On the Wire - Go Tankless!
Nothing is worse on a chilly morning than an unexpectedly cold shower, and there's no greener, smarter way to prevent such a rude awakening than a tankless hot water heater. A great solution for delivering cost-effective hot water to your home, a tankless hot water heater is energy efficient because it only heats water as it's needed, and is also controllable because the water temperature can be changed instantly.
With a traditional water heater, the 40-gallon capacity is being heated all day long (as your energy dollars are being burned away), and when the contents are used up on showers and household appliances, you have to wait for the next round to be heated. In a tankless hot water heater, however, water is heated on demand.
Because tankless units are small compared to traditional water heaters, they can be installed practically anywhere, and it's easy to use multiple tankless units to divide your domestic hot water supply into two zones. One can be fed from the basement or first floor, where it's a short distance to the kitchen and powder room, and another can be fed from the attic or a second-floor closet, where it's just steps away from the bathrooms. As a result, you can have both a cost-effective and convenient source of hot water.
Want another good reason for going tankless? Tax credit. Along with saving money on your monthly energy bill, you can also receive a $300 tax credit from the Department of Energy toward the purchase price of a qualifying tankless unit, a heartwarming and wallet-warming bonus to the comfort and convenience you'll get from this smart heating alternative.
We want to let you know that all Rheem tankless hot water heaters qualify for the $300 tax credit, and you are getting a product that is backed up with more than 100 years of trusted quality and a reliable reputation. Visit www.Rheem.com for more info.
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Ask Tom & Leslie - Boiler Trouble
From Julie in Montebello, NY: "I went to put on heat first time and got no heat from my gas powered boiler (water baseboard heating). What is did get was water dripping from a pipe that is opened on the bottom with a bell shaped valve on top. There is water all over floor. Do you have any trouble-shooting tips for a non home-savvy person?"
Actually, no. We can't advise you tackle this one yourself. What we can do is speculate about what is happening. It sounds like the pressure relief valve is opening (also known as a temperature pressure or "TP" valve). This valve is designed to open up if the pressure in the boiler exceeds 30 pounds. Typically, a boiler in a two-story home would operate at about 15 pounds. If your boiler is operating at 30, there is a problem and it could be dangerous. There are other causes too, like a water logged expansion tank (if you have an older home, these were common). Bottom line, this is NOT a do-it-yourself project and you would be best suited to call a service contractor to diagnose and fix the problem. You should be doing this anyway, to get the system serviced for Fall. All gas, oil or propane fueled heating systems should be professionally serviced about now to make sure that they are operating safely and efficiently.
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Got A Question About Your Money Pit?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!
- The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.moneypit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
- Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
- Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.
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On the Air - Fire Safety
We are very pleased to have Former New York City Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen joining us on the next Money Pit radio show. He led New York's firefighters through our country's most devastating terrorist attack on September 11th – and we'll be hearing from him about fire safety. A vast majority of fires in the home start in the kitchen. But if you are just aware of the danger zones, it can make a huge difference. Learn what they are, this week on The Money Pit. To find out where to tune us in or download our Podcast, click here.
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Dot Common Sense - Curb Appeal
Why not add some curb appeal to your home by sprucing up the outside? There are projects that fit any budget. To go all out, consider a fresh paint job. Another option might be a new front door, perhaps something with leaded glass inserts.
To learn exactly what a new entryway will look like, Therma-Tru Doors has an interactive Door Designer tool available online at www.ThermaTru.com. With the click of a mouse, users can "try on" several suggested entryway possibilities to find the right door for their home.
If the cost of a new door is out of reach, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive. If new hardware is beyond your budget, how about repainting or staining the door and polishing the hardware? If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems-one that lets you stay within your budget.
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Fun Fact - Lighting Lowdown
Would you like to create a certain mood for different rooms of your house? For example, how about some subdued lighting for your dining room? Dimmers for your lighting are a simple, inexpensive way to add depth and mood to any room. There are many options, from toggles to slides, and it's a do it yourself project that's truly a bright idea.
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Short Cuts - Cold Weather Yardwork
The cooler months can be very harsh on your flower beds. But there are steps you can take to make sure your beds are ready for perfect blooms come next spring. Regardless of the seasonal temperature differences in your part of the country, flower beds should be mulched all year. It helps to provide protection to the plantings, provides organic matter for the soil, and keeps moisture on the bed to continually nurture the garden. You should have about two to three inches of mulch year round. If the winter is cold in your part of the country, go for four inches of mulch. As the leaves start to fall be sure to clear them from the flower bed so they do not smother growing plantings or encourage rot growth. Remember to also fertilize your lawn before the ground becomes frozen and reseed any patchy areas. Protect the seeding with layer of hay to encourage the taking of the seeds.
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Copyright 2007 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
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