I just moved into my house last fall. The floor on the entry level (just above the basement) was so cold this winter. I’m determined to fix it this summer but I’m not sure about the best approach. Should I insulate the basement ceiling?

Generally, the best approach to dealing with cold floors above a basement is to air seal and insulate the inside of the basement walls and the sill beams or band joist area. The main reason this method is recommended is to keep the basement and the things inside it warm. If you insulate the basement ceiling instead, you’ll essentially make the basement an outdoor space, which becomes vulnerable to cold winter conditions.

If your basement is wet, you’ll need to fix that situation before attempting an insulation job or you’ll risk moisture problems that can create unhealthy living conditions due to mold and mildew. If you can’t keep your basement dry, the insulation solution must be approached knowledgeably, to avoid frozen pipes and other issues in the basement. For these reasons, I strongly suggest leaving the job to a professional. You can find a list of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® contractors in Vermont at www.efficiencyvermont. com/homeperformance.

-Bob for The Home Team

My pool pump is on its last legs, so I’ll be buying one soon. My cousin out of state told me that she bought an energy-saving pump for her pool, to try to lower her electric bill. Do these things really save energy or is it just hype?

They really save energy. Variable speed and two-speed pool pumps use as little as 1/3 the energy of single-speed pumps. That can mean saving up to $180 on energy in a season. Because of these significant savings, Efficiency Vermont is offering a $200 rebate for qualifying pumps installed by September 30, 2010. To get a downloadable, mail-in rebate form and to see a list of qualifying pool pumps, visit www.efficiencyvermont. com/poolpumps .

When the time comes to replace the pump or its motor, an important energy saving approach is to get only the horsepower you need. A pool supplier can help you match the pump to the piping and pool that you have. If you decide to downsize the pump, talk to your supplier about using a larger filter and piping, to reduce the water-flow resistance in the system. For the most efficient operation, keep intakes and drains clean, and backwash regularly.

After you have your energysaving pump, you can save even more by running it only as long as is needed. To determine that timing, you'll need to experiment. Start by running the pump for eight hours per day. If the pool stays clear, run the pump less often until it starts to get cloudy. Then, run it a bit more each day until it clears. That will give you a typical run time. You can use a timer, rated for your size of pump, to automatically turn the pump on and off for you. You may find that different run times are required at different times of the year. Thanks for writing in!

-Li Ling for The Home Team