11/27/12

Did you know most water heaters are automatically set to 140 degrees when installed in homes? If you lower your default setting down to 120 degrees, it will still give you hot water and nobody in your family will even notice a difference. This one simple step can reduce your overall water heating costs by 6 to 10 percent over time and will save energy.

11/26/12

In older homes, fireplaces often go unused or have a broken damper inside. An open fireplace is like having a small window open all day every day, so it's a good idea to have the damper repaired. But if the repair costs are too high, do the next best thing: Invest in a chimney balloon. This inflatable plastic pillow is made from a superstrong poly plastic that inflates and creates a tight seal inside your chimney. It's also reusable, so if you do have a working fireplace, you can easily deflate and reinflate it between fires.

11/25/12

Invasive insects have been wiping out tree species all over the country by creating serpentinelike tunnels inside the tree, making it weak and susceptible to breakage and death. In Pennsylvania, the emerald ash borer insect is close to wiping out more than 300 million ash trees. If a tree falls on your property and you decide to turn it into firewood, use it ONLY at your own home. Do not share infected wood with neighbors, and especially don’t bring any if you go camping. In some states, it is illegal to move any firewood from trees, logs, limbs, branches and roots from state to state.