Wood serves as a low-cost fuel for heating the home, and homeowners with easy access to firewood should be able to heat their homes all winter for around $1,000, according to the National Association of Realtors. While many people picture a crackling fireplace when they think of wood heat, fireplaces represent just one way to heat things up with wood. If you're considering switching to wood heat, consider these five technologies to see if one could work for your home.

One of the most used and important areas of your home is the backyard. You come to relax in this area, and you can enhance it for these purposes by incorporating some accessories. Interlocking Stone Pavers There may be a lot of mud and dirt in your backyard, preventing you from wanting to walk around in it. Mud and dirt don't have to be a problem again if you get interlocking stone pavers installed in your backyard.

Rust is one of the worst enemies of the water tank; not only does it weaken the tank walls, but it also leads to accumulation of sediment at the tank's bottom. The sediments reduce the efficiency of the water heater and waste energy. Although you cannot eliminate rusting in water heaters, you can reduce the rate of rusting if you understand what causes it. Causes of rust include: Intrinsic Rusting

As a homeowner, one of the grossest tasks that you will likely have to perform is cleaning-up after your septic system has backed-up into your home's bathtub. This job doesn't just smell bad, but raw sewage is a very real health threat to you and your family. The next time you hear the pipes gurgling, and find a special plumbing gift in your bathtub, keep these safety tips in mind:

Being a homeowner comes with a certain amount of responsibilities. While there is a lot of freedom that owning your own home brings, you also have to be aware of all the little what-ifs that might come your way. No one is going to be there to pay your repair bill for you, so you have to make sure you have a rainy day fund to accommodate any repairs needed. If you aren't sure what you have to look forward to as a homeowner, check out some of the common repairs needed.

It's not always easy to stay warm on a budget, especially when your house is working against you. If you want to beat the cold this winter without breaking the bank, it helps to do a few little, inexpensive tasks that can shore up your house's defenses from the outside chill. Grab Your Caulk Gun Small gaps and cracks between window seals and door frames can allow cold air to infiltrate your home and drive up your heating bill.

The type of replacement windows that you choose for your home, such as from http://www.newjerseywindow.com, will ultimately impact your overall costs, the amount of maintenance you are required to perform, and even your home's resale value. This is why it is so important to carefully consider all of the options before making a final decision regarding which windows you wish to install. Below, you can learn more about a couple of the most popular options you will have to choose from.

When you have one room that always seems to be the wrong temperature, you need to figure out what is causing the problem. With this issue, the problem can be simple or complex, which is why you need to spend some time looking into the different areas that can affect airflow to that room. With some additional information, you will be able to figure out why that one room is the wrong temperature throughout the year.

Iron falls somewhere in-between lucrative metals like zinc and less lucrative metals like aluminum. If you are looking for extra money and do not want your iron to go to waste, you will need to sort the iron from the rest of your metals. There are also other ways you can maximize how much you earn from your iron. Place Each Type of Metal in a Separate Container Before sorting through iron, think about any other types of metals you would like you sort.

With the holidays right around the corner, it's likely that you've already got your hands on storage boxes full of festive decorations that were tucked away in your attic. Many people make the mistake of stacking a ton of boxes for seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, and more inside of their attics, making it difficult to keep the space organized. In order for you to prevent this from becoming a problem, it's helpful to make a habit to clean out your attic on a regular basis.