Toilet Leak Test

Toilets can quietly leak from the water holding tank all day long. The flapper (blue item in the bottom of the water tank in the image below) needs to maintain a good seal to prevent this problem. And although the leak might be small, over the course of a day over a gallon of water can be wasted.

Checking for slow leaks can be difficult and a visual inspection will most likely not work in this case. The trick for this test is to use food coloring.

Use a bold color (eg red) to make it easier to see. Place 5+ drops in the toilet water tank.

The coloring should be very apparent. Check the toilet bowl to see if any food coloring has already leaked through the flapper. If this is the case there is a sizable leak and the flapper should be replaced. But most times the leak is too small to see immediately and you need to wait overnight. It is best to do this at the end of the night so nobody accidentally flushes the toilet and you have to start again.

If the toilet bowl has coloring in it the next morning, replace the flapper. Otherwise, you have a good seal and no leaks. The pictures show the difference between a good and bad flapper.

Rain Sensor

Whenever it rains shut off the sprinkler system for the following day. Natural rain is much more effective than city water. City water often times contains chemicals that inhibits the grass. It is not enough to cause any damage, but it does make this source less effective.

Installing a rain sensor that coordinates with your sprinkler system control will automatically stop redundant watering. The rain sensor is typically mounted up by the gutter to catch the rain. The sprinkler system control then detects the rain and shuts down the system for the following day.

Patching Walls

Damage to walls is very common. Whether it is is a hole through the wall or deep scratch it can fixed with a relatively low cost and time commitment. 

The scratch below was the result of moving furniture. The scratch was a lot rough originally but I took a razor to it in order to remove paper fragments from the sheetrock. Cleaning the edges will help the spackling to hold.

After cleaning up the scratch or hole, wipe away any dust. Then fill in the hole with spackling using a skinny putty knife. Make sure there are no gaps. Then smooth over the spackling with a larger putty knife to level it with the wall. It is better to have too much than too little. After the spackling has dried you can sand it down. If it is too low more spackling has to be added.

Run a flat edge (eg putty knife or ruler) over the spot to make sure its level. Then paint over the spot to match the surrounding wall. If you don't have matching paint in storage or don't know the color cut off a part of the top layer of the sheetrock. Then bring the sample into Home Depot or Lowe's to be matched. Ideally the sample should be at least 1 inch by 1 inch.

Window Caulking

The edges of every window should be sealed with caulking to prevent energy losses and water damage. But after time the seal will become brittle and crack.

Use a utility or putty knife to remove the old caulk. Be sure the area is clean and dry. Then apply the new caulking in a steady stream (avoid stopping). Smooth over the caulk with a putty knife or a finger and examine the seal for any thin layers. Add more caulking to thin spots and gaps. If the caulk is applied too thin it will crack when dried. 

Notice the gap in the center and the crack to the right.

Hood Filter Cleaning for Stove

The hood filters need to be cleaned a couple times a year. It only takes a couple minutes and helps to keep the flow of air going into the hood. If let go the build up will eventually plug the filters.

 There are reusable filters in this hood so they have to be cleaned and reinserted. The filters come out by a simple clipping mechanism. 

There are cleaners available for soaking that are good at removing the grease build. Set them in the solution to soak over night. 

The filters here are fairly clean so I just washed them with soap and water. After letting them completely dry I reinserted them back into the hood.

The whole process took less than 10 minutes per filter and no costs because I didn't need a special cleaner. If you disposable filters simply replace them.

AC Drain Cleaning

During the hotter months the air conditioning system runs constantly. The evaporator (inside part of the system that is integrated into the furnace) cools the air and simultaneously pulls out water vapor. The water vapor condenses on the evaporator and drips water into a pan. The water then drains out of the house.

The evaporator is the upper section with the green garden hose attached.

 When the AC is constantly running a lot of water is draining. In hot humid environments the drain pipe can become plugged from mold growth. This plug will lead to the drain pan overflowing and creates a potential for water damage.

For homes in mild and hot environments the evaporator/furnace unit is typically in the attic. Locations in the upper floors of the house creates a bigger potential for disaster with water leaks. Also, the drain pipes are typically much longer and is more susceptible to plugging.

Condensation drains down the green hose.

The solution takes about 5 minutes of time and a couple dollars. All you need to do is clean the drain tube with a cup of regular household bleach. There is a special opening just for this purpose (indicated by the red circle in the image above). I like to follow the bleach with some water to be sure it flushes all the way through the system. Use a funnel to ensure none of the bleach of water spills.

For units in the upper floors of a house a lot of times the drain leads to the yard. To prevent killing the grass with bleach find the end of the drain pipe and place a bowl underneath to catch the fluid. Catching the fluid also helps to verify the drain isn't already plugged.

Double Pane Windows

One of the best insulators is air. To harness the excellent heat properties of air double pane windows were developed. Having two panes of glasses traps about 1/2" space of air that significantly reduces energy loss due to conduction. 

Also important with windows is the shading coefficient. It is a value from zero to one where zero is the best score a window can receive. It is determined by how much solar resistance of window and is dependent mostly on the color and reflectivity of the glass.

One extra benefit of double pane windows is noise reduction. The additional insulation acts as an additional sound noise barrier. 

Electric Bill Explained

It is helpful to know the impact of decisions for your home when focusing on lowering energy consumption. One of the best indicators is the electric bill.

The bill is determined by monitoring how many kilowatt hours have been used over the last month. Price per kilowatt hour ranges from $0.073 (North Dakota) all the way up to $0.31 (Hawaii) with an US average $0.112 (data from the US Energy Information Administration).

Using this information the average American will pay approximately $4 to run a 50W light bulb all hours of the day for a month. By comparison an AC unit (3500W) running 5 hours a day will cost around $58 a month. To determine the monthly cost of an item use the following formula:

Cost per month = Wattage x Hours of use per month / 1000 x Cost per Kilowatt

With this info you will have an idea of what items to target the most when trying to save energy. But you won't be able to decipher what the actual usage of each item on your energy bill. The best way to track progress is to compare the total energy used from the current month to the same month as last year.

On my energy bill it lists each month's energy usage for the last year. One very noticeable month is July in 2010. The air conditioner had a leak and doubled the energy bill all by itself.

Note: Not all energy companies measure energy use every month even though they will bill you every month. In these cases they will bill based on an estimate from last years usage and make a correction every 2-3 months when the actual usage is recorded.

Energy Star Rated Appliances

There is a big push for consumers to consider Energy Star rated appliances and push for energy efficiency. But is it worth it to the consumer

Energy efficient appliances are more expensive and don't always yield a higher cost savings per year. Federal tax rebates helps level the costs. And if you happen to live in a area where tax rebates are also offered on a state level it can be well worth the upgrade. But it is best to wait until your current appliance bites the dust before running out and unloading a new machine.

Take into account the following:
-Federal tax rebates
-State tax rebates
-Age of your current appliance
-Estimated number of years to make the savings worth the extra cost
-Special requirements (eg high-efficiency soap)

AC Inpection

I inspected  my AC units the other day to check the insulation on the refrigerant lines and cooling fins for damage. The insulation was very damaged and worn out from the weather. Aside from tears and rips, the insulation had become compact and hard (very bad for insulation). 

I spent about $5 at Lowe's buying new insulation duct tape to replace the old insulation. It only took 15 minutes to remove the replace the old insulation. Shown below is the halfway point where one unit was completed and the second one still needed to be replaced. 

Also needing attention was the cooling fins. When rocks (usually from lawn mowers) or other objects hit these delicate fins they become bent and less effective. Simply examine the fins for damaged spots and separate the fins using a blade. Take special care not to further damage these areas. A special AC fins repair tool is also available but be sure to get the correct size for your model. Also, don't forget to inspect both outside and inside fins on the unit. You will have to unplug the power to the unit and take off the fan and guard to inspect the inside fins.

These simple and cheap repairs shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes per unit and will definitely improve your energy efficiency. Check the units a couple times each year (beginning and middle of warm months).

Note: High efficiency AC units often use brushed cooling fins. Although the concepts are the same they can be more time consuming to repair.

Water Displacement Trick

There are several new toilets with multiple flush options, depending on the amount of water you want to use. If the tank on your toilet is fairly large and you would like to reduce the flush volume try using this trick.

Fill a small plastic container with water and seal the top. Place the container in the water tank of the toilet. Try to keep as much air out of the container when filling it so it doesn't float in the tank. The volume that is used during a flush has now been reduced by the size of the container.

This trick will save you a bit of water with each flush, but it is more important to make sure your toilet isn't leaking from the tank into the bowl. Log into Home Maintenance Tracker to see a tip on testing your toilet for leaks, which can waste far more water.

Email Reminders Now Available

As requested, email reminders are now available. Tasks update on set 30 day intervals and a
monthly email will be sent out after every update event. You will still have to log into your account to see any new items were added to your task list, dependent on your house items list.

Included with the reminder in the emails will be a glance at energy and home maintenance
tips posted over the last month. Plus, there will be links to the latest news.

The email reminders are completely optional and you can stop them at any time. Sign up for
this new feature by logging into your account and clicking on the email link in the left side bar.

AC Inspection

The refrigerant is the major driving force in the air conditioning system. It captures energy (heat) from inside the house and transfers it outside through a series of thermodynamic cycles.

The copper tubing carrying the refrigerant should be inspected at the beginning of each summer for leaks. Visually examine the tubing for cracks or oily drips (refrigerant). Pay particular attention to the soldered points of the tubing. If there is a leak you will need to call a professional.

One other indication of a refrigerant leak is an unusually high spike in your energy bill and the AC system will have a difficult time maintaining the proper temperature. To track energy spikes keep a record of each energy bill and compare the same month across the years.

Taking Advantage of the Sun

The sun is a powerful source of heat and energy-use it to your benefit! 


During the winter months leave curtains open and take down any solar screens. The sun's rays coming into the house with help keep it warm and reduce the workload on your furnace.


For the summer months put place solar screens over the windows and close the curtains in rooms not being used. This will help to keep the sun's heat out the house and keep the AC energy use down. It is especially important to cover windows on the East and West sides of the house since the sun's rays will come mostly from these directions.

Small Leaks

One of Benjamin Franklin's more famous quote's is that "a small leak will sink a great ship." Although your house will not sink it can certainly suffer a great deal of damage from water leaks. Being vigilant about inspecting water hoses and seals will save a great deal of damage later.

The usual suspects? Sinks, washing machines, refrigerators, toilets, water heaters and dish washers. Aside from sinks each of the other suspects has a small water supply hose. If the hose is plastic replace it every 2 years and think about upgrading to a braided stainless steel hose. The stainless steel version will only need to be replaced every 5 years and is also much better at preventing catastrophic leaks.

State Farm estimates about $150 million dollars in damage is done annually to homes in Canada and the US due to bursting hoses. A new hose only costs five to ten dollars. A small price to pay compared to water damage repair costs.

Microwave added to House Items List

Another appliance has been added to Home Maintenance Tracker - the microwave.

Maintenance for microwaves focus on keeping the unit clean. Aside from the usual cleaning a couple deep cleanings should take place each year. Left over particles of food and stains will absorb energy while the microwave is operating and can also leave burns.

Start by cleaning away debris and easy to remove stains with a paper towel and general cleaner. Remove the rotating tray and scrub with soapy water. The tray may also be able to go in the dish washer. Use a heavy duty degreaser made for microwave ovens to remove any remaining stains and burned on spills.

http://www.homemaintenancetracker.com/index.php?content=shownews&date=2011-06-24

Weatherstripping

If a proper seal is not formed around any outside doors, air will leak resulting in lost energy. Periodically inspect the weatherstripping around around any doors leading to outside. Hold your hand near the edges or doors to feel for air movement. Another method, which is even better, is to light a stick of incense and hold it near the edge of the door. If the smoke does not rise straight up, there is an air leak.


Replace any damaged weatherstripping. Extra weatherstripping may be required to create a good seal.

HMT for Apartments and Condos Too

HMT was designed with a focus on the everyday house but it still works very well for apartments and condos too. While apartment dwellers might not be concerned about the longevity of appliances, keeping them well maintained will help save money in utility bills. To this same point is always a good idea to monitor energy loss through doors and windows too. And some items should be tested regularly for general safety (eg smoke detectors).

Be sure to specify when registering which type of residence you currently occupy. And also send feedback if there are other items you would like to see added to the 'House Items List' and 'Resources'. HMT is constantly monitoring user input to continually improve.

And last but not least, log in weekly to find see HMT news and energy tips to help you save!

Home Maintenace Tracker up and running

HMT (Home Maintenance Tracker) went live on the web at 8:00am today!

What is HMT? It is a free, easy to use website for keeping up with home maintenance. After registering and setting up a profile, users can enter all of the items they would like HMT to track. HMT will then update the task list when it is time to perform maintenance.

Keeping appliances well maintained can help save money through energy efficiency, fewer repairs and fewer service calls. Not sure how to perform a task? No problem. Simply visit the resources page for videos and instructions.