People Who Live in Glass Houses - For Real

Forget about a room with a view. Today, homeowners want views from every room.

As large expanses of glass have become architecturally acceptable for modern and traditional homes, new technology is making living in a fishbowl more practical—albeit sometimes challenging.

As we discuss here in WSJ some homeowners are going all out - $300,000 worth of glass. But what does it mean for birds and dirty fingerprints (and where do you hang the art?) Watch and read.

5 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Drafty fireplaces, cold windows and doorways, an uninsulated attic - all signs of a not-so-cozy winter.


Today on Good Morning America we walk through 5 Key Tips to Winterizing Your Home. Some of the projects like caulking are easy to do yourself and cost less than $100. Others - like a new furnace -- you can take up and still qualify for Uncle Sam's lucrative $1500 Energy Efficiency tax credit. It only lasts through the end of this year, though, so don't miss out if you're planning a qualifying improvement in the near future.


See some of the latest products out there to help in the video and read more online here.

New Hot Renovation: The Boiler Room

Do you lug dinner guests to see your new energy-efficient tankless water heater? Watch your power meter like a hawk? Risk life and limb to keep solar panels free of snow? Answer yes to any of these, and you might be a Boiler Room Junkie. See video above for six signs of the affliction.

We put together this video in conjunction with a WSJ story about how the new "hot" room on the house tour is the boiler/mechanical room. As more homeowners add renewable energy and other efficient solutions to their heating and cooling equipment, they are increasingly showcasing the appliances as they might a new stove.

Manufacturers are responding with water heaters, furnaces, and air-conditioners that are fashion-forward and in some cases, inspired by the iPod. Check out the story to see a slideshow of a few.

The Debate Over Cash for Appliances Rebates

Debating the merits of "Cash for Appliances" rebate program with Larry Kudlow on CNBC. Duplicative, wasteful spending - or a much-needed economic stimulus that will drive energy efficiency awareness?

The rebates are rolling out full speed this month across the nation, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. For more details, see this WSJ piece or go to energysavers.gov.

Things Heat Up on CNBC...(Hint: Solar...)

I stand by what I told Larry Kudlow in this segment - I don't come cheap. But lucrative federal and state incentives can help make a solar hot water system cheaper for you. Learn more in the video and here at WSJ.

Cash for Appliance Rebates Get Rolling Nationally

Today on Good Morning America, we talked about the now-happening "Cash for Appliances" rebate program for consumers to get rebates on new energy efficient appliances when trading in old ones.

Time and money is limited. If your old washer is about to kick it, or that big stand-up freezer is guzzling kilowatts, check out what rebates are being offered in your state. Here's a link to the federal government's Web site that gives you all the details.

Note: not every appliance qualifies in every state. Always look for the Energy Star label when shopping to qualify. You also might get a higher rebate for recycling your old stuff. And there could be additional incentives offered through your local utility or municipality. Here's a link to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, which outlines other federal and state money you can get for such home improvements.

More details can be found in my WSJ column on the rebates.

On the Roof: Why Solar Hot Water is Sexy

In tomorrow's Wall Street Journal, my job drives me to the roof -- no, not to jump -- but to explain the merits of a solar hot water system.

It's simple, and can get you out of roughly two-thirds of your hot water bill. Plus, the tax incentives to install one are pretty sweet -- cutting costs nearly in half in some cases.

Everyone thinks of electricity when they think of solar. But this is an easy and cheaper way to start cutting your energy costs. That's sexy in my book.

Who Are the New "Ruralpolitans?"

While urban and suburban real estate is still generally under pressure, the rural market is holding up better in many areas, thanks in part to "ruralpolitans," as I report in WSJ. These city and town dwellers are looking at land as their new safe investment, one they hope could prove more stable than their jobs and 401(k)s—and provide a better lifestyle.

Typically there are three groups: young people buying land as an asset or investment, with vague hopes to live on it someday; exurban commuters who have jobs in big towns or cities but want to escape the sprawl; and back-to-the-land types who want to dabble in hobby farming.

They're also driving sales in the outdoor equipment market -- small compact tractors and utility vehicles being among the biggest sellers. I tested the new eco-friendly Polaris Ranger EV (all battery-powered) in this video. And P.S., I'm a relatively new ruralpolitan myself. You can read about my conversion in "From Versace to Chainsaws."

ABC News Video: "Winter-Proofing" Your Home

There are good tax incentives available now for "winter-proofing" your home now through 2010. Among them, a 30% federal tax credit up to $1500 for certain energy efficient home improvements including:

Windows and Doors
Insulation
Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
HVAC (heating and cooling equipment)
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Biomass Stove (wood stoves, pellet stoves)

For more details, we explore this on ABC News. Get the details and find out what qualifies at the government's Energy Star Web site.

Lawn Mowers that Don't Use Gas

Recently I've been testing a spate of "gasless" outdoor power tools: trimmers that run off lithium-ion batteries or propane, chainsaws that work on nickle-cadmium batteries and mowers, including a $3299 riding one from Ariens, propelled by electric motors and lead acid batteries.

In this Wall Street Journal story and video, you can see many of the tools in action and get a glimpse of where they perform well and where they fall short. The goal of the new breed of outdoor equipment is less maintenance, fewer emissions.

How Your Home Can Qualify For Bailout Cash

For those homeowners who feel they are falling between the cracks with the federal government's various stimulus efforts, my WSJ story today outlines some potentially lucrative tax credits available for various energy efficient home improvements.

The credits are available for everything from adding qualifying insulation and windows and hot water heaters, to solar panels and geothermal systems. However, some credits are available for a limited time period -- 2009 and 2010 -- so if you are in the market for some of these improvements or systems, now might be a profitable time to take the plunge.