Category Archives: Home Improvement

Water Heaters: 5 Tips for Saving Energy

by Nouman Mirza

Your hot water heater eats energy: We want to reduce its appetite. Here are inexpensive things you can do to increase efficiency and cut energy bills.

Saving Energy Tip #1: Wrap your heater in a blanket
Your water heater needs a blanket in the winter to stay warm, especially if it lives in an unheated space. A fiberglass insulating blanket can cut heat loss by 25% to 40% and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill of $308, says the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Insulating blankets are easy to install and Continue reading →

8 Solutions to Common Wet-Basement Problems

by Nouman Mirza

Solving wet-basement problems is one of the most important things you can do to protect the value of your home and health of your family.

Some wet basements are easy to cure simply by clearing gutters and by diverting gutter water away from the foundation. But if the problem comes from other sources—water flowing toward the house on the surface, seeping in from underground, or backing up through municipal storm drains—you must take more aggressive action.

Here are eight strategies to keep water out of your basement:  Continue reading →