provided by: HandyHouseholdHints.com

If your lawn furniture is looking a little dingy there is no need to throw it out. There are several products that can clean your lawn furniture and make it look like new again.

Here are some products you can use to clean your lawn furniture

∗ Bleach: You can wash your lawn furniture with bleach to make it sparkle again. Wash the lawn furniture using a mix of a half a cup of bleach and a gallon of water. After washing the furniture rinse it clean and let it air dry.

∗ Baking Soda: Most commercial cleaners on the market cannot be used on resin lawn furniture because it is too abrasive. By using baking soda to clean your lawn furniture you will not scratch or dull the surface of the furniture. Clean the resin lawn furniture with a wet sponge and a little baking soda. Wipe the furniture using a circular motion and then rinse it off.

∗ Vinegar – Vinegar can be one of the better products to use to clean your lawn furniture, especially if you live in climate that is hot and humid. Have some full strength white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray your lawn furniture any time you see some mildew on it. The mildew stain will usually wipe right off and it will also keep the mildew from coming back. You can also remove mildew from your wooden decks and wood patio furniture by using a solution of 1 cup of ammonia, a half a cup of white vinegar, a quarter cup of baking soda, and a gallon of water. Sponge of the deck or furniture and use an old toothbrush to reach the tight spaces. To keep mildew from forming on outdoor mesh furniture and patio umbrellas you can also use vinegar. Mix 2 cups of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing soap and a bucket of hot water. Using a soft brush, work the solution into the grooves of the plastic, the seat padding, and the fabric on the umbrella. After thoroughly scrubbing the furniture and umbrella rinse it off with cold water and let it air dry.

∗ WD-40: By using WD-40 you can bring plastic patio furniture’s original color and shine back. All you have to do is spray some of the WD-40 directly onto the surface of the furniture and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth. This should give you great results.

TIPS

When cleaning your outdoor furniture with either bleach, vinegar, or baking soda make sure that after you thoroughly clean it to let it air dry and not with a rag or cloth. By letting it air-dry you will let the chemicals absorb into the furniture will inhibit dirt, grime, and mildew from forming in the future.

Author:  Jason Green

By eHow Contributing Writer

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• rags, steel wool or wire grill brushes

• Heavy-duty Scouring Pad

• Garden Hoses And Attachments

• Liquid Dish Soap

• Kitchen Sponges

• Hose-end Sprayers

• Spray-on Oven Cleaner

• Nonstick Cooking Spray

• Rubber Gloves

• Cooking Oil

• Old Newspapers

Step ONE

After you’ve finished cooking and the coals have died out, brush the grill grate with a stiff wire brush. Next time you’re ready to cook, fire up the grill, brush the grate again and then coat it with a thin film of oil. This regimen should keep the grate perpetually clean and ready to go.

Step TWO

When the ashes are cold, remove them from the collector pan beneath the grill. Allowing ashes to collect in the bottom of the grill for days or weeks will impede air flow and can collect moisture, causing your grill to rust.

Step THREE

Don’t worry too much about baked-on grease or juices that have collected on the walls of the lid or bottom of your grill; it has no effect on how well your grill will perform. Periodically use a wire brush to brush any flakes from the interior walls.

Step FOUR

If you really want to make your grill shine, remove the ashes and grill grates. Hose the grill out, then scrub with warm, soapy water and a fine steel wool pad.

Step FIVE

You can also clean the grates and the exterior of the grill with warm, soapy water and fine steel wool.

It’s the weekend and you have a whole list of household chores to do. Oh, we know you’d rather be golfing or playing tennis or watching TV, but keeping your home in good shape is important. Your home may be the biggest investment you will ever make. Taking good care of it with regular maintenance is necessary to maintain its value and ensure it will provide a comfortable, safe shelter for you and your family for a long time.
Here is a home maintenance quiz that will test your maintenance knowledge. While this quiz does not address every home maintenance project, it does provide helpful tips and reminders for chores you may have overlooked.

1. How often do forced-air furnace filters need to be changed?
At least every three months during the heating season.

2. What part of the faucet usually needs to be replaced when you have a water leak?
The washer.

3. Should you run hot or cold water through your garbage disposal?
Cold water.

4. How often should the moving parts of garage doors be oiled?
Every three months.

5. What tools can you use to unclog your drains?
A plunger and a plumber’s snake.

6. What tool can be used to unclog a toilet?
Coil spring-steel auger.

7. What faucet part needs to be cleaned every three to four months?
Aerator—the screen inside the end of the faucet.

8. What can you use for traction on icy sidewalks, steps and driveways?
Cat litter or sand—never use salt because it damages the pavement.

9. Where should the fire in your fireplace be built?
On the andirons or grate, never on the fireplace floor.

10. What will prevent soot and add color to the fire in your fireplace?
Throw in a handful of salt.

11. Where should your firewood be stored?
Outside, away from your house and not directly on the ground.

12. What helps keep unpainted concrete floors easy to keep clean?
Concrete sealer.

13. What should you use to clean unpainted concrete floors?
A solution of 4 to 6 tablespoons of washing soda in a gallon of hot water. Mix scouring powder to the solution for tough jobs.

14. When can you clean hardwood floors with water?
When the floors have a polyurethane finish.

15. Do hardwood floors need to be waxed?
Hardwood floors that do not have a polyurethane finish probably will need to be waxed periodically. Use liquid or paste “spirit” wax.

16. What is the best polish for vinyl floors?
Water emulsion wax.

17. When is basement condensation at its maximum?
In new homes because gallons of water went into the concrete of basement walls.

18. Why should noisy water pipes be fixed promptly?
The condition that causes noisy pipes may be accompanied by vibration that can cause fittings to loosen and leak.

19. Why should frozen pipes be thawed slowly?
Frozen pipes should be thawed slowly to prevent the formation of steam, which could  cause the pipe to burst.

20. How often should your roof be inspected?
A qualified roofer should inspect your roof every three years.

21. What should be regularly checked on your security system?
The alarms and circuit breakers should be checked to make sure they are in working order and the sensors should be inspected one by one.

22. To ensure your safety, what household equipment uses batteries that must be checked regularly to make sure they are operable?
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

23. What do you use to fill nail holes and cracks in plaster walls and gypsum wallboard?
Spackling.

24. What is the white powdery substance that develops on masonry walls?
Efflorescence sometimes appears on masonry walls. It is crystallized soluble salts that can be removed by scrubbing with water and a stiff brush.

25. At what temperature should your water heater be set?
120 degrees Fahrenheit

26. How often do skylights need to be inspected?
Skylights should be inspected each time your roof is inspected so leaks don’t develop from cracks and interruptions around its seals, caulking and flashings.
27. What is a simple solution you can use to wash extremely dirty exterior windows?
A solution of equal parts vinegar and water or 3 tablespoons of denatured alcohol per quart of warm water. Use a piece of crumpled newspaper to wash the glass to avoid lint left behind by papertowls.

28. What can you use to help a window slide easily?
Rub the channel with a piece of paraffin.

29. What should you look for when you inspect your siding yearly?
Determine if wood-sided homes need to be repainted; check to see if the caulking around the windows and doors has split and cracked, and replace the caulk; clean the mildew; trim shrubbery away so it does not touch the siding.

Now there are a lot of us who live around this parts full-time but there are some who don’t and many of those part-time residents and home owners close down their cabins in the fall so that the colder winter weather doesn’t ruin the plumbing or other fixtures.

Most people think of winterizing as it relates to plumbing because broken pipes can create a lot of havoc but there are other considerations, too.

Outdoor Sprinklers & Landscaping
This year we shut off the outside watering system in September–just before the freeze hit.

I usually shut off the sprinkler controls and then turn off the water at the house (not the meter). We make sure to open all the spigots to drain the sprinkling system. Since I am on a hill and all the spigots are downhill–this works well.

I don’t worry about the external faucets here but you can find insulated external faucet covers. Many folks wrap outdoor faucets with insulation or rags and then cover them with plastic.

Usually I leave the ground cover in place until spring. Although this year I decided to pull out some of the dead plants because they were tall and a fire hazard. Dead or dormant plants insulate the ground nicely and I’ve had mountain gardeners pull tasty treats from the ground midwinter–growing under the coverage!

Indoor Plumbing
Most people shut the water off at the source and then bleed the water lines and water heater lines. Some people leave the water on but winterize the pipe lines with insulation or heating tape to prevent freezing.

You can protect sink, bathtub, and shower drain traps by pouring about 1 cup of plumbing antifreeze down each drain. Make sure to use the non-toxic type of antifreeze called propylene glycol in products such as Sierra Antifreeze.

Electricity
Some people turn off the circuits to their home. It is a good idea to unplug unused electrical appliances because they draw phantom electricity even when they are not being used.

Air Conditioning
Most of the older homes up here do not have central air conditioning but it is more common than it was previously. Make sure to cover the outside condenser and if you use a window air conditioning unit be sure to  weatherize it with insulation and plastic.

Windows
Some people will cover their windows with shutters, plywood, or plastic because it helps prevent snow and ice buildup on ledges. In addition to protecting any wood frame, this also helps to prevent the ice and snow from melting and seeping into the cabin.

I use faux double panes on my windows. The plastic sheets are in the screen frame and protect the windows while also raising the inside temperature of the house about five degrees.

Miscellaneous
Roofing: Unclogging any rain gutters before the winter is a good idea so that they will work well and any melt will run off. We don’t have a large problem with ice dams in the gutters around these parts due to the warm winters but it is a good idea to clear the gutters of snow to prevent the ice melt freeze cycle that cause the issue.

I’ve got a metal roof which keeps the buildup on the roof to a minimum but roof rakes are popular and some people install snow melting heat elements over the eves to avoid this problem.

Vents
Make sure to check that house foundation vents and any roof air vents are clear.

Septic
Many people take time just before winter to do some septic tank maintenance by adding a commercial septic treatment product or an enzyme product to aid in breaking down solids.

Patio
Many people will store their patio furniture indoors for the winter. You can leave it out  but use linseed oil to help buffer the elements.

As the cold weather sets in, many cabin owners are preparing to leave their summer and fall retreats until next season. A cabin is an investment as well as a home away from home, and you want to do as much as possible to protect it. Many cabin owners are aware of the need to winterize their cabins in order to protect their heating, plumbing systems and so on, but taking the necessary precautions to keep out intruders is just as important. Here are some tips for keeping unwelcome visitors out of your cabin while you are away.

Remove all valuables that you can. Let’s face it; a lot of cabin owners consider taking out their televisions and other electronic equipment a bit of a hassle. However, these are valuable and many thieves are aware of the fact that people keep them in their cabins all year long. They make for a tempting reason to break-in! Consider them taking them out until next year, along with all other items of value.

Install an alarm system. The effectiveness of this step is debatable, depending on where your cabin is. People may argue that most cabins are in fairly secluded spots where no one is going to hear an alarm go off, but part of the purpose of an alarm is just the scare factor. Intruders are nervous about loud advertisements of their presence, and are likely to take off even though they are aware the chances of someone coming to investigate are slight (remember, they are operating with a guilty conscience!).

Remove all food sources. Not all intruders are human, and cabins are often in prime wildlife locations. Take all the food out of your cabin so it doesn’t attract bears, raccoons, and other animals that love what humans have to offer. Smaller food stuffs may attract wintering insects as well, so make sure that you remove your sugar, flour, and so on.

Seal everything! Putting boards or other barriers over your cabin windows and doors will help to keep out both human and animal intruders. Everyone prefers the path of least resistance and if your cabin resembles a fortress, potential invaders will move on. You should also consider blocking chimneys – from the inside – and have a good look around and seal up any cracks to keep out those bugs!

Nothing is more disheartening than going out to the family cabin after a season away and finding it has been invaded by humans or animal intruders. Taking some basic steps when you are winterizing your cabin can really cut down the risk of break-ins!

When there is a chill in the air, you know winter is on its way. You’ve taken care of winterizing your house, but don’t forget to winterize your yard–and that includes plants, trees, lawns, and irrigation systems, too.

Lawn

In order to keep your lawn as nice and healthy as possible for next spring, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

• Mow and fertilize regularly until the grass stops growing

• Aerate the lawn

• Reseed any bare spots

• If not reseeding, consider using selective herbicides to prevent weeds

• Rake fallen leaves—but leave some behind to act as a natural fertilizer

Flower and Vegetable Gardens

Prepare your perennials and garden beds to be their best next spring by taking action before the soil freezes.

• Divide and replant perennials not in bloom

• Remove dead growth and blossoms to avoid insect infestation

• Remove—and do not compost—any diseased growth from flowers and vegetables

• Bury remaining vegetable growth in the soil

• Till the soil, adding lime if necessary

• Layer 1 to 2 in. compost or mulch over the entire garden bed

Bushes, Trees, and Shrubs

Different bushes, trees, and shrubs require different levels of pre-winter maintenance, while some require none at all.

• Shield new plant grafts with mounds of compost, or wrap them in leaf-filled burlap

• Wrap rose bushes securely with burlap, and fill with straw

• Prune trees

• Create simple pole and burlap shelters for delicate shrubbery

• Spread a 2- or 3-inch layer of mulch around tree bases, not touching the trunk

• Consider spraying plants that are sensitive to water damage with a desiccant

• Leave evergreen shrubs and trees as they are

Watering and Irrigation Systems

If you don’t empty irrigation systems before freezing temperatures hit, you could end up with burst hoses and pipes. Make sure to ready your hoses and irrigation systems for the winter.

• Drain garden hoses

• Store hoses in the shed or garage

• Empty the irrigation system by draining or blowing out the water

• Disconnect water and air pressure systems leading to irrigation pipes

• Leave irrigation valves open slightly to avoid pressure build-up

Prepare for Deicing

Deicing with salt or other chemicals can be very hard on your garden and pathways. Here are some tips to take care of them.

• Add gypsum to absorb sodium in salt-laden soil

• Cover garden beds along the driveway with plastic

• Wrap salt- and chemical-sensitive plants with plastic or burlap

• Consider applying a sealant to brick or cement walkways and driveways

• Cover delicate sections of brick and tile with sheets of plastic

What Do Chimney Logs Do?

Chimney cleaning logs are a manufactured log product embedded with “chimney sweep”chemicals. These chemicals are used to break down the outer layer of creosote that develops along the walls of the chimney. Once the chimney log is lit and allowed to burn according to its instructions, these chemicals rise with the heat and deposit onto the creosote. With subsequent fires, the creosote is chemically broken down so that it can fall off as ash.

Pros

The chimney cleaning log is easy to light and costs a lot less than a standard chimney sweep. As the log burns, it deposits its chemicals on the outer creosote layer that develops from using the fireplace. Creosote is considered a fire hazard, so the log may help to cut down the creosote buildup in between chimney sweeps. Typically, results are not apparent until the fireplace is used a few times after the cleaning, when the creosote layer flakes will fall to the fireplace floor to be swept away.

Cons

The chimney cleaning log does not remove all of the creosote buildup in the chimney, nor does it claim to remove the other ash and soot buildup that lines the chimney’s walls. It is not recommended that one substitute the log for a good and thorough chimney sweep, which will remove all of the layers of buildup, as well as use any necessary chemicals to break down the creosote.

Considerations

One of the concerns associated with chimney sweeping logs is the misconception that these logs actually sweep away the soot, creosote and ash in the chimney. Furthermore, those who do not investigate their efficacy run the risk of developing a fire hazard within their homes if they do not maintain regular chimney sweeps.

One concern is, what happens to the flammable creosote if and when it falls to the bottom of the chimney? Does the cleaning log, by loosening these flakes, increase the likelihood of a chimney fire?

Furthermore, replacing a full-service chimney sweep with a cleaning log does nothing to remove the debris and animal homes that may be blocking the chimney’s ventilation. A cleaning log is unable to diagnose these physical problems.

Cleaning logs likewise do not inspect the physical structure of the chimney, identifying necessary repairs or part replacements. In essence, chimney cleaning logs may only serve well as maintenance between chimney sweeps. But if you have your chimney swept yearly, there may be no need to spend the extra money on chimney cleaning logs.

By: George Guttmann

First, a confession: I love to use the wood stove at my cabin and we tend to use it often. I also have a wood stove at home, I have a fireplace in my office and one with a wood burning insert in the living room but I can’t tell you how long it has been since I used any one of those. Like most of the people I know, we seldom use the wood burning fireplaces and stoves in our home.

On the other hand, gas burning fireplaces and stoves tend to be used a lot. In some cases they are an integral part of a home’s heating system. So here are my thoughts about the gas vs. wood-heat debate.

Fireplaces (Heat Losers?):

Fireplaces may be romantic and produce that wonderful crackling sound. They are also: messy, time consuming and tend to be net heat losers. First you carry the wood to the fireplace, open the damper, make the fire, wait for the fire to produce some heat, keep the fire going and before you know it, the fire is out. But you must keep the damper open for at least 12 more hours in order to keep the dying fire and warm ashes from depleting the oxygen in your home.

In most cases, the amount of heat lost by going up the chimney after the fire is out is much greater than the heat produced while the fire is going. The shorter the fire the greater the net heat loss.

Glass Fireplace Doors:

Glass fireplace doors can help reduce this problem. Such doors prevent indoor air from escaping into the fireplace and up the chimney. Some glass doors can also help control the fire by regulating the amount of indoor air that reaches the fire. They also tend to reduce fireplace cleaning chores. If you have a fireplace, such doors are just about the only practical method to make your fireplace somewhat more efficient.

Heat Transfer Grates:

Heat transfer grates can also help increase the amount of heat produced by a fireplace. These types of grates come in various forms. They are usually designed as a set of metal pipes that hold the burning logs. An exterior mounted fan drives indoor air through these pipes and returns heated air back out to the room.

Wood Stoves and Fireplace Inserts:

Wood Stoves and fireplace inserts have the advantage of having a wood fire inside and enclosed space. They allow one to control the amount of air the feeds the fire and the rate and method that the air is allowed to go up the chimney. Wood stoves can produce a lot of heat, sometimes too much for the area around the stove. When we designed our cabin we placed the ‘cold air return’ above the area of the wood stove. That way we can use the furnace fan and duct system to distribute the heat from the wood stove to all parts of the structure.

Some wood stoves come with catalytic converters, that are designed to reduce the amount of smoke produced by wood stoves. My own experience with these system has not been good, I have found that the converter can only be used when the stove is very hot and stop working as soon as the fire dies down.

Stove Fans:

We received a self powered stove fan from our friends – I thought it was a gimmick. This small fan sits on top of the stove. It has an electrical motor the runs on the electricity produced by the heat of the wood stove. Its very quiet and at first seems too weak to move the hot air to the other side of the room – not so.

The fan is made by Caframo LTD and called an Ecofan – they are not a sponsor of this site.

It works well and makes much less noise than the furnace fan. Very nice – thank you Don and Charlotte!

Gas Logs:

Gas logs are mostly cosmetic. They require a clip that keeps the damper partially open at all times. Without glass doors, they are almost guaranteed to be a net heat loser.

Gas Fireplaces and Stoves:

Gas fireplace inserts and gas stoves produce safe, clean and reliable heat! These units:

• can be operated with a switch or a thermostat,
• unlike most furnaces many such units can be operated during a power outage,
• can be used as part of your home’s heating system,
• produce less air pollution than wood heat,
• require very little service or cleaning, and
• they are usually less expensive than a wood burning appliance.

Gas fireplaces can and are being used as the primary heat source in many homes. For example, they are often used in the living rooms and ‘great rooms’ of town houses. In such applications, other types of zone heating can be used the rest of the home.

Pellet Stoves:

But what about pellet stoves? I have never understood their popularity in places where gas or propane is available. They are cleaner burning than other wood burning appliances but they don’t resemble a wood fire any more than a gas unit. Pellet stoves require more service than gas units and I am not sure that the cost of pellets is any lower than the equivalent amount of natural gas or propane.

Conclusion:

So, if you like to play with fire and want to do so in a safe manner then a wood stove or a fireplace with glass doors etc. will do fine. But if you are looking for an appliance that actually produces heat, then gas is the way to go.

It seems to us that there are two issues here. One is how rapidly a given tank heats water. The other concerns energy efficiency and longevity. By far, the latter question is the more easily answered.

Longevity and Efficiency

If you’ve read very much of our site, you’ll likely know that we like to see people buy a water heater that has an exposed, hex-head, magnesium anode installed in it. That offers at least the chance of removing it for inspection without totally destroying it. It also leaves room in the hot port for what is known as an outlet, or combination, anode rod comprising an anode, hot-water outlet and dielectric plastic-lined steel nipple.

If you were to buy a 12-year-warranty heater, likely the only difference between it and a 6-year-warranty one would be an extra anode: either a larger-diameter hex anode, or a normal one along with a half-length outlet rod in the hot port. We’d rather see you put a full-length rod there — and save the premium you’d pay for the longer-warranty tank. And installing it just involves screwing it into the hot port.

We’d also want you to install a flush kit comprising a curved dip tube and ball valve drain assembly if you live in a hard-water area. This is a trifle more complicated than the anode, but anybody can do it on a new tank. Oh, and by the way: if you install the flush kit, don’t forget to use it once a year! Put it in your scheduler, if you use one. The time slips by faster than you think!

Finally, we’d like to see everybody buy tanks with R-16 insulation rating or better. Unfortunately, things have become more complicated. Some manufacturers have stopped showing the insulation R factor on the label, and don’t even want to talk about it anymore. They’ve begun stressing EF, or energy factor, which they say is more exact. Our feeling is that it’s also more ambiguous. EF comprises insulation, tank design, burner design and other factors. It’s also true that an electric heater will have a much higher EF than a gas one, yet in some parts of the country, an electric tank will cost you a lot more to operate than a gas one because of utility rate structures. But some spec sheets still show R factor or tell how many inches of insulation there are. And you can find those on the manufacturers’ websites.

You can still use EF to compare heaters, but we think you should also measure the insulation thickness by removing the combustion chamber hatch on gas heaters and measuring the jacket thickness. Roughly, one inch is R-8, two inches R-16 and so on. With electrics, it’s more trouble. We don’t think too many stores are going to let you open an electric element port for this. If the temperature/pressure relief valve is mounted on the side, you may be able to measure there. But we believe electrics already have at least R-14 anyway.

There has been much talk and a certain amount of e-mail to us regarding instantaneous water heaters, also known as tankless or point-of-use. If you install a well-insulated tank-type water heater, you can equal the efficiency of these latter for a great deal less cost and trouble. You’d think the instantaneous heaters would be more efficient, but it’s not necessarily true. And they’re expensive and finicky compared to the more common tank heaters. If you’d like to know more about our thinking on this, go to Tankless.

There are specific circumstances where this type of heater is the preferable choice, but in general, we suggest going with the simpler, easier-to-live-with, tank-type heater.

Needs and Comparisons

Who needs what? That is the question! There are ways to rate one water heater against another. But what does that mean relative to you? With fuel bills going up, any logical person simply wants “enough.”

If you just bought a house or condominium and are trying to figure these things out, don’t forget that nearly all the manufacturers have sizing programs that can help you figure out what matches your needs.

If you’re replacing a water heater, the greater question is, “Did the old one work well enough?” Now if the answer is “no,” a good many folks would think, “I have a 30-gallon, so I ought to buy a 40-gallon” or “I have a 40-gallon, so I ought to buy a 50-gallon.” Don’t think only in terms of gallonage. Think in terms of Btu input or first-hour recovery.

These terms involve how rapidly a tank can heat water. A boiler that can heat a whole apartment complex or skyscraper sometimes has no storage, only a series of copper tubes running through a very hot fire. The water is heated instantaneously. Some very powerful commercial water heaters have very little capacity. For instance, a 75,000 Btu, 100-gallon light commercial water heater is a good deal less potent than a 250,000 Btu, 65-gallon tank.

First-hour recovery essentially combines the hot water a tank can hold with what it can heat in one hour. Second hour would be less as you would not be starting with a tank full of hot water. Used in conjunction with the yellow federal energy sticker, it provides a means of comparing different tanks, along with the other things we’ve mentioned.

So which brand is the best? It’s not so simple as that. All makers make pretty good tanks with certain caveats. The process of applying the glass lining is imperfect. One tank will be better-made, another worse-made — and all the action takes place where we can’t see it!

All the makers expect a certain number to fail within the warranty period due to these imperfections. Those are known as “leakers” in the industry.

The best you can do is buy a tank where you know you have a magnesium anode, add a second, outlet rod, and keep an eye on them. How do you tell? As far as we know, Rheem/Ruud/Richmond/General Electric always uses mag rods, even though there’s no bump on the hex head. Anybody else, a mag rod will have that bump. The picture at right shows you what to look for. The bump may be that big or smaller.

Aluminum hex heads will be flat. If you can’t see a hex nut, it means either that a hex-head rod is hidden under the cover, or that there is an outlet rod in the tank, and there is no easy way to tell (unless you own the tank and don’t mind testing the anode for bendability) whether it is magnesium or aluminum.

As to other brands, as far as we know, American/Whirlpool always uses aluminum anodes. Bradford White always uses magnesium, but many of their tanks have one combo rod in the hot port. State/Reliance/Kenmore offers both combo rod tanks and tanks with a hex anode. As of February 2008, only the Premier line has magnesium. All the others use aluminum anodes. A.O. Smith makes both hex and combo rod tanks and uses both aluminum and magnesium.

If you contemplate adding an anode to a new tank, make sure both rods are of the same metal. Otherwise, the magnesium rod will be consumed more rapidly in the presence of an aluminum one and you won’t get as long a life. On the other hand, if the tank is five years old or more, having dissimilar metals is less of an issue, since the original one will likely be largely consumed.

Also, if you are buying an aluminum/zinc anode for odor problems, don’t put a second, combo anode in. That’s contrary to all our counsel concerning other water heaters, but we’ve learned that having two anodes in the tank, even aluminum/zinc, may worsen the odor.

Electric or gas? Which is better? In reality, there is no single answer to this question. What is better for one household, might not be the best for another. The decision to select an electric or gas tankless water heater should be made with the homeowner’s or business’ individual circumstances in mind. The following factors all play a role in choosing what type of tankless water heater is best for your needs:

• the availability of a convenient source of natural gas or propane and/or an adequate electrical supply to support a high-output appliance
  
• the relative cost of installation
  
• the difference in cost between an appropriately-sized electric and gas tankless water heater
  
• water usage habits and needs
  
• homeowner / user preference
  
• the differential between electricity costs and gas costs in your area, and your personal outlook for changes in such costs in the future
  
• desired installation location

Initial Cost:

In terms of initial product cost, electric tankless water heaters cost significantly less than their gas counterparts. Whole house electric tankless water heaters cost about US$500-700 where as gas tankless water heaters generally cost US$1,000 or more, especially for better quality systems with electronic ignition systems. This does not include installation – see below.

Efficiency / Operating Cost:

While gas tankless water heaters are certainly more efficient than their tank cousins, their efficiency usually peaks at 80-85%. Conversely, most electric tankless water heaters are 98+% efficient. Even though natural gas is generally a cheaper input fuel than electricity per BTU of output power, this benefit is generally outweighed by the higher efficiency of the electric unit, longer service life, and cheaper installation. On top of that, electric tankless water heaters cost much less than most tankless gas models. Moreover, gas prices tend to fluctuate more dramatically then electricity prices and most economists agree that gas prices are expected to rise significantly in coming years, whereas in most areas, electricity prices should be relatively stable or at least rise at a much slower pace.

Ongoing operating costs are obviously an important consideration. As a general rule, gas tankless water heaters will cost about 10 to 15% less to operate than an electric tankless water heater. This will depend greatly on the differential between natural gas or propane and electricity costs in your area. There are many regions where gas costs are extremely high due to the lack of supply in the region. In these areas, an electric unit can be significantly cheaper to operate. Remember, electric tankless water heaters are more energy efficient, so some of the cost difference between the fuels will be negated.

Installation:

Gas tankless water heaters have complex venting and combustion air supply requirements, especially when installed in a confined space. Existing gas lines and venting ducts often cannot be used. When side wall venting is required, it can get even more complex. Due to their high gas consumption, existing ventilation systems are rarely adequate. The bottom line, is that these requirements can make installation very expensive. Electric tankless water heaters are very small, about one third the size of a gas tankless water heater. As a result of their small size and the fact that they do not require ventilation of exhaust gases (because there are none), they can be installed in many locations where it is not feasible to install a gas tankless water heater. Accordingly, electric tankless water heaters can often be located closer to the actual point-of-use. They can be installed in a closet, under a sink, in a crawl space, or a wide range of other areas where a traditional tank or gas tankless cannot. Unless an electric system/service upgrade is require, the installation of an electric tankless water heater is generally much cheaper than the installation of a gas tankless water heater.

Maintenance, Service Life and Warranty:

Electric tankless water heaters require very little maintenance. In fact, other than cleaning the inlet screen filter accassionally, electric tankless water heaters generally do not require any maintenance. On the other hand, gas tankless heaters should be inspected annually by a trained technician to ensure safe fuel combustion and performance. In the event of a problem, electric units are inherently simpler to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair, and the simplicity of their design means that they tend to last a lot longer. Gas tankless water heaters have very complex heat exchangers and fuel controls that are much more difficult to service in the field.

Availability of Energy Source:

The availability of adequate electricity, natural gas, or propane, can obviously affect the decisions as to which type of tankless water heater is best for your home or business. Electric tankless water heaters are very high power appliances. Because they heat water entirely on demand, their peak electricity needs are substantial even though their total energy consumption is much lower than traditional tank-type water heaters. Consequently, it is often required that a home have a 200 AMP, 208 to 240 volt electrical service to run an electric tankless water heater (smaller whole-house models suitable for warmer climate areas can often be installed on 100, 125, or 150 AMP electrical services). Some homes or businesses do not have such electrical power available and upgrades can sometimes be expensive. On the other hand, the installation of a gas tankless water heater would almost certainly be uneconomical if the building did not have an existing natural gas or propane service, or if the diameter of the incoming gas line was insufficient (this is common).

Water Usage Habits & Needs:

For most homeowners and businesses, their water usage patterns and needs will not affect their choice of what type of water heater they should select. Electric tankless water heaters can provide from 3 to 8 gallons per minute of shower temperature water depending on the model selected and climate (incoming water temperature). This is enough to meet the needs of most families. There are some gas tankless heaters on the market that are capable of larger demands in the case that unusually high flows are required.

Homeowner Preference:

For safety reasons, some homeowners do not feel comfortable using natural gas or propane to power any of their household needs. In such instances, an electric tankless water heater is a better choice for piece of mind. Other homeowners may have preferences for one type for other reasons, including the availability of energy (electricity or gas) in the event of a major regional emergency such as a natural disaster. Still other users, may prefer one type over another for environmental reasons. Electric tankless water heaters are extremely energy efficient, with more than 98% of energy supplied to the units actually be used to heat the water. On the other hand, gas tankless water heaters generally have an energy factor of less than 85%. Gas water heaters of all types also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

In conclusion, each homeowner should evaluate his or her own needs against the “pros” and “cons” of each alternative. Since we used to sell both tankless gas and tankless electric heaters, we have had the opportunity to help many customers evaluate the various options available to them, and the expected payback on their investment in a tankless water heater. Due to the high initial cost of a gas system (including installation), their inherent complexity and maintenance requirements, and shorter service lives and warranties, we found that tankless electric water heaters were by far the most economical choice for most of our customers. © 2001-2009 E-Tankless Water Heaters Corp. Courtesy of http://www.e-tankless.com/