(BPT) - Adding living space to your home can be an expensive prospect. However, creating an outdoor room is a budget-friendly option that gives you more square footage, as well as additional opportunities to enjoy the season. As an extension of the home, outdoor rooms with decks or pergolas can be personalized to truly bring indoor comforts outside for relaxation and entertaining.

Let us now say a prayer for forced air heating systems. They were good for awhile and kept many homes warm through the years, but let’s now leave these noisy relics in the dust and embrace the wonders of hot water heating systems. To say nothing about the ease of control, hot water heating offers a more evenly held heat and a more palpable heat, seeing as it is based on moisture rather than dry air. Hot water heating makes any home more comforting and welcoming during winter.

The furnaces used in hot water heating can be powered by gas, oil, coal, wood, or electric coil. Typically gravity fed or pumped, the heated water in the boiler travels up to the radiators, and as they disperse the heat, the cooler water travels down to the boiler to be reheated.

(BPT) - Despite its negative reputation, the number 13 doesn’t always have to be unlucky. Take these top 10 decor trends for 2013 from design experts, manufacturers and trend forecasters across the country. They’re fresh, fun and sure to bring good fortune to any home.

Members of Frack Action spoke out against the process of natural gas drilling called hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, at the Department of Environmental Conservation’s hearing regarding the management of state forests on Thursday.

A $161-million project is underway that will yield the largest cargo development in the 54-year history of John F. Kennedy International Airport and is expected to bring in more than 2,000 local construction jobs.

Hoping to increase trade between Southeast Queens and the African continent, Congressman Gregory Meeks and a number of prominent local businessmen left last Saturday on a trade mission to Ghana.