Hot Water Heater Tips That Can Save You Money

Most of the time on this blog, home improvement tips seem to follow a recent learning experience stemming from fixing something that’s broken — such as troubleshooting the furnace, plumbing tips from Dad after getting a leak in the bathroom sink, or evicting a family of a**hole squirrels from my attic. But, every now and then, I find myself looking up information about preventing the next big home repair expense. Because maybe — just a little bit — I should probably start seeing what this “ounce of prevention” adage is all about and leave the rainy day funds for a different, less-foreseeable rainy day.

I dunno… maybe this whole being an adult thing is starting to actually happen.

Anyway, I found myself looking up a bunch of info on hot water heaters lately, and I found a number of tips that you might find useful as well, so I thought I’d pass them along. There’s also the handful of info I knew already but hadn’t yet put into a post together, and I realized that as a home improvement blogger, that’s kind of inefficient and I should probably get around to doing something about it. Oh, the irony. Let’s talk about energy efficiency though, right?

As a bit of a numbers geek, I nabbed a few stats that I thought were particularly interesting (either from government websites like the U.S. Department of Energy or other helpful tip sites). I also wanted to address some of the more popular tips I’ve read online as to their practicality… because some of this “common” advice seems downright weird to me. And last but not least, I partnered up with the Propane Education & Research Council, who has a lot more expertise on the matter than I do and asked them to share a few helpful tips as well on when to consider a water heater replacement (note, however, all opinions expressed here are my own). Don’t fret too much if you can’t get to everything on this list right away — they’re meant to serve as a series of things you can do to help cut costs or increase energy use, but even just one or two of these is a step in the right direction!

The Basics

Know where to locate the water shutoff valve.

[clears throat] Um, yeah. This seems obvious, but if you’re reading this and you can’t immediately think of the location of where you would go to shut off the water supply to your house, stop reading this right now and go look for it (if you’re reading this at work though, wait until you get home; knowing how to fix your office’s water issues is likely not in your job description). Even if you live with someone else and you rely on them to know these things, just learn where it is anyway. In the event of an emergency, knowing where to turn off the water and power supply (such as the gas line) can prevent a whole heaping mess of property damage and health hazards.

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you might recall a time when I actually didn’t know where the shutoff valve to the hot water was in this house, and I had to learn in a panicked state as hot, scalding water was shooting out from a valve that popped off in the master bath. At 6AM, just after a holiday. Not a good time. So, learn from me being an idiot and just grab your label maker and sleep a little more soundly knowing you can shut off the water supply from your house without having to call the fire department.

Know what kind of water heater you have.

Is it tankless or does it have a storage tank? Is it powered by natural gas, propane, or electric? Where is the serial number? If it has a tank, what is the gallon capacity? Most of this can be found directly on the tank on a label, but it’s helpful to at least know where to find it in case you need to call a plumber (they’ll often ask for this info).

Periodically flush your water heater and perform regular inspections.

Draining water from your water tank removes sediment that impedes heat transfer, so removing this helps efficiency. I’m probably not going out on a limb here to say that there are likely some varying steps depending on the water heater you have (such as with a storage tank or tankless), so the best way to know how to drain or flush your water heater (and how often to do it) is likely found on the label of the water heater itself (much like how my furnace has instructions on its label… nice how these companies assume we’ll toss or lose an instruction manual, so they just put it in a place where it’s less likely to be lost and literally glue helpful info to the side, right?). From the websites I’ve read, annual maintenance is a common rule of thumb.

While you’re at it, you should also do a visual inspection. Look for corrosion, rust, residue, soot, etc. If you find any of these things, it’s a good idea to phone a professional and have them come service the unit. Smelling gas is another big red flag — turn the gas off and contact a pro right away.

Energy Saving Tips

Upgrade your old appliances.

We all knew this tip would be on the list, but it’s one of the better (albeit one of the pricier) ways to start getting some energy savings. I upgraded my kitchen appliances, including my dishwasher, to Energy Star models right after moving into the house, took advantage of a huge tax rebate to help offset the costs, and later upgraded the washer and dryer in the laundry room just a couple of years ago. It varies by state, but shopping on tax-free holidays can save quite a bit on bigger ticket items like these, so a good plan is to note when your area might have some good sales and start saving up (I don’t know if this site is accurate or not, but here’s a list for 2016). According to one website, new hot water heaters, washers, or dishwashers can cut water consumption by up to half of the number of gallons the older models use. It’s not a savings you’ll notice right away, but that’s mainly because you’ll be too distracted that your washer now plays a melody every time a load is done (sure, you can turn this feature off, but I like it).

Wash clothes in cold water.

I don’t really do this when it comes to clothes that need to be cleaned after a mud/obstacle race, but for the most part, I wash all my clothes in cold or warm water. Now that I have a new washer and dryer set, I don’t really even notice since the unit is pre-set to colder water by default. They make detergents for washing clothes in cold water and it saves energy; what’s not to like?

Take showers, not baths.

This is the “dumb” tip I referenced earlier, so I’m only mentioning it because I find it funny that it’s still on these lists; most people I know over the age of ten regularly take showers and not baths, so this tip seems kind of moot. I guess knowing that you’re making a water-sensible choice on a regular basis, without really trying, is good? Of course, people don’t often mention that this is in relation to short showers… standing in the shower and belting out the Adele album does not save more water than taking a bath, even though I can totally relate to you wanting to finish the song before getting out. To make it easier to turn the water off, keep the bathroom door closed (especially in winter) to trap the heat and avoid those stubble-inducing cold drafts. You can also install low-flow showerheads and faucets for some added water savings (apparently, new showerheads can save 25-60% more than pre-1992 models).

Consider a water heater upgrade.

It’s hard to upgrade on things that haven’t actually broken yet, but if you’re knowingly wasting hundreds of dollars every year on an inefficient system, waiting to upgrade until your current water heater fails can cost you money. If you’re close to the 7 to 10-year mark, it might be time to start looking into your options; this quiz on KnowYourWaterHeater.com, can help calculate when you should pull the plug.

If you do decide to replace (and uh, hire a pro for this!), it’s important to note that as of 2015, new federal standards went into effect, which basically increased the minimum energy efficiency requirements for hot water heater models in homes in the U.S. This may mean that some newer models for specific types of tanks (such as standard efficiency tanks for electric storage water heaters) will no longer fit into the same spaces (they can be taller/wider/heavier) as they once did.

In other words, not only should you look at the annual cost and savings of making the switch from a long-term value perspective, but you might also need to consider eliminating the need for a tank altogether. From what I’ve read, propane or natural gas-powered “on-demand” and tankless models can deliver lower annual ownership costs up to 30% than tank models using electric/heating oil in many parts of the country, so space and savings are two very important factors to look into. The fuel type you already have in the home will largely impact what type of new hot water heater you shop for, but in terms of saving floor space, getting better efficiency (which also impacts annual heating costs), and still getting abundant hot water, propane-powered water heaters often perform better over their electric counterparts. Tankless models can cost more than the standard ones, but they can also last 5-10 years longer.

You won’t find me often talking about carbon footprints on the blog, but I did spy some info on that as well: standard electric storage tank water heaters (all of these water heater types are a mouthful, but I’m trying to make sure I have the phrases correct) can produce up to two times greater emissions than tankless units, such as the ones running on propane. So… if that’s a factor for you as well, there you go!

Add insulation.

If your older water heater tank doesn’t have an R-value of at least 24, adding a water heater insulation blanket around your tank can reduce heat loss by 24-25% (and should pay for itself in savings of water heating costs in about a year). It looks like a pretty straightforward DIY project, but some utilities may also provide these to you at no cost or even install them for you, so check your local area. Note: this isn’t for newer tanks; they are likely to be already insulated. And while this seems like an easy and inexpensive improvement (from what I read, it’s like $30), you should still check your water heater’s warranty prior to installing to make sure it doesn’t void your coverage.

Stop the leaks and drips.

Leaky faucets waste a huge amount of water, not to mention cause all sorts of damage that you have to repair later if they drip behind walls — or in my case, directly onto my ripped out bathroom floor!

Check the thermostat.

Take a look at the temperature gauge on your water heater; if it’s higher than 120°F, lower it down for reduced heating costs while still providing a comfortable level of hot water for most uses. For every 10ºF reduction, you save about 3-5% per year on water heating costs.

There you have it. Lots and lots of tips, but hopefully you learned something new (I did!).

The post Hot Water Heater Tips That Can Save You Money appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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DIY Glass Pendant Light Fixture (Knockoff)

When I last updated you guys about my breakfast nook in my remodeled kitchen, I had a plan in mind for what I wanted it to look like. But as design projects sometimes go, the things we once loved for the space no longer suit the room. That was the case with this light fixture:

After all the trouble to get it installed, I hated the way it looked. I didn’t like the light it gave off, and I instantly regretted the time I wasted struggling to make it hang correctly (spoiler: it was never gonna happen). So, like any disappointed DIYer, I began searching for new options. I covered them back in my breakfast nook update, but it was almost as if I had too many choices rather than too few. And since I’d already gotten it wrong once before, I was hesitant to pull the trigger until I was sure it was the one.

THE ONE.

Have you ever heard angels singing when you see the perfect thing? It’s happened only occasionally when I go shopping for this house (lots of trial and error), but when it came to this light fixture, I instantly swooned. The silvery finish wasn’t exactly the right choice for the kitchen with all of the black accents it has, but that was pretty much the only thing about it I didn’t think would gel with the room. In short, it was gorgeous. I was totally convinced that this was what I wanted and had my credit card at the ready. There was just one little problem… the light was sold OUT!

I waited a few months to see if it would come back on sale (with online shops, there is sometimes an option to sign up for alerts if something comes available again), but nope. If I wanted this light, I’d have to figure out a way to make it myself.

Aaaand that’s when the stars aligned and Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl decided to do a #DIYLightingChallenge. I was originally planning on posting it Monday with everyone else, but as usual, I had to run all over town to find the items I needed only to wind up lucking out in the 11th hour. It was too late to get things up in time for the blog hop, but in the end, I still got my new light fixture out of the deal. And? Saved myself some cash! Worth it!

As often happens on this blog, there’s pretty much a story with every project (if you just want to skip to the actual tutorial, scroll down until you see the dashed line like the one directly below). Let’s start with the hardest part to track down…

——————————————–

The Glass Bowl

Finding a glass bowl that would suit this light should be easy, right? That’s what I thought. I tried to think of what types of objects where I might find clear or seeded glass, the right size and shape, etc. I came up with three possible options:

• a glass mixing bowl (or fruit bowl)


• a fish bowl (granted, a modernish style rather than the usual round one)


• converting a “boob light” (those hideous boob-like ceiling light fixtures that have nipples finials on the bottom… after reading one blogger call them a boob light ages ago, I can’t not see them that way!)

In theory, the boob light option would be easiest if I could find one. They are usually really cheap, already have a hole in them for the finial (which I could use as the spot I’d put the light kit through for hanging), and already made to work as a light. But the problem there is that nearly all of them are textured or frosted, and I wanted clear. I searched a few places, but no success.

The fishbowl idea didn’t pan out either, and so I was left searching for a glass mixing bowl, salad bowl, serving bowl, etc. The main issue I ran into here was just that most mixing bowls have a lip on the edge to make them easier to handle (like this one). I wanted something with a clean edge. I found a few modern salad bowl options at World Market, but they weren’t the rounded shape I wanted. Still, the price was right and I thought I could still make them work. I bought both and brought them home as possible choices to try out in the space.

But, I got lucky: after expressing my frustration to a couple of friends, I received a text message with a photo of exactly what I was looking for… “with bananas for size reference.” Ha!

Bananas: nature’s most delicious unit of measurement.

As it turns out, he picked this one up from Ikea (my BFF) for $10 a few months ago. So as to not simply steal his fruit bowl, I let him choose between the two I’d purchased as replacement (I’ve actually thought of a different use for the remaining one). But now you know where to look first and save yourself a hassle!

——————————————–

DIY Glass Pendant Light Fixture

To make this light yourself, you’ll need (some links contain affiliates):

• pendant light cord kit or “fitter” (this one is the exact one used… you can find them at hardware stores usually, but ordering online is often cheaper)


• BLANDA glass bowl (story about how I found mine above!)


• decorative wooden bun foot (I got one at a hardware store, but fancier ones and more options are online)


• stain of your choosing (I used Minwax Pickled Oak) and poly


• self-adjusting grip pliers


• 1/2″ glass drill bit


• 1/2″ spade drill bit or Forstner bit


• sandpaper

I last spoke about my new Forstner bits back when I made my magnetic bottle openers for the fridge, and I was sure I’d need them for this project to drill a hole through the bun foot, but it turned out that the spade bit worked much faster for drilling through. I still used the Forstner bit to begin the hole because it gave me a cleaner end result, but I’ll get to that.

Step One: Take apart the pendant light kit.

The best plan begins with whichever actual lighting kit you have. The thickness of the wire will determine the width you need to drill through everything, and mine had a few extra pieces used for tightening the fixture that I then used to help secure the shade.

Step Two: Drill through the glass bowl.

Once I measured 1/2″ for getting the wiring through the bowl, I went out and purchased a diamond drill bit that could drill through glass. The actual process takes some patience (which I was screwing up at first, hence the scratches you see), so do yourself a favor and watch this video from Mandi at Vintage Revivals for tips. A few notes:

• Work outside. I got my jeans soaked through during this, but better to do this outside where there’s less mess in your house.


• Use a towel on the ground to keep the edge of the bowl from chipping (mine actually already had a tiny chip in it to begin with, but it was a used bowl… protect yours!).


• Start the bit at an angle to create a groove in the glass, then sloooooowly work it upward to 90 degrees so that the bit doesn’t slip and slide all around.


• It’s actually not as hard as you make it at first! :)

Step Three: Remove the screw from the bun foot.

Wooden bun feet were the perfect option for the carved wood top I was trying to duplicate for this light. They come with a screw on one end though, so I had to first remove this before drilling a hole through the middle. To do this, I used self-adjusting pliers to get a firm grip on the screw and rotate it out of the foot.

Step Four: Drill through the bun foot.

As I mentioned above, I started with a 1/2-inch Forstner bit to start the hole on each end of the bun foot. With the screw removed, it was really easy on one end, but use caution because it can slip (the pre-existing hole provides no friction for the middle tip of the bit to sink into). But once each end had the beginning started, I switched to a 1/2-inch spade bit because the drilling went a lot faster.*

Step Five: Sand, stain, and poly the wood piece.

I wanted to make sure I didn’t screw up drilling through the piece before staining, but you can just as easily do this step before drilling through. I wanted to keep the wood somewhat natural-looking the way it did with the inspiration piece, but I was afraid that just adding poly would be too yellowing once finished. So, I did a quick coat of Minwax stain in Pickled Oak to keep the tone more neutral. The stain itself looks very milky white, but if you do only one coat and quickly wipe it off, it won’t get too light!

Because I tested out a few different stains on the bottom of the bun foot before staining the whole thing, I covered this up with a quick coat of paint during assembly (looking up at the light, you’d be able to see the test spots, so I did a quick cover-up before assembling… but if you just go with the stain I recommended, you won’t need to paint the bottom).

Step Six: Assemble

It took a little trial and error to determine the order, but I secured the bowl to the light fixture first using one of the wire caps on the end (they are meant to secure the light socket along the wire, etc.).

Realizing that this meant I also needed to thread the wooden piece over this little black cap, I went back outside and drilled the bottom end with a 5/8″ Forstner bit to widen the area just a little, which allowed the cap to fit inside snugly. You can also just sand it with some rough sandpaper if you don’t have the bit until it fits; it will just take a little longer.

Step Seven: Hang

A buddy of mine gave me a Hammerhead cordless screwdriver for Christmas, and this was my first opportunity to use it. It is AWESOME! It has a wire stripper and circuit sensor built in, not to mention powered and cordless, making installation with one hand and driving screws a lot easier than last time. I plan on writing a full, separate review about some of its features and might even do a demo video for Youtube, just because I really like it when tools work really well and make solo jobs 1000% easier to complete. Especially since my procrastination peaks when I think the project is going to be a hassle!

And here is the end result!

At first, I tried out a smaller bulb. But I think I like the larger version better!

And here it is with the light on:

The cost of the inspiration light fixture was $150 ($130 if I had been able to get the discount, but was sold out anyway), but the total cost of this knockoff project was only $54! ($10 for the bowl if I’d purchased it, $9 for the wooden bun foot, $15 for the pendant light kit, and $20 for glass bit, which I’ll likely find excuses to use again).

If you enjoyed this project, you’re in luck… there are still a lot of ideas for the #DIYLightingChallenge yet left to check out below (and you can link yours as well, or use the hashtag on social media). And I’ve got two more lighting projects coming to the blog soon. Stay tuned for an awesome giveaway next! It’s been a while since the last one, so it seems like it’s about time for another. Check back tomorrow!



*How many “that’s what she said” jokes did you find in this post? A lot, right? I bet a lot.

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The post DIY Glass Pendant Light Fixture (Knockoff) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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The Land of the Living

Ok, so that innocent little cold I thought I was already getting over? Early last week, it exploded like a Peep in the microwave and kicked my butt instead. And aside from putting out a few fires for work, I basically just camped out in bed. It sort of reminded me of that time back in grad school when I regularly fell asleep with books on my face.

Yup. Kinda like that.

I guess that's the thing when it comes to trying to juggle a schedule like mine: I'm not always prepared or ready to slow down. I have found that scheduling little breaks and vacations in between big projects helps a lot to keep some random little virus from staging a coup on my immune system -- but every now and then, it's human nature to turn into an ick monster for a few days, and all of the normal-life-pace stuff has to stop. Or at least, I do... even as my inbox grows and threatens to knock over buildings in Tokyo.*

Still, the world kind of went on doing its own thing without me for a few days, which also included a pretty aggressive storm and broke part of my backyard fence. After some of the recent fixes I've had to do this winter, I couldn't help but wonder how I still manage to break things even in my sleep. That's gotta be some kind of weird talent that wins cash prizes on TV shows, right? Asking for a friend who now has an even tinier home repair budget.

But as I was walking around the yard, I noticed a few other things, such as how the hellebore I planted last year is going strong on one side of the patio door. I purposely planted these so that I'd still have some white and green winter blooms while everything else takes a nap, and as you can see, the plan is going perfectly... except that the one on the other side of the patio door died. So, I'm at a 50/50 success rate on these (not unlike my usual success rate with plants, so the experimentation continues).

Also: I'm starting to draft some plans up for how I'm going to turn this boring old tree in the center of my yard into a spot that looks more welcoming. Charlie sometimes digs and also takes out most of the growth whenever she has to be leashed, so I think a circular bench would be a good project, especially after completing the garden beds last year on the side. SO many more plans for the back yard this year, so I am hoping for an early spring!

And last but not least, I have a surprise yard crasher near my A/C unit. It looks like the neighbor's magnolia tree took it upon itself to spread the love over to my side, so I'll have to replant this in a less potentially problematic spot (probably in the front, where it could get plenty of sun since removing one of the old pine trees). It would be yet another white flower blooming in the yard (and magnolia leaves are amazing for all sorts of other decor and smell amazing), so I'm going to try to save it and get it growing!

That's about it for the happenings this past week, which means I'm feeling the itch to catch up and start building something again. Stay tuned for a new light fixture DIY, some more window trim completion, and tips on how to stretch a dollar on your hot water heater!

*Honestly, the thing that took me the longest to write with this post was deciding whether to make a King Kong or Godzilla reference here. So now you understand a little more about how my brain was working today.

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Adding Trim to the Living Room Windows

DONE! Ahh. I love that word, don't you?

Too bad it so rarely happens in this house. Anyway, I am here to simply report that the trim-- also known as "window casing"-- that I've been meaning to add to the living room windows is finally up and nailed into place!

It's not a large or complicated project by any means, but considering I've been having to step over a pile of window casing in my hallway since before Christmas, I'm glad to get rid of… well… I guess not very much of it. There's still a pile, only less contained in plastic wrap, since I bought enough to finish off the rest of the upstairs rooms as well (purchasing in bulk = bulk discount).

Getting the casing up does have some significance though: it means that every window on the first floor of the house now has completed trim, and that's a pretty nice line item to draw through on my to-do list!

Since family members have helped me with this type of project in the past, I did this one solo and snapped a few pics with my phone as I went, just so that I could share a few things as I knocked it out.

• This was in a bay window, so I first shoved all of the furniture that I positioned there during Christmas out of the way to make more room for the air compressor and ladder. The new tree had some difficulty getting boxed up in its original package, so it's hanging out in the middle of the living room until I get a bin large enough for storage (classy, I know).

• As always, my trusty project supervisor was around to make sure the job got done and sit precariously under my feet at all times.

• This is an easy project because it doesn't involve a lot of complex math; I just measured the length of each window and made sure to remind myself that it's the shorter part of the 45-degree angles, then fit the top piece into the void that creates.

• Because I had a cold and I've started to notice how dry my throat was getting, I wore a mask pretty much the whole time I did this project. I've noticed that if I even have the slightest bit of a cold looming not to chance it with the sawdust (I mean, you're supposed to wear the mask anyway for safety while cutting, but I guess I take special notice of it when I know how miserable I'll make myself the next day without one).

• For a project like this, I needed just a few tools: a miter saw (doesn't even have to be a compound miter, mine isn't), a tape measure, a pencil, and a nail gun with finishing nails (I typically have 1″ and 2 or 2 1/2″ varieties strewn about the house during various projects, so I used the longer ones for this). I also eventually grabbed a small putty knife. Brad nails can work too for something as lightweight as door/window casing, but for anything heavier like baseboard or crown, it's recommended to use finishing nails.

• During one of my first years attending the Haven Conference, my pals Sandra and Brittany did a crown molding class where I learned that a nifty trick to make sure the molding would stay put for the long haul was to drive the nails in opposite angles as you nail along the trim. Meaning, drive one in a slightly upward angle, the next downward, the next either upward again or to the left, and so on. The lack of being able to pull them all out in a single direction prevents the trim from simply reversing straight out of the holes you've just created (walls and windows flex and shift over time and temperature, so it seemed like a good idea!).

• My walls and windows are super uneven and bumpy in places (especially the corners), and that led to a lot of problem-solving on the fly. For example, a heavy mallet helped to flatten out uneven bits where the previous owner had unsuccessfully patched and painted over lumps from (I assume) worn-out nail holes of previous window treatments. Sure, it caused some cracks in the surface of the paint when I got aggressive, but all of that got covered over by the new (and flatter-positioned) trim, so it's not visible.

• Because of uneven drywall lumps, there were moments when the top piece of trim wouldn't 100% line up with the side pieces (one would sort of "sink" into the wall more than the other). I either wouldn't notice this prior to trying to install or the mallet didn't get it completely flat, so I still had to finesse things a bit. This was when I grabbed a putty knife to slide under the trim and edge the sunken one out a bit to be flush with the other piece. Once I got the nails in, things stayed secure, but cardboard drywall shims (or just a random thin piece of cardboard if you live in a house like mine where it seems to multiply on its own) can also help to add a little something behind the uneven piece and bring it forward (usually this is far easier than trying to smack the one jutting out further against the drywall… you'd risk damaging the trim).

• I also wound up edging the trim ever so slightly off from the edge of the window where it met the drywall. I mainly did this because I knew that the line itself wouldn't be straight all the way down from the top of the window to the bottom, and this gave me some wiggle room. Once it's all caulked and painted, the edges won't be noticeable at all.

• I debated for a bit on whether I should try installing the trim in order of SIDE-TOP-SIDE or SIDE-SIDE-TOP (the bottom sill pre-existed on all windows), and I eventually figured out that it was far easier for me to get both the left and right sides done and then insert the piece on top (less measuring and math). Much like with crown, cutting the longest pieces first is a decent way to go.

• Speaking of sides, I found that once it came time to fit the piece on top, it worked out best to cut one 45-degree angle on the harder-to cut end (since I'm right-handed, cutting the angle on the left side of my miter saw made for a more awkward cut since my saw opens to the left and obscures the blade a bit as I'm cutting) and then make adjustments from the other, easier-to-cut side. And ONLY to make cuts on a single side of the trim rather than confuse myself and cut the wrong end. If you try this yourself, remember that it's always easier to cut a piece that's slightly too long and trim off a blade's width at a time to get it to fit rather than trying to get it right on the first try and coming up short (small brag: I managed to get an exact cut on the first try twice, but it was purely by accident because I thought I was cutting it slightly too long and wound up being wrong… so just goes to show you that cutting slightly longer than you think you need is better!).

So, here's a very subtle before n' after for ya:

Next steps are to of course fill in holes and caulk everything (and then add a few curtains), but it's a nice accomplishment for a week where I nursed a cold and really didn't feel like getting off the couch! What have you been up to this week?

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