The Handyguys discuss ways to save money during this upcoming winter season.

Part 2 of 2 on energy saving tips. Our first order of business is to respond to Phil’s followup question about replacing his rotted out garage doors.  Phil wanted to know if it is really worth buying insulated doors when the rest of his garage is not insulated. Handyguys Brian & Paul discuss pros and cons in the podcast.

Then the Handyguys talk about how to dispose of a broken CFL (compact fluorescent light).  We discussed this last week but a listener sent us a great link to an EPA site that summarizes how you should clean up after one of these mercury containing bulbs break.  Your first response is to remove kids and pets from the area and open the windows.  Thankfully, no hazmat team is required!  For details on cleaning up, check outhttp://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm.

Now on to energy saving tips..

In part 1 of our program, we focused on saving electricity.  But half of the typical homeowners energy consumption is taken up by heating and cooling costs.

With the winter arriving soon, these costs could rise to $3300 for the average oil heating home owner and $1600 for natural gas customers.  What can be done to save some money on heating your home?  Don’t despair… prepare!

Insulation

Consider adding insulation to critical areas such as your attic and elsewhere. Listen to the podcast for more details.

Thermostat

Set Back thermostats can save you significant energy. Setback thermostats automatically adjust the temperature at different times of the day. The more you can turn back the heat the more money you can save. How much will you save? Listen to this podcast for the answer!

Alternative methods of heat

Wood heat can save you a lot of money but most of us do not have efficient fireplaces or wood stoves to heat our houses.  In fact, many older fireplaces could be dangerous and might need to be sealed off or repaired. Consult a chimney inspector if you are unsure. So, what can you do if you have an old, inefficient, fireplace? Consider a sealed insert. The Handyguys discuss.

Lastly – The Handyguys will be recording from the floor of The Philadelphia Fall Home Show On September 26th. Come find our table at 7:30PM on Friday and say hi!

A Handyguys listener recommends a show on preparing your home for the winter.  The Handyguys respond!

First of all, thanks to Mike for sending in a request for this show.  He provided a lot of great ideas and insights.  We will discuss many of his suggestions in this show.

Before discussing winter prep, the Handyguys answer a user question regarding hot water heaters:

Hey Guys,

I recently went down into my basement and there was water all over the floor from my hot water heater.

There is no visible leaking still going on and it is still producing hot water. Do I need a new hot water heater?

The things I do know is that my tank does not have an expansion tank. My ‘overflow tube’ or ‘TandP valve’, is directed down to the floor, but should be directed outside?…I remember the inspector saying something about this not being configured right, but didn’t think it was that big of a concern.

A couple days before the leak occurred I have turned the temperature down to ‘Vacation’ because we were not going to be home for the weekend. When we got home I change the temp back to hot. Could this of caused some kind of pressure change, which in turn caused the leak through the overflow tube?

Let me know if you have any ideas!

Thanks, Devyn

How do you prepare your house for the winter?  Well, if you are in the south, you may not need to do anything.  But if you live in a northerly climate, you should check out this podcast.

Here is a list of items that Mike sent us.  The Handyguys discuss this list and more in the podcast.

• Installing storm windows and doors
• Installing clear plastic on inside of windows or use Seal and Peel caulk
• Turn off your outside water and drain hoses to avoid freezing
• Check furnace and replace furnace filter
• Clear gutters of leaves and debris to avoid ice damming
• Caulk any outside holes where exhaust pipes come through the siding
• Winterize lawn mower, change oil, sharpen blade, remove battery so it doesn’t freeze
• Check floor drain in garage so ice and snow can melt and drain away
• Put patio furniture away and if made of wood it’s a good time to seal them so they are ready for spring.

Other Ideas:

• Energy saving and insulation (see our next podcast on energy saving ideas)
• remove fuel from lawn mowers and trimmers
• Snow blower preparation