Every financial expert we know says home improvements are the best way to use a home equity line of credit.

You could update your kitchen or bathrooms, add on a bedroom and bath or family room, improve energy efficiency with new windows or an updated heating and cooling system, or preserve the structural integrity of your home with a new roof.

That doesn't mean every dollar you spend will add a dollar to the value to your home.

It won't.

Labor and material costs have risen substantially over the past couple of years, making almost every project more expensive.

Home prices are now falling in most of the country.

You'll actually recoup less of what you spend on home improvements than you would have last year, when everything housing-market-related was tanking.

But the return still isn't shabby: 70 cents of every dollar you spend improving your home will increase its value.

Check out our list of the 10 improvements that add the most value to your home.

Or go here to see our complete list of the 6 smartest ways to use a line of credit.