DIY Home Improvement Guide

Save Money and the Planet with a Hot Water Heater Blanket

There are many advantages to purchasing a hot water heater blanket. The first, and most obvious, benefit is cost. These blankets save money by lowering energy bills. Lower bills are great, fantastic even, and they are the reason most people purchase hot water heater blankets. Still, there is yet another good reason to look into these insulating blankets: they are good for the environment.

Installing a hot water heater insulating blanket is good for the environment in two ways. First of all, it saves energy. Second of all, it saves water. Both of these features are good for our planet.

A hot water heater blanket helps save energy by reducing the amount of energy needed to heat the water. Wasteful and excessive use of energy is one of the leading causes of America’s impending energy crisis. When most people thing of the energy crisis they think of oil dependence. However, America is also dependent on coal to power the majority of our steam power plants. In order to reduce our dependence on coal, as an interim solution while we develop alternate energy resource strategies, it is a good idea to reduce energy consumption.

Likewise, a hot water heater blanket will help save water. Since hot water heater blankets keep water in the tank hotter, less hot water is needed for baths, showers, and the dishwasher. Most people do not take 130 degree showers, so water from the tank is mixed with cold water to make a tolerable shower temp. When the water heating process is more efficient, less overall water is needed, which is of course good for the earth.

The great thing about “going green” is that by increasing efficiency and helping the earth customers often times save money as well. Going green can mean more green in the wallet. Check out a hot water heater insulating blanket. They’re good for the environment and good for the bank account.

Magnetic Weather Stripping

Magnetic weather stripping is a really cool invention that makes weatherizing your doors extremely easy.  With as much focus as there has been on protecting the planet and saving money with home improvement, taking steps to weatherize your home or office is one of the easiest things you can do to help out.  This is especially true in the workplace where there are people constantly going in and out and operating HVAC most of the day.  A simple magnetic weather strip on the doors and windows can put thousands of dollars onto your bottom line each year.

The door or window has to have some sort of non-ferrous metal for the magnet to stick to for this to work, but that’s really the only requirement.  When installed, the rubber will compress to fit perfectly into your door or window frame.  For the first few weeks after installation it’s going to be a very tight fit, but the rubber will continue compacting and the door or window will go back to operating properly.

When cutting the magnetic weather stripping for windows leave about a half inch on each side to give the rubber room to compact.  When cutting for doors measure your cut lines while the stripping is on the door, rather than using a measuring tape.

Magnetic weather stripping for metal doors and windows is one of the easiest things to install and use.  It’s the perfect weatherization project for the DIY homeowner or facilities specialist.

Garage Door Weather Stripping

Garage door weather stripping is dual function tool that helps protect your home and save you money.  The main purpose of this type of weather stripping is to keep the elements out of your garage.  Rain and snow can seep under an unprotected wooden garage doors and get all of your good stuff in the garage wet.  This is especially problematic if the door into your house is the same level as your garage floor.  Water can easily make its way into your home!

The secondary benefit of this minor garage door repair is that it helps to keep hot and cold air out of your garage.  You might not think that your garage will affect the temperature of the inside of your home, but when left unprotected it’s one more exposed entry way that leaks air in and out all the time.

Garage door weather stripping usually comes in ten and thirty foot measurements, and you can use the ten foot size to cover any odd measurements you may have.  When it’s time to install garage door weather stripping it’s as easy as laying out your materials and nailing it in to the bottom of the garage door.  Most kits will come with everything you need, but if they don’t be sure to have a hammer and some roofing nails on hand.

Be sure that you don’t cut the stripping that’s hanging off until you’re finished.  You may want to adjust it before you’re done and that can be difficult if you’re missing a few inches off of one side!!

Rubber Weather Stripping

Rubber weather stripping is an excellent way to keep your house warm in the winter and keep the cool air in the house in the summer.  Your doors and windows leak way more air than you think they do, in the winter it can be the equivalent to having a window completely open!

Installing foam rubber weather stripping around your doors and windows is one of the easiest ways to save on your electricity bill and be a little kinder to the planet.  It’s as simple as peeling back the adhesive on the rubber and sticking it to the window sill or door jamb.  The stripping will last a few more years if you install it on the sill rather than on the window itself.  Older windows are going to have a hard time closing after the weather stripping has been installed.  The extra space that the rubber creates will make it difficult to close it the first time, but it will compact to the size it needs to be after that.  Also, don’t put the stripping on the inside of the door jamb where the hinges are.  You won’t be able to close the door and the stripping will get demolished!

There are lots of different ways to cut back on your heating and cooling bill, but rubber weather stripping is certainly one of the easiest.  The stripping is sold in rolls that are between 6 and 12 yards long.  I measure one window and door in my house and multiply that by how many of each there are in the house to figure out how much I’m going to need.  DIY home improvement projects don’t get much cheaper and easier than this!!