Q: My heating system is 10-plus years old, and I want to switch to a heat pump. Can you help me choose the best option for my home?
A: Heat pumps have been around for decades. In that time, the technology has come a long way. In my opinion, they could use a rebrand.

With the long-awaited warmth of summer arriving soon comes the desire to spend our days outside, whether swimming, boating or camping. Although we’re far more unplugged outdoors, many electrical hazards still accompany these leisurely summer activities—and they often lurk beneath the surface.

Q: I often hear claims you'll never pay an electric bill again if you go solar. Is that true?

Our September evening skies feature a growing presence of our fellow planets. Venus continues its very gradual ascent out of the twilight and, by the end of the month, sets around dusk. Saturn, meanwhile, is at opposition—directly opposite the sun in the sky on Sept. 7.

The new year opens with our solar system’s two largest worlds shining brightly in our evening sky. Saturn is in the southwestern sky and sets one to two hours after the end of dusk.