In both winter and summer, your heat pump works hard to keep your home comfortable. To keep it in the best shape possible, you need to have routine heat pump maintenance performed. This will keep it running efficiently, lower repair costs, and prolong the heat pump's life.

Your furnace is one of those tricky contraptions that no one ever teaches homeowners about when they first move in. It's often not until there's an emergency that anyone takes notice. The truth is there are some basic maintenance tasks that you can do on your own to keep your furnace running in top shape. However, you should also know when to schedule professional maintenance to avoid any further damage.

Ductwork is essential to the operation of a traditional heating and cooling system. Old, dirty or otherwise failing ducts could mean that the cooled or heated air your unit produces isn't properly disbursed around your home. Since this can mean increased energy costs, it’s worthwhile to periodically inspect the ducts to determine if it requires updating.

The last winter storm that gripped the Northeast and created widespread and long-term power outages was one fantastical freak storm — and not only because it happened over Halloween.

When inclement weather hits, two groups of homeowners emerge: those who are grateful they own a generator and those who wish they did. It seems that every year there are more and more reports of severe weather, and you never know when your area could be hit. For this reason, it's wise to consider buying a generator or upgrading the one you currently have.

An inefficient crawlspace can be likened to a hole in the bottom of a boat. Even if you plug up all the leaks in the sides of boat, it's still going to take on water.

Crawlspaces can be big energy wasters or savers, depending on several factors.

Attic sealing is a solid strategy for preventing energy from leaking out of your attic and moisture from leaking in. Even if your home is adequately insulated (many Metrowest Boston homes are not), precious conditioned air can still seep through the insulating material.

New England winters can be brutal and unforgiving. Lately, Mother Nature has thrown some hard punches in our area and we can never be sure what's ahead. So, it's best to start preparing now for the cold weather season. By doing a few energy-savings actions now, you can be prepared for the worst and keep energy costs as low as possible.

Here are a few tips that will keep the cold out, the heat in and your energy savings high. Check your home's:

Your home's insulation is an effective barrier against heat infiltration in summer and heat loss in winter. Proper landscaping can boost insulation, by helping it maintain indoor air temperatures. With fall an ideal time for planting, here are a few tips for improving the power of your home's insulation and reduce heating and cooling costs: