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. [...]

If the water heater leaks from the drain valve, try more muscle to turn it off. If that fails, you can buy a brass hose cap with a hose washer inside. If you tighten the hose cap with pliers, it will stand up to typical water pressure.
If the leak is from the T&P valve, check [...]

Moisture on the outside of a toilet tank is condensation from warm air forming on the water-cooled tank. To prevent the problem, insulate the inside tank walls. First, shut off the water supply, then drain and dry the inside of the tank. Cut ½-inch-thick foam rubber to line the insides and bottom of the tank. [...]

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 [...]

Tracking Basement Leaks
Traces of water on your basement floor could be caused by a leak or by condensation. To determine which, dry the area with a hair dryer and tape a 1-foot square piece of plastic wrap on the floor. Wait 24 hours. If moisture forms under the plastic wrap, then the source of your [...]

These float-activated pumps push water out of your home. You place them in a small well, called a sump, usually at the lowest part of your basement floor. As water fills the sump, the float rises and causes the pump to work until the water level drops again. Submersible models can be placed in the [...]

You can save water-heating costs (about 15% for an average home’s energy bill) by reducing the amount you use, its temperature, and heat loss from pipes and tanks. Try some of the following, and you’ll save water, energy and money.
Insulating you water heater
Every tank-based water heater should have an add-on insulating blanket. Inexpensive and easy [...]