There was a time when being included on a top 10 list meant that people were going to laugh when they found out why.

But Remodeling magazine's 31st annual “Cost vs. Value Report” is no laughing matter. It compares the costs of 20 of the most popular remodeling projects in 100 American cities with how much estate professionals believe those projects will improve a home’s value at resale time.

The average payback ranged from a high of 98.3 percent to a low of 47.6 percent. And for the first time, roof replacement cracked the top 10. By all indications, the installation of solar panels cannot be far behind.

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There's a lot to be said for having the wind at your back – unless, of course, you're standing in your home and realize that the wind is coming from a drafty window.

Consider it a wake-up call to weatherize your home – a two-step process that requires applying caulk and weather-stripping to problem spots before First Quality Roofing & Insulation makes your home airtight with insulation. Spring is the ideal time for such a project, before summer arrives and the hot, outdoor air descends on Las Vegas and wreaks havoc with your utility bills.

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Solar panels make a lot of sense. 

They can save you thousands of dollars a month in energy costs, they might make you eligible to earn a tax credit, and they help protect the environment. 

And that's just a few of the benefits of having solar energy panels installed on your house. 

With such an upside, it's no not a surprise that so many Americans are installing solar energy panels on their homes. But solar energy is still a relatively new technology, which means many might think installation is complicated and beyond their reach. 

It's not. 

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You may decide to rent your home if you’ve had trouble selling it and need to go ahead and move. Or you might have moved into a bigger home or downsized into a smaller one and decided to rent your original home. You may assume that your homeowners’ insurance will cover your former residence. That’s probably not the case, however.

The following are some questions and answers to help you know when homeowners insurance may not apply and when you need to get landlord insurance:

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Summer is fast approaching in Las Vegas, bringing with it higher temperatures and even higher electric bills. If you find yourself turning on the AC far too often during the summer, the problem may lie with your attic insulation. Too little insulation leads to uneven temperatures between rooms in your home and results in expensive cooling bills. Blown in attic insulation can improve the overall performance of your heating, cooling and ventilation systems.

Blown in insulation involves blowing loose-fill insulation into your attic using an electric blower unit. The insulation is commonly made with fiberglass, cellulose or both.

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