusion on the subject, it’s not that hard as long as you remember two simple rules.

Hot air in your attic may not seem like such a bad thing in the winter, but it contains moisture that can condense and cause long term problems. In summer, heat in the attic not only makes your air conditioner work harder, but it also cooks roof shingles from the underside and reduces their life.

The outside of our master bedroom addition is now almost complete, and much progress has been made on the interior as well. We have now moved the webcam inside so you can continue to follow the project. If you were watching last week, you were treated to a behind the scenes look at Danny filming an upcoming episode of the show.

How well insulation works is expressed by its R-value, which is a measure of resistance to the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates. The amount of insulation recommended for your home is dependent on where you live, but here are some general guidelines.

What is a pre-engineered masonry fireplace? Think of it as a fireplace that comes in pieces and is assembled on location like Lego blocks. These fireplaces install in a fraction of the time of traditional masonry fireplaces, while offering the same benefits traditional masonry fireplaces offer over metal fireplaces.

As more homeowners have recognized the need to properly seal their home to improve energy efficiency, the resulting effect has been a dramatic reduction of indoor air quality. Replacing the heating and cooling system of your home can be very costly, but there are ways to help improve the indoor air quality without going to such expense.

Homeowners are always looking for easy, economical ways to reduce their monthly heating and cooling costs. If your home heats up in the summertime the solution may be as simple as a little shade. Rooms with windows that get direct sunlight will heat up quickly in warm weather putting a strain on your cooling system but there are some things you can do to help ease that load.

With energy costs constantly on the rise there are tons of gimmicks out there that say they will save you money. People always want to know what’s for real and what’s not.

Homeowners ask me all the time how they can control their monthly utility bills. Many have resigned themselves to paying high bills because they think that’s just the price you have to pay to be comfortable and that’s certainly a factor.

Adding fiberglass insulation to your attic is a great idea to improve energy efficiency but the process can be very uncomfortable due to the small glass fibers in the insulation. In addition to a long sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, dust mask and eye goggles rub your hands and arms with baby powder or corn starch before working with fiberglass insulation.