House Renovation Tips

If your hot water looks red-brown, rust and minerals are probably building up in the tank. It’s time to drain the water heater. Turn off the main gas burner or the electricity to the water heater. Close the inlet valve. Remove the aerator, if any, from the hot-water faucet closest to the heater and open [...]

If you are sure that the leak is coming from the tank and not from a pipe or fitting, the tank body has corroded with age and the whole heater has to be replaced. Often the trickiest part of the job is getting the old heater out of the basement and the new one in. [...]

Leaking or poorly insulated ducts are a common and serious problem in forced air systems, affecting comfort, health, and economy.
Start by inspecting all of the ductwork in your system. If you find places where the duct was never installed or connected, or has broken free from the adjoining duct or register, call a competent contractor [...]

1. Turn the system off and let it cool.
2. Close the valve to the expansion tank to isolate it from the rest of the system.
3. Place a bucket underneath the drain valve or attach a hose to it that terminates in a bucket or drain.
4. Open the valve on the bottom of the expansion tank [...]

To flush a hot water heating system, follow these steps:
1. Turn the system off and close the water feed valve to the boiler. Let the system cool.
2. Connect a hose to the drain valve that’s located on the bottom of the boiler, and run the hose to an indoor or outdoor drain.
3. Open the air [...]

These heating systems use pipes to distribute hot water to radiators located in various rooms of the house. Modern hot water systems use an electric pump to circulate the water. Valves control the amount of heat that is distributed to each zone. The heating cycle is completed as the water gives up its heat in [...]

Basic warm-ups
Maximize the effect of passive solar heat in winter. Keep all the curtains and shades open during the day on the side of the house where the sun comes in. (This is all day on the south side, morning on the east and afternoon on the west.) The warmth from the sun warms the [...]

Big or small stove?
Are you trying to choose between one large wood stove and two smaller ones? Usually one large one works better. It takes larger chunks of wood, can burn longer fires and cuts maintenance and cleaning time in half. In some cases, though, such as in a ranch-style house, two stoves are necessary [...]

It’s easy to clean your own chimney - if you don’t mind getting dirty. You can find an appropriate-size chimney brush at a hardware or wood stove store. Lay a drop cloth in your fireplace or at the base of your chimney to catch the falling creosote. Push the brush up the chimney, scrubbing back [...]

Even if you use your chimney only for a central heating system, be sure to clean it. Soot can build up in the chimney, and birds may nest in it during the summer.
Clean your chimney prior to each heating season and when inspection reveals a buildup of Va” or more of creosote. A chimney positioned [...]