More On Utility Bills

This is a topic that always seems to come up when I'm talking about a house with my clients. Here are a few more hints for keeping the utility bills in check:

  1. Check furnace ducts for open or leaking joints, particularly in attics and crawls spaces. If you find a leak seal it with tape made especially for this purpose (check with your building supply store). No, common gray 'duct' tape is not what you want to use - its adhesive dries out quickly and it falls off.
  2. Insulate furnace ducts in attics and crawl spaces. Again, there are special materials made just for this to make the job easier.
  3. Minimizing water used during a shower also means minimizing the HOT water used. This lowers both your water bill and your gas bill. I like the Europa showerhead (look for it at Home Depot, of course). It gives a good spray pattern at low flow rates. Of course, if you like standing under Niagara Falls, this isn't for you.
  4. Little things can make a difference. You should regularly clean the lint from the filter in your dryer - once or even twice per load. This will allow clothes to dry faster (using less power). Also, dryer lint is quite flammable. Keeping the filter clean reduces the chances of fire in your home.
  5. Turn down the temperature on your water heater to 120 or 125 degrees F (usually about the mid-point on the dial, but check it with a meat thermometer). Hotter temperatures waste energy and create a scalding hazard.
  6. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Change your furnace filter! A dirty filter blocks household air moving through the furnace and sends more heat up the chimney. It makes the air conditioner work harder, too.

Preparing for Emergencies

What would you do if the power went out? Or worse - like a natural disaster? Bad things can happen at any time, for any reason. We don't usually think about what we would do. Like many things in life, a little advanced planning can be worth its weight in gold. A few things to keep on hand are:

Make sure family members to know how to shut off electricity, water and natural gas in an emergency. Keep access clear to these shut-offs. With water pouring from the living room ceiling, you don't want to have to move a tool chest from in front of the main water shut-off.

Garbage Disposer Tips

Proper maintenance will help your garbage disposer to last longer. I've heard many people talk about using sand or rock salt to clean and sharpen the blades. This is a pure myth! The blades are the sharpest the day it left the factory, and nothing you can do will make them any sharper. Sand will only chip away the cutting surface and make them dull. If you want to clean the gunk out of your disposer use ice. Ice is soft enough to not damage the blades, but hard enough to help knock gunk off the inside.

Many people fret about using cold water thinking it is needed to cool the motor. Not so. The motor isn't even in contact with the water. Actually, hot water will help to dissolve greases and send them on down the line.

Add food slowly as the disposer is running to avoid plugging your waste lines, and leave the water running for a minute or so afterward to help carry way the solids.

Leaf Composting

Tired of sending leaves to the landfill? Once again this year Denver Recycles will operate several metro area Leaf Drop centers from mid-October to Mid-November. Just drop off your leaves and they'll get composted into fertilizer. For more information call 720-865-6816. Details of the program should be worked out by the first of October.