5 Water Heater Troubleshooting and Repair Tips

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The hot water heater in your home is an essential component of your entire way of life. Without the modern invention of hot water heaters, we would still be boiling water over coals to take showers comfortably and clean our clothes. However, our hot water heaters are not impervious to the stresses and demands of modern life. They are just machines after all. Because we, as homeowners, rely on our hot water heaters on a daily basis, it is important to know some of the basics, so that you can remedy issues when they arise. Here are five water heater troubleshooting and repair tips.

1.  Always turn the power off when you attempt to repair your hot water heater. Hot water heaters combine a perfect storm for injury and death. For one thing, the water could be extremely hot and you could get scalded. Not only that, but the metal could be electrified and you could get shocked. Before you attempt any maintenance, troubleshooting or repairs - simply turn off the unit.

2.   If you are experiencing an issue with an unresponsive hot water heater, you may need to adjust the circuit breaker. Sometimes, hot water heaters can short out - either due to a surge or overuse - and the water can cool down. If you are experiencing this issue, all you have to do is flip the breaker back into the right position. This will bring the power back to the unit. You may have to wait a few hours for the heater to warm the water, but eventually your system will be back in order.

3.   Adjust the temperature setting on the hot water heater. If you are having an issue with water that is too cold or water that is too hot, you will need to adjust the temperature on the hot water heater. Cold water can be uncomfortable, but it can also create a breeding ground for bacteria. Water that is too hot could cause scalding. How hot should a water heater be? 120 degrees is the recommended temperature setting - maybe just a degree or two cooler if there are elderly people in the home.

4.   Relight the pilot. On some gas powered hot water heaters, you will have an issue with a blown pilot light. If the pilot light is blown out, the heater will not be able to warm up. Most gas powered heaters spring into action when a spark catches the pilot and heats up the water, so it is important to make sure the pilot light is always on.

5.   Insulate the hot water heater if you are experiencing an issue with showers getting gold toward the end. It can be quite frustrating to take a warm shower and then all of a sudden experience a sudden loss of warmth. This could be an issue with the fact that your heater isn't insulated. All you need to do is place a layer of insulation over the hot water heater. In the end, you want to increase the length of time it takes for the water to cool down.

5 Useful Tips for Keeping Your HVAC System Clean

Can you just imagine what your home would be like without your HVAC unit? It would be harder to keep the rooms in your house at an even temperature. Your energy bills would probably be higher. All and all, it would simply be more challenging to stay comfortable and keep your budget where you want it to be. That's why you should do all that you can to keep your HVAC unit in top condition.

One way that you can do that is by making sure that your unit stays clean. If you'd like to know how you can do just that, here are five relatively simple and very useful tips:

Check your insulation. Something that a lot of people do not realize is that the harder their HVAC system has to work, the quicker it will get clogged up with dirt, dust and debris. That's why, it's always a good idea to keep your home well insulated. You can do this by making sure that your attic has a foot of insulation in it; some that is preferably made out of an eco-friendly material like cotton or sheep's wool. That way, your home will be better protected from extreme weather temperatures and your HVAC unit can work more efficiently.

Monitor your thermostat. If you don't already have a programmable thermostat, you should think about getting one. It's another way to keep your HVAC system from overworking itself. By setting your thermostat to be warmer in the day and cooler at night, that will help to keep your unit from blowing more than it needs to and attracting more debris than is necessary.

Keep your windows and doors closed. Although opening up your windows is a great way to increase air circulation, when your unit is on high, not only is that a surefire way to waste energy but it's also an easy way for small particles dirt and dust to come into the rooms of your house and go through your vents. So, during the day, try and keep your windows and doors closed. If you want some fresh air, crack your windows at night when the temperature is milder.

Clean out your air ducts. If you were to read an article that talked about understanding "degree days" on your utility bill in order to conserve energy, one of the tips that it might offer is make sure that you properly maintenance your HVAC system. One way that you can do that is by cleaning out your air ducts. If you've never done it before, there are plenty of websites that can walk you through the process. One of them is RealEstate.AOL.com. Just go to the site and put "how to clean air ducts" in the search field.

Change your filters regularly. One of the best ways to keep your HVAC system clean is also one of the easiest: change your filters. Being that they are designed to keep your unit and the air that you breathe as clean as possible, it's important that you change them every 60-90 days. To find the air filter that works best for your system, refer to your owner's manual or go to your local Lowe's or Home Depot.

5 Helpful Home Air Filter Shopping Tips

You may not realize it, but the air inside your home could be incredibly dirty and saturated with a variety of pollutants. Some of the most common pollutants include dust and dander, but you could also have traces of mold and mildew. Of course, dander comes from pets - like cats and dogs - and if you are incredibly allergic, it could cause some serious problems. Mold is particularly dangerous, especially if it is a strand of toxic mold. One of the best combatants for indoor air pollution is an air filter. However, only certain air filters may work for certain homes. Not only that, but certain filters will work for particular types of pollutants. In order to get the most out of your air filter, you want to know what you are shopping for. Here are five helpful home air filter shopping tips.

1.   Decide what you want to filter out. When it comes to air filters, it all comes down to what pollutant you want to filter out. If you are looking to filter dust and pet dander, most air purifiers will be able to do the job. However, if you are trying to filter out cigarette smoke or fumes, you will need something a little stronger - a filter with more efficacy; you may also need a unit that has the power to ionize atoms.

2.   Decide how loud of a unit you need. Just because an air purifier is loud, it doesn't mean that it is doing a better job. In fact, the loudness of a particular unit has to do with poor noise insulation - the less expensive the unit, the louder it will be. Some of the more expensive air filters have noise reducing capabilities. So, if you plan on running the air purifier all day long, you may want to invest in a quieter unit. However, some people like the noise, especially if they use the purifier at night.

3. Decide how advanced you want the system to be. One of the biggest advantages of a programmable thermostat is that you have more control with your air conditioning unit, thus you can save more money and energy. Well, when it comes to air purifiers, you want to figure out if you want a unit that you can program. Some air purifiers have programmable options - you can program the unit to turn on at a certain time and you can even program what pollutants you want the unit to clean.

4.   Decide what type of filter you want. Some air purifiers come with an air filter that you can clean and then place back inside the unit. Some air purifiers come with a filter that you toss out. When it comes down to it, it is all a matter of how much time you want to invest.

5.   Decide how much air you want to filter at once. Most systems come with a CFM - or cubic feet per minute - average. If you have a large room to filter, you will need a larger unit - or a unit with capacity. Yet, if you have a smaller room, you will only need a smaller unit. In the end, if you have a unit that is too large or small, it could cause complications and it may not be as efficient.

5 Effective Ways to Keep Swimming Pool Water Warm

A swimming pool can be nice to have - a luxury you could say. In the summertime, on especially brutal days, you can jump into the cool waters and seek relief. However, what if you want to use your swimming pool at night, when the weather is a little cooler and the water is not so refreshing? What if you want to exercise and the water is too cold for your muscles to exercise comfortably? This is why you need to find an effective way to heat the water. When it comes to warming swimming pool water, you only have a few different options, especially if you have one or two options for a heating source. Here are five effective ways to keep swimming pool water warm.

1.   Traditional gas fuel. Many swimming pools have natural gas heaters. Natural gas is simply the fuel supply that runs through the utility lines in your town or neighborhood. When it comes down to it, this is one of the most effective ways to heat your pool, because it will make the water nice and toasty. If you stick to heating the pool only once or twice during the week, you may be able to save a lot of money.

2.   Solar panels. Another way to heat a pool is through solar panels. Usually, these panels are installed on the roof of the home. Depending on the capacity of the panels, you may be able to power more than just your pool heater. If you just want to power your pool heater, you may be able to get away with placing the solar panels above the pool heater. The best thing about it, solar energy is incredibly efficient and renewable, which makes it an incredibly eco-conscious way to heat your pool.

3.   Solar blankets. If you have an in-ground pool that requires covering, did you know that you can use a solar powered cover? Indeed, the cover that you use to cover your pool can act as a heater of sorts. This can be one of the best ways to keep your pool clean and safe from debris - and heat your pool at the same time. You can find these unique swimming pool covers at Royal Swimming Pools - they are a great investment.

4.   Heat pump. Another effective way to heat your pool is to use a heat pump. A heat pump uses a unique compression unit that heats the air that pumps inside the unit. This hot air is then funneled into the pool to provide a source of warmth and heat. When it comes down to it, these systems are incredibly effective and they make a great alternative to using natural gas.

Water-source heat pump. This is a technologically advanced way to heat your pool and because these systems aren't widely available, many homeowners have no idea they exist. These systems pump water from a well or source of natural water - like ground water - and then heat it through a compression system and filter. In the end, this is also a great way to get natural water into your pool.