The U.S. Patent Office opened in 1790, and awarded its first trademark to Averill Chemical Company of New York for a new line of house paint. Since then many patents and trademarks have been issued for exterior and interior paints -- for everything from water-based latex to revolutionary manufacturing techniques. This month marked the introduction of energy-saving paint. Now you can paint inside or out and save energy dollars, too. New paints, which work like low-e glass, reduce radiant-heat transfer in and out of a home with microscopic hollow ceramic pellets suspended in thicker-than-normal coatings that look like ordinary paint when dry. They cost the same as other premium grade paints. You might use a bit more due to its thicker coat, but energy savings should offset the added cost. You also can buy ceramic sphere powder and add it to regular house and wall paints. Ask about it, and start brushing and rolling on savings. And that's the On The House tip for today.