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Water heaters are a household appliance that many homeowners dont think about until its too late. This is a mistake, because like many vital home features, your water heaters life and effectiveness are directly related to how actively you perform basic maintenance. Unfortunately, there will always be a reason to replace your water heater entirely. Heres what to look out for so you dont find yourself wading through a leak.

Your Water Heater is Too Old
Most water heaters last between eight to 12 years depending on the manufacturer, type and how well they have been cared for. Check on the front of your water heater to find its rating plate; this will reveal important information. The serial number contains the year the water heater was manufactured and the model number will tell your water heaters size. If your water heater is more than 10 years old, you should start thinking about a replacement.

Strange Noises
If you hear a hissing or sizzling noise coming from your water heater, you likely have sediment build-up that must be addressed. If you havent maintained your water heater properly, the sediment could have caused damage by slowly overheating the bottom of your tank.

Leaks
Leaks are the most obvious sign that your water heater is past its prime, but it is still worth mentioning. It might be tempting to ignore a small leak, but this is highly unsafe. Its vital that you replace your water heater immediately upon discovering a leak. Since leaks are likely the result of pressure built up in your tank, neglecting a leak can lead to a tank explosion.

Rusty Brown Water
If your water supply suddenly looks murky, rusty or brown, you could be facing a problem with your water heater. This problem could mean one of two things: the anode rod within your tank is rusted or your tank is facing corrosion and is itself beginning to rust. Youll need to replace a corroded tank as soon as possible.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are a few ways going green in your home is good for you!

Removal of Air Pollutants

State-of-the-art ventilation and air filtering systems monitor air flow while removing pollutants, dust, and mold spores.

More Natural Light

LEED-Certified homes connect inhabitants to the outdoors, reinforce circadian rhythms, and reduce the need for lighting through increased natural light.

Less Toxic Chemicals

Characteristics like radon-resistant construction and fewer volatile organic compounds mean your living environment has your well-being in mind.

Proximity to Walking and Biking Paths

LEED homes are incentivized to be located near walking and biking paths in order to promote clean transportation, which also keeps you on the move.

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If youre spending more time at home, as well as accommodating more family members than usual under your roof, you may be seeing an increase in your utility bills. But dont despair! There are several simple strategies you can implement to save on energy costs, even with a house full of people”just make sure everyones on board and follows suit!

1. Lower/raise your thermostat. Heating and cooling is typically a homes biggest expense. If youve got the heat on, lower the thermostat by a couple of degrees, and do the opposite if youre running the air conditioning”raise the temperature a degree or two. According to the Department of Energy, youll save about 3 percent for every degree you lower/raise…that adds up quickly! A programmable smart thermostat will make this a seamless process as you can set it to automatically readjust during certain times of the day.

2. Decrease oven usage. Dont turn the oven on to cook a small meal or warm something up. Use a toaster oven, outdoor grill, slow cooker or microwave instead. When you do need to use the oven, avoid opening the oven door as much as possible; every time you do, heat is released and the cooking time is extended. Of course, the best idea of all, is to add a couple of cold dishes to your dinner schedule. Consider a weekly sandwich night or integrate some healthy but satisfying salad mains to your repertoire.

3. Dont overtax the fridge. Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible by encouraging family members not to open the door for random perusing. Grab all the items youll need for a dish in one shot, instead of going back and forth. Youll also save energy costs associated with your fridge by letting leftovers cool off on the counter before putting them away.

4. Maximize laundry time. There are a few tricks that will help you save on energy costs related to doing laundry as well. For instance, use the maximum spin time when you can to remove as much moisture as possible in order to cut back on drying time. You can also make your dryer more efficient by cleaning the lint screen to improve air circulation. Get in the habit of using the dryer sensor to let you know when clothes are done, as opposed to setting a specific dry-time.

Source: Consumer Reports

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A well-organized pantry can make it easy for you and your family to find what you want and can help avoid wasting food. You should create an organizational system that works for you based on the size and design of your pantry as well as the foods and other items you want to store in it. Here are some general ideas to get you started.

Create a Game Plan
Before you start organizing your pantry, think about what you want to store in it and problems you currently have, such as not being able to find certain foods or having things spill. Then, brainstorm ways that you could arrange items and use containers to save space and make food easily accessible.

If you have large items or small appliances that you want to store in the pantry, first think about where to put those and then organize the rest of your pantry around them. You may need to get creative to figure out how to fit everything.

Choose Appropriate Containers
Putting dry goods such as flour and rice in glass decanters or plastic storage bins can protect them from insects and mice. Depending on the layout of your pantry, you might find that glass jars would work better, or you might decide to go with tall and narrow plastic containers or stackable flat ones. Whatever type of containers you decide to use, label them with the date you bought each product or its expiration date.

Baskets can help you organize pantry items in categories. Pull-out drawers can make it easy to find items that might otherwise get pushed around and lost in the back, such as jars of spices. If two shelves meet at a right angle, a Lazy Susan can help you avoid having things get lost in the corner.

For some items, it may be helpful to borrow storage ideas from other parts of your home. For example, you might find that a shower caddy or a shoe organizer is the perfect way to take advantage of space in a corner or on a door, to make commonly used items easily accessible and to prevent them from spilling.

How to Avoid Wasting Food
When you buy more of something, put it behind what you already have so older foods will get used up first. That can help you avoid having to throw away food because it has expired.

Some foods should not be stored near each other in a pantry. For instance, you should keep potatoes away from onions and garlic to prevent premature spoiling. Dont store flour near anything with a strong smell, as the flour could absorb the odor.

Think of Organizing Your Pantry as a Work in Progress
You probably store a wide variety of foods and other items in your pantry, and figuring out the best way to organize them may take some time. These suggestions can help you get started, but you might come up with other ideas later and decide to make some changes.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.