Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
You can safely turn water heater off when away
Question: If I turn off my water heater while on an extended vacation in the winter, is there a chance my pipes can burst? I know the water is drained from the pipes, but can something happen? Also, would there be a savings on my electric bill? Thanks, Joe S.
Answer: Shutting down a water heater for a long time when it is not in use should not have any negative affects on the water supply piping. In fact, turning it off, or reducing the temperature to the lowest possible point, will save a small amount of electricity and slightly lower your Hydro bill, and is definitely recommended.
Your electric water heater is a very simple mechanical device used to heat a significant amount of water, held in a large tank, with electric elements inside the water. The desired temperature of the water can be adjusted by one or more thermostats, typically located behind the access covers for the elements. These are pre-set at the factory and may not need to be accessed or adjusted unless there is a failure or defect. Once the tank is filled and the circuit breaker turned on to energize the unit, there may be little to no maintenance required for proper operation for over a decade. Hot water will be available on demand at the house faucets, which are connected to the heater through the water supply piping in the home.
Since the water heater is directly connected to the water supply pipes, whether they are metal or plastic, the entire system is under pressure. For a municipal water system the pressure may be quite regular, but will be more variable for a well and pump arrangement in some areas and rural or vacation homes. Turning the power off to your water heater will have absolutely no negative consequences for the supply pipes. The hot water will remain inside the tank, and not in any pipes, unless a faucet is opened. There are two main ways that leakage can occur in this system, firstly from a pipe or joint that opens up, or from the thawing of frozen pipes.
For your home, you suggest that the water will be drained from the pipes during your extended winter holiday. If you have municipal water, that will be accomplished simply by shutting off your main valve and opening several faucets to drain the majority of the water. That will eliminate the pressure inside the pipes and ensure that any leaks that may occur while you are away will not cause a serious flood or even an extended flow of water. To be extra diligent, the faucet at the lowest point in the home should be left open, and other higher ones all opened after shutting the main valve. This will ensure there is very little water left in the entire system, except the water heater, and will prevent damage if there is a power failure and the heat shuts off. If you have a pump and well system, the entire system should be drained, including the water heater.
The main way that there can be a major issue is if the system is still pressurized, either by municipal water or a pump, and the power goes out, allowing the home and the pipes to freeze. Water inside the full pipes will expand as they freeze, possibly causing the pipes or the joints to crack or open. When the weather warms, or the heat is restored, the breached pipes will leak and will not stop until the water is shut off, or the pressure drops near zero from the pump. If you are in an area where there may be regular power outages, and frozen pipes are more likely, draining everything prior to leaving home is the way to go.
If you are in a town or city where you have reliable municipal water supply, extended-leave preparedness should be the simplest. First, shut off the power to your water heater. This is critical to do before the next step, as you never want the level inside the water heater tank to drop below an energized element. This will cause the element to burn out almost instantaneously, requiring an immediate repair. After that is done, turn off the water supply in the entire home at the main valve. If you are not concerned about an extended power outage, you may now leave your home fairly confident of a non-issue. To be even safer, you could open several of the faucets in the home, draining the water from the system and dropping the pressure almost to zero, preventing any water issues even from a previously undetected leak. Just make sure that the pipes are completely filled upon return before re-energizing the water heater elements, to prevent a burn-out.
The final benefit of turning off the breaker to your water heater while away is both environmentally and wallet friendly. There is no need to heat a large tank of water for several weeks, or months, when not in use. While the tank is insulated and will keep the water hot for some time when the faucets are not opened, it will eventually cool and cause the elements to turn on and reheat its contents. This is a needless waste of precious energy and money, which is easily avoided.
Turning off the power to your electric water heater will have absolutely no negative outcomes on the water supply pipes in your home. With a few simple precautions, doing so will be the wise choice for both economic and energy conservation reasons.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Heat is your friend when removing decals
Question: How can I remove a decal on a painted Gyproc wall? It looks like it’s been there a while, and someone tried to remove it previously. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. D.M.
Answer: Your best chance of success requires heat. Begin by wetting the decal with dish soap and water. Hold a low setting hair dryer, towards the wall, so that the glue softens. Gently pick up one edge and hold the heat under the sticker, slowly peel the sticker. Rubbing alcohol applied under the sticker will also help release the glue. Some damage may occur; work slowly so that the paint stays intact.
Question: Love your column! I would like to know how to keep the dust down when I have a small area to sand on drywall? Thank you. Flo
Answer: Reduce drywall dust during a sanding project by covering up as much furniture, floor and wall as possible with plastic sheets. Secure a drywall sanding attachment to a shop vacuum. The vacuum sucks up much of the dust, which reduces it from spreading around your home. If you do not have access to an industrial vacuum, you might consider dampening the area with a sponge before sanding; however, this requires practice, and the results are not as appealing as dry sanding.
Question: Can you please provide me with a recipe for an easy homemade Caesar salad dressing? Delores
Answer: Into a bowl combine two minced garlic cloves, 5 ml (1 tsp) anchovy paste (optional), 30 ml (two tbsp) lemon juice, 5 ml (one tsp) Dijon mustard, 5 ml (one tsp) Worcestershire sauce, 240 ml (one cup) mayonnaise, 64 g (1/2 cup) grated parmesan cheese, 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp.) each of salt, and pepper. Add more salt to taste. Store in fridge for up to two weeks.
Sticky Situations
Re: Stuck Jar Lid
A colleague passed along this tip, which has rarely failed me. Place a wide rubber band (the kind mail carriers use or the ones that hold veggies such as asparagus in bundles) around the lid, then try to unscrew it. Works almost every time. Brian
Re: Rice Sticking to the Pot
One way to prevent rice from sticking to the pot is to cook it in the microwave. For one cup of rice, add two cups of water. Season and cook in the microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed, with no sticky mess. If you prefer to cook rice on the stove, rinse the rice before you boil it (until the water becomes fairly clear). Add a little oil or butter to the pot. For 210 grams (one uncooked cup) of rice, add 710ml (three cups) of water, simmer for 15 minutes. You’ll get perfect rice every time. Sandra
Tips of the Week
Add a few dashes of white or cider vinegar to the water in which you boil ham. It will draw out some of the salty taste and improve the flavour.
Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking. You will end up with whiter, less “fishy” tasting fish. Use 30ml (two tbsp) of white vinegar per 946 ml (one quart) of water and allow fish fillets to soak for 20 mins. before cooking.
Add 5 ml (one tsp) white vinegar to pie dough to reduce sugary sweetness and bring out the flavour in desserts such as pecan pie.
If homemade soup is too salty, add 5 ml (one tsp) each white vinegar and sugar and reheat.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Tips for baking a perfect loaf of bread
Question: I have recently started making bread, by hand. Everything is good, except my bread is always dry. I follow all directions exactly and the loaf looks and smells great. Any ideas? Thanks. Peggy
Answer: Altitude and humidity in your home can alter the dryness of the dough, so you may need to experiment with the recipe a bit. Also, make sure that you knead the bread long enough to activate the yeast.
Consider reducing the flour by one-quarter cup so that the dough is less dry. Some people say that using bread flour makes a significant difference, I have not found that makes much difference.
While baking, it is important to insert an oven thermometer into the dough, you want a temperature of around 190 to 210 F (88 to 99 C), depending on the type of dough. I bake bread at 350 F, if your oven temperature is too low and the bread bakes for too long, the dough will dry out.
Assess your yeast to make sure it is active. Into a cup, add one teaspoon yeast and one cup, warm to hot water. If the yeast does not spread, it will not activate when you bake, you need fresh yeast.
Lastly, if you use flour such as whole wheat, the bread will be heavier and may taste dry. It is better to mix dough that is sticky rather than dough that is tough.
Question: I have used the shower door cleaning solution that I read in your column. I need to make more, but have lost the recipe. Please help. Inez
Answer: Here is my favourite shower door cleaning recipe. Into a spray bottle combine: One tablespoon Jet Dry dishwasher rinse, one quarter cup rubbing alcohol, half tsp. dish soap, two cups water and half cup three per cent hydrogen peroxide. Spray shower and leave; no need to wipe or rinse. Apply once a week or more. Also, gently wipe shower doors with a small amount of mineral oil to repel the water from sitting on the glass.
Question: My oak coffee table has become sticky. I tried Pledge, but it made it worse. Diluted dish soap did nothing. Any suggestions other than refinishing it? Thank you, Tracy
Answer: Into a spray bottle, combine 50/50 white vinegar and water. Spray the table and wipe. The vinegar strips away grime and dust that builds-up over time. If that does not help, consider cleaning the wood with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Wipe with water.
Fruit fly frenzy
• I read some of the remedies for killing fruit flies and want to share the one that I swear by. Just put about a half-inch of cider vinegar in a container like a custard cup, put in a squirt of dish washing soap, stir. I have seen it work within minutes of seeing one of those bothersome flies make an appearance. I caught seven the other day within a very short time! Enjoy your tips. Sylvia
S.O.S Household hints
1. After purchasing S.O.S pads cut them in half, doing so will sharpen the scissor blade and save you money.
2. Store S.O.S pads in a plastic container lined with aluminum foil to prevent them from forming rust.
3. Store any kind of steel wool away from flames or heat sources, they are very flammable.
4. Recipe for a wonderful multi-purpose cleaner: Combine 1-tsp. borax, half-tsp. washing soda, 2 tbsp. vinegar, half-tsp. liquid castile soap. Add 2-cups hot water. Shake and pour into a spray bottle. Spray on appliances, floors and house exterior, scrub with S.O.S pads.
5. Use S.O.S pads and water to remove nail polish from carpet (some elbow grease required).
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Soap and water likely enough to remove gasoline stains from concrete
Question: Gas spilled onto the concrete floor in the garage. Is there any way to get rid of it? Laura
Answer: Remove gasoline stains on your driveway with the following technique: Using a garden hose, spray the area with water, scrub with a wire brush, such as a barbeque brush and dish soap or dishwasher detergent. The stains should quickly disappear. As a last resort, combat tough spills with muriatic acid and a pressure washer. Apply the acid following the manufacturer’s directions, and let it soak for several seconds. Keep in mind that muriatic acid is an extremely dangerous product; if you use it, wear rubber or latex gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing, and never wash it down storm drains. Test all solutions on an inconspicuous area first.
Question: Visitor’s used ball point ink and wrote all over my daughter’s ‘American Girl’ doll’s face. It happened today, what can I use to erase the marks? KT
Answer: The most successful product for this situation is 10% benzoyl peroxide (acne medication), the sooner you cleaner, the better the chances of removal. Using a cotton ball, dab peroxide onto the doll’s face, and gently wipe away the ink. Some ink is permanent and cannot be removed. Note: American Girl offers a doll hospital service, you can send the doll to the specified address, to be repaired, for a fee.
Manitobans’ response to fruit flies
• I battle fruit flies every year just like everyone, but I also compost so they can really get out of hand very quickly. This year I started keeping my compost pail in the freezer at night, it helped so much! Along with all the other steps you had in the column too, but compost is kind of a special case. Audra
• Tried and true to remove fruit flies. Take a small glass, such as a shot glass. Place a small piece of banana in it. Cover it tightly with a piece of cellophane. Poke a few holes with a toothpick. Don’t make the holes too big or the flies will escape. Place a few of these glasses around where you see the flies. They will congregate to these traps, and it works. Once captured, flip the glass upside down and wrap the cellophane around the mixture and discard. Voila! Kimberly
• I have tried the remedies mentioned in your column (except the commercial ones) with little success. I finally used my hand vacuum, immediately emptying it into a plastic bag which I sealed. It worked great. FB
Souper Tips
• Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes out of half-inch thick, sourdough bread slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with your favorite cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Lay in the centre of your bowl of soup.
• Brown veggies, before adding them to soup to bring out the flavor of the vegetables. It you sauté them in butter and garlic, the flavor is even more enhanced.
• Don’t wait until the end of the cooking process to season your soup. Season as you cook, and adjust as needed, so that the ingredients absorb the flavors.
• Add a splash of acid to soup, rather than more salt. Acid such as lemon or lime juice adds delicious and unique flavor to soup.
• Invest in a slow cooker as your kitchen helper. Add the contents to the slow cooker in the morning and by supper, the flavors will be intense and ready to devour.
• Keep noodles separate. When making soup, leave cooked noodles in a separate bowl, instead of adding them into the soup. Freeze the soup or eat leftovers the next day, without having to contend with soggy noodles.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca.
