Overwintering Goldfish

TOTAL INVESTMENT:    $30 (every couple of years)
TIME:                                 2 hours
DIFFICULTY                     Easy
NET RESULT                     Fish survive the winter

I happened upon this blog subject by chance.  I'm a fish kind of guy, but I've always had "inside" fish.  Not "outside" fish.  I've got experience with outside dogs and cats, but never goldfish or koi.  When I met my wife, she had a giant fish pond in her back yard, and I had a giant fishtank in my house (well, maybe 2 or 3).  We sold our homes and bought a new house.  Long story short, we now have a pond in the front and back yards, and now I take care of them in the winter.  I'll leave out the part where a giant frog ate $50 worth of Koi in the front yard, a Blue Heron enjoyed a $50 dinner in the back yard, and also the part where the pump did a rather effective job of distributing 100 gallons of water into our back yard (make sure your pump sits at least 8 inches above the bottom of the pond).  Those are all good stories, but you're probably here to see how our fish survive the winter.  Can they really do that?  They sure can.  Read on.



Net

The typical year in Kentucky has about 6 weeks of bitter cold weather, but goldfish and Koi are pretty tough.  The process usually starts around Thanksgiving.  First, you need to stop feeding them.  Cold blooded dudes can't process food under about 60 degrees.  If you feed them, they can die.  Seriously.  Don't worry, their systems really slow down in the cold weather, and they do just fine.  You also want to stop all your waterfalls and empty any filters that don't sit in the water.  I take the extra step of blowing water out of the hoses with my air compressor.  I also install a net over the pond and secure the net with heavy rocks.  Remember the Blue Heron?  He doesn't like the net. 

The next part is actually runs contrary to everything you'll find on Google if you search "overwintering goldfish".  I use air pumps to oxygenate the water.  I get the cheapest units I can find with 2 outlets at Walmart (about $10) and air stones from the same place (about $5 for a pair).  They die about every 2 years, but they work great.  Think the bubbles put O2 in the water?  Nope.  The bubbles agitate the surface, and oxygen is naturally absorbed into the water.  Your fish will die if the surface of the water sits still or freezes.  Well, with one exception.  If you have a big pond that is over 3 feet deep, it can freeze for a while, and the fish will survive.  Now for the Mythbusters part.  Everything I've read on the net says that condensation will form in the tubes from the pump to the air stone.  The condensation is supposed to freeze and stop the pump.  In my experience of 6 straight weeks of sub 20 degree weather (and 8 seasons of taking care of these guys), this has never happened.  Do the air bubbles really keep the water from freezing?  Not all the time.  What in the heck do you do?  I've got a trick.  Keep reading.

 

Air Stone

Air Pump

I've read about people installing heaters to keep ice from freezing over the pond.  Maybe you need something like that if you live on the north pole, but electricity is pretty expensive to run these things.  The main goal is to keep the pond from freezing over solid.  The fish don't need to stay warm.  They're designed to survive the cold.  A little hole in the ice will let plenty of oxygen into the water.  In most cases, you don't need a heater.  You just need a big rock.  The bubbles actually do a pretty good job of foiling mother nature's plans of freezing your pond over.  When the pond does freeze over, just break up the ice with a rock or hammer.  You'll need to take out the ice chunks and throw them in the yard.  The pond freezes quicker if you leave the ice chunks in the water.  If you throw a lot of ice into the yard, fill the pond back up with a 5 gallon bucket of tap water treated with a dechlorinator like Amquel. 

Do I really need to check my pond every day?  Definately.  I've been known spend a week in Belize during the winter, and I always assign a designee to break ice for me.  Getting somebody back home to break ice in return for a wooden bowl or t-shirt from Belize is much cheaper than replacing $100 worth of dead fish.  I know they're only fish, but I'm a little attached to them.  GFCI outlets have also been known to trip, so you need to regulary check your ponds even when the weather is above freezing.


The configuration of my front pond allows me to simply unhook the waterfall and continue to run the water pump and biological filter all winter.  They get special treatment, because I also hook up the pump and air stones just like the pond in the back yard.  In the front, I have a flat rock installed for the fish to hide under, so I don't put up a net.  The herons haven't figured this one out yet.



Pond in front yard

To summarize: 

• No waterfalls (they freeze easily and all your water pumps out into the yard)
• Cheap air pumps and air stones to agitate the water surface
• Keep out the birds (net or hiding place in the water)
• Check your pond every day and keep the ice broken

I haven't lost one fish using this method.  No bourbon needed in this story?  Nope, just a couple to write it. 

 

Interested in how we built a pond waterfall?  Click here.

Click here to read about how I keep all the landscape lighting working.

Read this article to find out about taking care of indoor fish.



Landscape Lighting Tune Up

Pond in Back Yard

You've got to be kidding me.  Wasn't I just bragging on Facebook the other day that all my landscape lighting were working?  I'll never do that again.  I stepped out the back door one night last month, and I'm staring at ONE light that is working.  Yes I said one.  It's supposed to be the other way around.  If I were a professional photographer, I'd take a picture so you could laugh too.  No bad language this time, I just started laughing.

Tools:  Channel locks, voltage meter, screwdrivers, electrical tape.

Time:   3 hours (I'm embarassed, but truthful)

Investment:  About $40

Results: All the lights work now

I picked up the tools and headed with my son to the back yard.  He was going to help out, but the wheelbarrow had water in it, cups, and a bunch of squirt guns.  The lure of money wasn't going to be enough for him, so I settled for conversation instead. 

Let's face it.  Landscaping lights get rained on, frozen, kicked, and otherwise mistreated.  They need a tune-up every couple of years.  Let's take a look at the basic issues.

POWER SUPPLY

First thing I did in the back yard was put the voltmeter on the power supply outputs.  Most models I've worked on are 12 volt AC.  You'll need to either put the power supply in test mode to get the lights on, click the timer around so they think it's night time, or put a small piece of electrical tape over the sensor.  My power supply was fine, so I continued to the next step.  An earlier tune-up on my mom's lights this year turned up a bad power supply.  I'm also pretty sure that the outdoor outlet isn't GFCI, so we're calling in a pro before we blow up another one.

BULBS

By far the easiest part to troubleshoot.  Pull the top off the light and give it a wiggle.  Sometimes a wiggle is all you need, and the light comes back on.  Today, I had my new bifocals on, and I could actually see that 5 of the bulbs were burned out.  Weird.  I guess they just decided to all go at the same time.  A trip back to the garage turns up 2 spare bulbs.  My wife is close to Lowe's, so I call in a lifeline for some spare parts.

POWER CONNECTOR

Connector

This is the pain-in-the-butt part of landscape lighting.  You would think that after millions of years of evolution, we'd come up something more high tech.  Not so.  Dirt, water, and roots get in these suckers, and you just need to pop them off and put them back on.  Put some electrical tape around the cord in the old spot.

 


Not a good reading

To test this part, put the voltmeter leads in the light socket.  Anything less than 12 volts means you need to undo the connector and try again.  Most of the lights that were not working read 3.5 volts, which was odd.  The one in the picture was a bit less.

One spotlight in the back yard was beyond my skills to repair.  I got 12 volts all the way up to the wiring before the socket.  I could probably fix it in 2 hours with a soldering iron, but I went to Lowe's and bought one instead for $18 (smart move).

The toughest part of the day was in the front yard.  I broke the connector on the one light that wasn't working.  Darn roots.  The lifeline to my wife also included a new connector.  I'm wishing I'd gone the "new light" route on this one, too.  Replacement connectors stink.  I had to splice in heaver gauge wires to the light to make it work, and the whole process took way to long.  Just get a new light if you break one these guys. 

"How's it going Daddy?"

Well, my hands are half frozen, but all the lights are working but one.  How is your project?

"Great, I have lots of extra ammo."

I look over and see that my son has 5 cups on the table full of water and 3 fully loaded squirt guns.  We ended the day with a little target practice.

Click here to read about how we overwinter the goldfish in the pond.
Interested in how we built the waterfall?  Click here.

How I paid for a privacy fence twice



"Hey Big B.  Celebration bourbon?"
Nope, crying in my bourbon tonight.
"Really?"
Yep, I'm living out a bad country song.
"What happened?"
I kissed $900 goodbye today.
"Gambling?"
Worse. I didn't even have fun doing it.



We had the pefect situation.  In late 2010, the neighbor found a fencing contractor (Shane), and all the neighbors were going to kick in on a new privacy fence.  Special winter rate, new fence, great times.  Shane even showed up to tear down part of the neighbor's fence and set the 4x4 posts.  Shane returned phone calls, promised to get to us right away, and sent nice text messages.  I believed him for about 5 months. 

Today is Feburary 7, 2012, and I spent the morning in court.  I filed a criminal complaint against Shane, and he didn't even show up today for the hearing.  Mine was one of two cases against him today.  Now there's a warrant for his arrest.  It's doubtful that I'll get the $900 back, and I didn't even get to see him go to jail today.  He currently has 6 pending criminal cases and 2 civil cases.  Did I tell you I've already won a civil trial?  That don't mean squat unless you have a reputation to protect or assets to get.  Yes, it's tough to catch a petty thief in today's legal system.  I'm not going to fill you in on the gorey details of what I've done to try to get this guy to justice, or get up on a soap box about being wronged by society.  If you want more of the story, email me here.  Did I tell you it's fairly easy to avoid people like Shane?  Let me tell you how.

1. Ask for references and talk to them.  I know this is time consuming, but well worth the time.  We skipped it.  Heck, most people just click a web site or pick an ad out of the Yellow Pages.  Thieves and poor craftsmen can build nice web sites and buy big advertisements.  You'll have a much better chance of getting what you expect if you take this step.
2. Research, research, research.  Google the contractors name as well as the name of the business.  Look for any red flags.  Don't hire a person if you have the slightest doubt about their honesty.  There's enough contractors in your region to kick out a dozen (or two) to get one good one.
3. Don't use the Better Business Bureau to find a contractor.  They don't make reports public that include lawsuits.  Basically, a Shane could do 10 good jobs to get an "A" rating, and then have 100 court cases against him.  Shane gets an "A", and you get screwed. 
4. If you pay a deposit, use a credit card.  You can always contest a charge on a credit card.  Case Study #1:  One time, my wife and I were dancing at a place downtown who was hosting an awesome latin band.  I started a tab on my credit card.  A few bourbons later in the evening, we went home in a cab, and the credit card stayed.  I got it back the next day, but encountered many suspicious charges on my bill after the event.  I called the credit card company, then called each business on the bill, threatened to contest the charges, and every one reversed the charges.  I was out some time, but no money.
5. If they don't take credit cards, pay no more than 10% down.  If they want more for a down payment, see the tip below.
6. For any down payment, specify in the contract that the payment is for materials.  If they fail to produce the materials and fail to refund the money, the act is criminal (THEFT BY FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED DISPOSITION).  Like I said earlier, legal means is great if they either have assets you can get or a reputation to protect.  Shane has neither.
7. Use Angie's List!  This is the best site out there to find reviews on contractors.  I gladly paid the $12 to sign up for a year of the service just to give Shane an "F".  Since I've been a member, I've used the service to find 2 contractors.  Don't pick one if they have one review that sets off an alarm in your brain.  Take your time, and pick a good one with all "A's" or maybe allow one "B" if the reviewer was a little over the top.  Angie's list is good, but the next tip is better.
8. Use a contractor that a friend, coworker, or family member has used and really liked.  Make a post on Facebook that you're looking for a contractor, and see what your friends post back.  I found a great plumber from the guys at work and the very best window guy in the world from a Facebook post.
9. Make any contract timebound.  For example, a fence shouldn't take longer than 60 days to install (even with bad weather), so write in the contract that a full refund is expected if the work is not performed in the agreed on time.  If they will not agree on a timeline, do not hire them.
10. If you get a high pressure sales tactic where a price is only good while they are in your home, kick them out of your house.  I've done it before and will do it again.  A significant investment is worth thinking about.  If they can offer the price today, they can offer the price next week.  If they won't leave or get combative, call the police.
11. Document everything.  Write down check numbers, dates, timelines, phone calls, web searches.  I have a one inch thick folder on Shane.
12. Raise concerns early.  If the contractor does a bad job or doesn't show up, call them immediately and try to work out any issues.  If you don't think they will do the work, and they keep your money, call a lawyer for help.
13. Ensure that your contractor is licensed and properly insured.  Licenses can be checked at your local government office.  In my county, this is the Office of Building Inspection.  A good contractor will also add you to their insurance policy before performing work.

I can tell you I've spent a lot of time feeling dumb about this.  (Many of my friends might say that's normal, but don't believe them.)  The upside is that my dealings since Shane have worked out very well.  I use the tools I list here on every deal.  The contractors have a tougher time with me, but the really good ones are up to the task.

I've got to admit that I did have fun with one part of this ordeal.  Did I figure out how to get Shane?  Maybe, maybe not, but I did throw him a zinger.  I didn't even think of the plan, one of my Facebook buddies did.  I'm not the greatest inventor, but I've not seen many who can beat me on implementation.

First, I Googled Shane's business name and told my story on every web site that would let me review him.  It cost me 3 bourbons and about 2 hours sitting on the laptop on Bunco night.  Yes, my crappy rating of his business covers at least 90% of the hits his business gets on Google.  Next, I bought the internet domain for his first and last name.  Yes, I own hisname.com and built a web site on it.  Cost about $20 on Godaddy, which even included search engine analytics.  I used a free service called Weebly to stand up the site.  The site gives a blow-by-blow of my time with Shane (facts only) with links to my court documents, crappy reviews, contractor tips, and how to file a criminal complaint against him.  With a litle tweaking, my site is #1 on Google when you search his name and on the second page when you Google his business.  People who follow tip #2 won't hire him anymore, and people who have been wronged by him have instructions on how to add fuel to the fire.

Please don't make the same mistake I did.  My research has led me to people who are out tens of thousands of dollars.  In the grand scheme of things, I lost chump change.  You don't have to lose any.

Read this article to see how I put these tips to use when we bought new windows for the house.

Troubleshooting Low Power Outdoor Lights

TOTAL INVESTMENT:    $200
TIME:                                 3 hours
DIFFICULTY                     Easy
NET RESULT                     Bulbs do not burn out, Automatic on/off lighting

No posts for a while?  I know.  I was getting a little upset that my blog never ended up on a Google search.  I've spent the last couple of weeks researching something called SEO (Search Engine Optimization).  Like I've said in an earlier post, I'm an IT guy by trade, and I should be able to figure this out.  After plodding through everything you need to know on the topic, I'll let you know that SEO ain't easy to pull off.  I'm found on Google now, and I guess that Bing will get to me when it gets it me.  The guys in Redmond just aren't in the same league as Google yet.  I'm probably going to rename my blog to something without the word "amateur" in it, too.  If you search "Amateur Home Guru", I'm in the pack with a bunch of naughty sites instead of "home ideas" sites.  If you've got a suggestion for a new blog name or want to know more about SEO, please email me.  Well, on to the project.

I was sitting pretty with all my home mods saving tons of money.  Life was good.....  until the CFL bulbs started blowing up.  I just started replacing them at about $3 a pop and put the old ones in a box.  My savings on the electricity bill were slowly being eaten away by light bulbs.  This went on for about 2 years.  After I moved the bad bulbs into a big box, I hopped on the computer with a Maker's and Coke and did some quick searching.  I cracked a smile when I found sites proclaiming that LED LIGHTS LAST FOREVER!!!!



LED bulb in my outdoor lighting

The next day, I took a trip to Lowe's and picked up a couple of 40 watt equivalent LED bulbs.  Man these things are expensive (about $25 each).  I popped them into the light fixtures and life was good again....  for a while.  After about 6 months, my LED died.  What??????  I hopped on the computer again with a tall Maker's this time.  This was taking a while, so I went up for a refill.

I found out that low power bulbs really don't like fancy outdoor lights.  My lights dimmed the bulb most of the time to save power.  When someone walks by, they brighten up.  They're also supposed to be smart about when the sun comes up and down, too.  The incandescent bulbs actually did turn off during the day.  That never did work right with the low power bulbs, even though I tried all the settings.  They just stayed on all the time with the CFL's or LED's, daylight or dark.  It wasn't so bad, because I just used the light switch to turn them off and on.  People on the net said that these lights need a little power to run the sensor.  You guessed it, that little bit of power is enough to light up a CFL/LED, but an incandescent in the same fixture won't burn with the same amount of power.  It's also pretty much a consensus on blogs and message boards that CFL's and LED's don't like to be dimmed.  Even if the box says that "dimmable", they won't last as long if you dim them.  One more thing about these cranky bulbs is that they don't like to get hot.  See the enclosure for the bulb in the picture above?  LED bulbs will roast in there.  The silver part you see on the bulb is a giant heatsink.  The cooler they are, the longer they last.

So to sum this up:

1. No dimming
2. No daylight sensor
3. No full enclosures around the bulb (stay cool)
4. I need new light fixtures (crap)
5. No driving to Lowe's tonight, because I drank that refill

The story continues as I'm walking down the lighting aisle at Lowe's.  I can honestly say that aisle is a bit overwhelming.  I'm basically looking for a dumb light with a little class that's open on the bottom.  Lucky for me, the cheapest lights at the store fulfill all my requirements ($18 each).  I packed 4 of these guys in my shopping cart, and I picked up 2 more LED bulbs.



Front Port Light Fixture

I'm pretty saavy at electrical stuff, so I get to work.  I'm replacing the lights fixtures outside the garage and on the front porch. 

Tools:  Screwdrivers (1 flat, 1 phillips), electrical tape, needle nose pliers, wire nuts
Efffort: 2 hours

I finished the job in record time and even scraped out the spiders and dirt dobber nests.  I was feeling good about this job until I turned on the porch lights.  It was at that moment that the left light started flickering.



Front Porch Light Switch

NO!!!!!  I've done all this research, and there's no way that I did this job wrong.  After a few choice words, I decided it has to be the lightswitch.  Luckily, I have a spare in the garage.  I pick up the same tools and move inside.  While unscrewing the lightswitch, I seem to remember that this problem has showed up before.  I pulled the wires off the switch, and I saw a tiny piece of copper wire drop to the floor.  I think I've got a broken wire.  This one was pretty easy to fix.  I stripped the broken wire and reassembled the old switch.  Problem solved....   time for a bourbon.

NOW FOR THE FUN PART - AUTOMATIC ON/OFF

I'm getting a little tired of turning the outdoor lights on at night and back off in the morning.  Sometimes I forget, other times my hands are full as I'm walking out in the morning, and I'm always asking myself if I should leave the lights on when we leave the house for a few days.  I've got a bit of laziness combined with concern for home security.  I want an automatic switch.  

I head out to Lowe's, but they don't even have one.  I'll just save you the trip if you're looking at doing the same project.  I checked on Amazon.com, and this time I'm being very careful before the purchase.  The reviews on Amazon are very useful, and I read all of them before this purchase.  I decided on the "Aube by Honeywell TI033/U 7-Day Programmable Timer Switch", because it will handle low power lighting.  Some don't.  I clicked the buttons on Amazon and even ordered a white switch cover (the unit only comes in white).

This job should have taken about 15 minutes for a man with my skills, but I got stumped right out of the gate.  The timer switch has a bunch more wires than it should, and none of the colors are working for me.  What in the heck is a "line" or "load" wire???  Where is the neutral wire in the wall??? I didn't think light switches had a neutral wire!  I needed a little more Googling, a little guess work, and my voltage meter.  If you don't have a meter, you should go out and get one.  They're very helpful when working on just about any electrical job. 

Here's what I found out:

• LINE (black) = power wire that feeds the switch, all the wires in the wall were black
• LOAD (blue) = power wire from switch to light
• NEUTRAL (white) = all the neutral wires in the wall were crimped together with a ring

I used the voltmeter to find line and load, and then I tested what I thought was neutral (I guessed right).  I had to break the piece that held the neutral wires together to add the new wire from the switch.  I used a pair of needle nose pliers and a new metal ring to crimp them all back together.  NOTE: Please, please, please, turn off the power at the breaker when you're messing around with electricity.  I've been zapped by 110 and 220, and both times I should have turned the power off.  When you're at the breaker panel, take a pencil.  Mine didn't have much written in it when we moved in.  Now, I have meaningful labels.  



New Switch

Buttons to Program to Switch

Whatever you do, don't throw away the manual to the lightswitch.  I wasn't able to figure out how to program the thing, and I rarely have to read manuals.  If you're like me, you'll need readers to see the labels on the little buttons.  There's a neat setting to make all the days the same, or you can program different settings for every day.  You also have to "activate" the timer.  I messed that one up on the first try, too.  So, an hour into my 15 minute job, I was done.  Maybe someday I'll even change the beige switch to white (or paint it).

The net effect of all this work is greater longevity for my outdoor light bulbs.  Not one blowup since the upgrade.  I'm also happy every day when I see the lights pop on and off all by themselves.

Interested in more money saving tips for you home?  Click here.

Energy Saving Tips - Lower Electricity Bills By 30 Percent

TOTAL INVESTMENT:    about $50
TIME:                                 minutes per item
DIFFICULTY:                    Easy
NET RESULT:                    Electricity budget dropped from $158 to $121

DRIVER:                             4 bills went up the same month, we had to do something

No joke. We have cut our electricity usage by 30%, and they were all easy to pull off.  I'm not going to measure time for this job, because each item took literally minutes to perform.  Many of the items require new habits to your lifestyle, but none of the ideas require a hardship.  The mods were done over a period of several months, and I measured the change in power consumption against the same month in the previous year.  I was lucky, because weather was very similar for the years I measured. 

1. Turn off the light!  The picture to the left is our kitchen light fixture.  It's modern, stylish, and doesn't emit the eerie glow of a fluorescent bulb (that was there before).  We loved it.....  and left it on all the time.  I'm not joking.  We would watch movies on Friday night in the basement and just leave the light on for hours.  The bulbs cost $3 each in a multipack, and they blew about every 6 months.  A little cocktail napkin math put the power rating at 200 watts.  My wife and I both had good jobs, so we just paid for it.  With the advent of our first child, my wife left her job, and the new little guy was one of the drivers for our bills going up.  Let's just say we were motivated.  We started making a game out of turning lights off.  At dinner, we turn this light off even today.  I've only replaced one of these expensive bulbs since we've been diligent about turning it off.  Basement lights are off when we're not down there.  We use as few lights as possible, but are far from living in the dark.  Don't we still leave some lights on all the time?  You bet.  What did we do?  Check out the next tip.

2.  The dreaded CFL bulb.  I hate these things.  Did you see my comment about the eerie light in tip #1?  I can't stand to sit under, read, or shave with these lights.  Please don't put them throughout your house.  Put them where it matters.  Install them in lights you leave on all the time.  Where are they in my house?  Keep reading.

My wife wants our outdoor lights left on all night, and I respect her wishes.  I swapped out the 60 watt bulbs for 14 watt CFL's.  I can tolerate the CFL bulbs outside, because my neighbors have to look at them a lot more the I do.  I wonder how much power we would save as a country if everyone put these in their outdoor lights. NOTE: Be careful not to throw these in the trash. They must be recycled properly, and many Lowe's stores will take your old ones.  I started having issues with the CFL bulbs dying all the time, so click here to see what I did to fix it. 

Our laundry room light is the anchor light in the house.  We leave it on, so we can see when we get back home.  I don't spend much time in here, so the CFL's are perfect!!!  We also installed CFL's in the basement flood lights and in the stairwell going down to the basement. 

I'm going to cheat a little bit for one of the light bulbs we replaced.  The cost for this one is not included in the $50 that is listed above.  We never, ever turn off the light over the kitchen sink.  Did I say the bulb was 100 watts?  I tried a CFL, but it didn't fly.  I even bought one of the cool ones that look like a real light bulb.  It sucked.  Enter the LED light.  I'm not even going to tell you how much we spent.  It was ridiculous, but the light looks good.  If you want to know, go to Lowe's and price an LED flood that is 75 watt equivalent.  I replaced this bulb long after all the other mods in this post, and I can honestly say that replacing one bulb in your house doesn't make a hill of beans difference in your power bill.  I couldn't see any noticable difference swapping a 100 watt bulb for an LED that uses 14 watts.  I was disappointed, but get a ton of satisfaction by feeling "greener" with this bulb in my house.  LED's are also supposed to last like 20 years, so maybe I won't have to replace it for a while.  It was expensive enough that I'm going to take this light bulb with me if I ever move. 

3.  Downsize your incandescent bulbs.  When I was replacing a dead bulb in this light fixture, I swapped 60's out for 40's.  I also downsized a light in the dining room from 75's to 60's and don't really notice a difference.

 4.  Turn your computer off when you're not using it.  It uses more power than you think.  My computer has a 500 watt power supply, quad core processor, and 1066 Mhz memory.  What in the heck does that mean?  The lights don't exactly dim when I turn it on, but it uses a lot of power.  If you don't want to deal with a lengthy bootup, email me for tips on getting your PC to start faster.  I'm an IT guy by trade and did my homework after about a month of booting my PC every day.  If you still don't like this idea, just turn off the sucker at night.  It's not as bad as you think.

5.  Put your refrigerators on the middle setting.  We have parties in the basement frequently, and people want cold beer.  At every party, some joker turns my refrigerator to the coldest setting.  Kids also like turning dials around the house if you don't watch them closely.  I check this setting every once in a while.  See the Mexican cokes on the left?  That give me a good reason to check the setting.

6.  Landscape lighting.  I downsized all my bulbs to 4 watts from 8.  Most of my lights were burned out anyway when I was doing this, so I just replaced them all.  I run the front lights until 4 hours after dark.  The rear lights run from 8 until midnight. 

7.  Aquariums.  Remember that we recently had a little buddy?  I quickly realized that maintaining two 125 gallon aquariums was a little too much with the new addition.  I sold one of them on Craigslist, so I ended up saving power on the lighting and filtration.  On the tank I kept, I installed a timer on the lights.  Instead of turning off the lights when I go to bed and turning them on when I get up, they get a consistent 8AM on and 9PM off.  The fish like this, because they get to sleep longer.

8.  Use the timers on thermostats to lower temperature while we sleep. We have gas heat, so the impact isn't very high on electric.  The temp lowers 3 degrees when we sleep and goes back up 30 minutes before my alarm clock goes off.  Yes, we keep the winter temp at 73 degrees during the day.  My wife and I freeze to death in the winter.  When I retire, we're going to live on the equator.

9.  Use LED's for night lights.  2 and 4 year olds are scared of the dark.  You also need a night light in the bathroom for little people who need to pee at night.  I've also got two of these downstairs for our 22 pound cat Squirty.  One by the litter box and the other in the bathroom with his water dish.  Think I'm crazy about the cat?  If you cleaned up cat poop from a night time episode, you'd be buying night lights, too.  The 25 watt night lights and kitty lights were replaced with 0.3 watt LED's.  Sub $2 at Wal-mart.

STOPPING HERE GOT US 25%, AND IT WAS EASY.  IF YOU WANT MORE, READ ON.

I read in the utility bill that TV's and other equipment use 20-30% of their normal power consumption from just being plugged in. That means that if my 55" Mitsubishi is turned off, it's using enough power to run about 5 hours.

10.  Cut power to TV sets.  I initially put timers on my TV in the basement and also on the computer.  The timers would shut off power at night, so I didn't need to remember to turn them off.  Life was good for a while.  Two incidents changed my philosophy.  I was staying up late to work on a project on the computer and <poof> the power went off.  I was staring at a blank monitor.  After a little explicit language, the timer removed from the setup.  I decided to just "remember" to turn off the computer.  Next, I tried using a power strip to cut power the other components (printer, router, speakers, etc), but sometimes my wife uses the laptop and stays up later than me.  After getting the second question, "Did you turn off the computer stuff again?", I gave up and decided to leave the components on all the time. 

The same thing happened during a weekend movie on the TV.  We got to an exciting part and <poof> we were staring at a blank TV.  More explicit words, and the timer was replace with a $2 power strip from Wal-mart.  I also put power strips on the two other TV's in the house.  I've got a nighttime ritual to turn off the power strips on the TV's before going to bed. 

Power strips on TV's

11.  Timer on the basement oil heater (from the previous blog entry).  The heater comes on at 2PM and runs until 10PM weekdays and 8AM - 11PM on weekends.  No bad language if this goes off too soon.  We just get cold.  Before the timer, I had to remember to turn down the heater, and I never did.

12.  Use the timer on your digital photo frame.  Our new HP digital photo frame has a feature to shut down the unit on a schedule.  It's programmed to come on at 7:30AM and run until 9:30PM.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, 10-12 SAVED ANOTHER 5%.

Seriously, we spent about $50 to make all this happen. The power company noticed pretty quick. Our monthly budget went from $158 to $121. We profited after two months. If you've got more ideas, just post a comment.

Before I sign off, I've got one more tip.  When you go on trips, you can shut stuff down for longer.  We unplug the baby wipey warmers, baby monitor, unplug the basement heater, and hit the "HOLD TEMP" button on the thermostat on a lower setting before we leave.  Takes about 5 minutes before we leave and 5 minutes when we get back.

Good luck, and let me know the savings you get.

You may also enjoy this article on how to save money by installing attic insulation.
Click here to see if installing replacement windows really saves money.
Want to lower your phone bill to $25 a year?  Read this article.
 

HELP! My upstairs air conditioner runs all the time!!!

TOTAL INVESTMENT:    $115
TIME:                                 4.5 hours
DIFFICULTY                     Easy
NET RESULT                     AC runs nominally now, consistent temperature in all upstairs rooms
                                           Big cost reduction during hot summer months

I was going nuts.  During hot months, the upstairs AC ran all day long.  Air temp wasn't consistent in the rooms.  The hallway was hot and rooms were freezing cold.  I compensated by upping the thermostat.  82 on the thermostat translated to 70-74 in the bedrooms depending on the day.  When it cooled off outside, it got hot upstairs, like 78 degrees.  I was pulling my hair out, and I don't have that much to begin with. 



Entryway window

Last summer, we were painting the entry way inside the house.  The contractor had a giant ladder.  I started to get a foggy recollection of a conversation I had with one of my friends at our last Halloween party.  Note: several margaritas were involved in that evening and evidently caused the fogginess.  Anyway, his friend had the same floorplan as our house, and the guy tinted the huge window in the entryway (left).  Hmmmmm.  We decided to tint the window as well as the storm door and two small glass windows beside the door (below).  Did I say that our front door and entryway window both face to the west?  That makes for some serious heat coming in at the end of the day.  I'm pretty sure if you nailed a steak to our front door on a hot summer day, it would be well done at dinner time.

My wife actually did the window tinting, which took about 2 hours and $25 of materials.  I may not have the numbers exactly right, because my wife was the project manager for this project.  We have a deal.  After we agree what to do, I don't interfere with her projects unless she needs me to carry heavy rocks or hold something.  I get the same respect from her.  One person wears the pants, the other is the cheap labor.  We switch up the project manager job, and the arrangement works quite well.  Needless to say, I don't have a tool list and don't have a clue how she did it.  I did monitor the financial results though.  Last year, our electricity bill went down $50 during the 3 hottest months of the summer. 

Think that fixed the temperature upstairs?  Not exactly, but it got a little better.  The AC ran a little less, but the thermostat still read a different temperature than the rooms.  I figured that would be easy to fix, because it was obvious that the thermostat was broken.  A trip to Lowe's got me a new Hunter thermostat for $50.  I installed the new one that evening in about 30 minutes with only a phillips #2 screwdriver, no choice words, but did have a celebration bourbon and coke.  My problem was fixed..........  well until it got hot the next day.  The next day the thermostat was wrong again.  My perfect plan was foiled, and I was stumped. 

I needed to ponder on this one.  Out came my tools:

• 750ml Makers Mark, crystal cup (not working this time), ice, Mexican Coke
• Recliner
• Home survey

On page 4, I read the following, "UNINSULATED CHASE IN ATTIC BESIDE TRAP DOOR ACCESS.  I RECOMMEND INSULATING OVER TOP OF THE CHASE".  Ironically, I'd just bought a $40 roll of insulation to fix another problem in my basement and had about $39 of the insulation left over.

Here's what I saw when I climbed into the attic.  By golly, I can see all the way down to my basement from here.  I'm also thinking that the insulation in the "top view" pic may have protected this location at one point in the past.

Chase - side view

Chase - top view

After feeling like a total moron for about 5 minutes, I got to work.  On the "top view" picture you can see the thermostat wiring that goes into a giant hole leading to the thermostat (right hand side).  YES!!!!  Attic air was butting up to the back of the thermostat.  No wonder it was reading the wrong temp. 

Materials:  Insulation (already bought from a previous job)

Tools:  stapler, flashlight, ladder, phillips screwdriver, razor knife, gloves, eye protection, mask

Time:   2 hours

Steps:

1. Remove thermostat
2. Cut insulation and shove enough to fill up the hole
3. Install thermostat
4. Cut insulation in sections to fit over chase
5. Staple in place
6. While I was up there, I also insulated the trap door
7. I still had insulation left, so I also insulated the dormer doors in the upstairs bedrooms (2 doors)

Insulated Attic Chase

Insulated attic door

Dormer door - insulated

I decided to take a gamble with the staples.  They're holding well so far, but I have doubts that they will hold the insulation in place for more than 5-10 years.  I also pondered putting weather stipping on the dormer doors.  That would probably help seal the door, but I didn't do it on this job.  Maybe later, when I get bored. 

The net effect of this part of the job was a 10% further reduction in power usage (about $15 per month) and consistent temperature throughout the upstairs.  When I say consistent, I mean within 2 degrees.  The insulated dormer doors help keep the bedrooms at a more even temperature, and the insulated trapdoor helps out, too.  My upstairs AC isn't running constantly, and I'm saving anywhere from $15-$65 every month.

This mod made a huge difference in our monthly budget as well as comfort.  At this point, I decided to go back to the pondering step above and read the entire home survey.  At my next house, I'll be fixing EVERYTHING before moving in.  Oh, and my advise on this one is to check the insulation in your house and fix what you find.  It's cheap and easy.

Before I let you go, I've got a few more important HVAC tips:

1. If you have an open floorplan like me (loft or 1 1/2 story), you should keep all thermostats on the same temperature.  In this situation, it's not any cheaper to run your upstairs on a lower setting.  All you will do is create an area of cold air on your lower floor.  You'll be much warmer with them set the same.
2. Change your filters every 3 months.  I change mine if the month is divisible by 3.  A clogged filter will provide less airflow for heat, run the furnace harder, and run up your bills. 
3. If you have gas heat, use programmable thermostats in the winter.  I drop mine 3 degrees at night and warm it back up 30 minutes prior to my alarm clock going off.  I don't change the thermostat in the summer time.  When it's 95 degrees outside, my units are working hard anyway.  I have a feeling that if I run up the temperature, it probably wouldn't ever come back down.

If you're interested in more money saving tips for your home click here.

Click here to read about another HVAC project that warmed up my basement significantly.

Basement HVAC Cold Air Return Installation

TOTAL INVESTMENT:    $50
TIME:                                 2 hours
DIFFICULTY                     Easy
NET RESULT                     +6 degrees to basement temp (average)

Well.  Here it goes.  My first blog post on the house.  Let me say that the HVAC setup on a Ball home isn't the best.  The house has an upstairs, main level, and a basement.  The upstairs system has one return (right under the furnace), which makes it pretty loud.  If you shut the bedroom doors, the system doesn't breathe at all.  If I get a pile of money or get very brave, the upstairs may get a post in the blog.  This post is about the basement system, which heats/cools the main level and basement.  We had the home surveyed by a professional before we moved in.  Fixed the critical stuff, but left some items for later.  Much later in my case.  We've lived here for 6.5 years (longest house I've had so far), so I finally decided that the basement was waaaay too cold.  I'm talking we were in sleeping bags to watch a movie. I think one time I could actually see my breath. 

I broke out the home survey which read, "NO RETURN FOUND BEING DRAWN FROM BASEMENT - MAY LEAD TO COOLER CONDITIONS DOWN THERE".  That wasn't much to go on, so we had a couple of companies come out to do a quote.  I never got the pricetag on either one after repeated calls, and I think I figured out why.  It's easy. 

After an hour surfing on YouTube and 2 trips to Lowe's, I had the parts for the job:

• Vent cover, Boot, 6" Metal duct, Elbow

Next, I needed some tools:

• Skill Saw, Razor knife, Duct tape, Sharpie, Drill, Tin Snips

Next, I needed some courage:

• 750ml Makers Mark, Ice, Plastic cup, Mexican Coke (for after the drill, saw, tin snips, and razor knife)

The steps were simple.

1. Turn off furnace.
2. Find a good place in the basement wall to install the intake vent.  Cut a hole in your drywall for the vent boot very close to the floor.  The cold air hangs out by the floor, so the closer the better.  I drew lines for the cutout on the drywall and drilled starter holes for the Skill saw.  This step makes a drywall mess.
3. Find a good place to cut a hole in the return air duct.  Make sure you cut the hole BEFORE the filter, so you get filtered air going through the furnace.  Trace the elbow with a sharpie and cut out.  I was able to cut mine easily with a razor knife.
4. Install the elbow in the return air duct.  Install the boot in the wall.  Measure the distance to run the metal duct between the elbow and the boot.  Say a few choice words.  Measure again.  Pray.  Cut the metal duct with tin snips a little longer that what you think.  Test fit.  More choice words.  Cut again to the right size.  Assemble the metal duct and try to slide into elbow and boot.  More words. 
5. Bourbon break.  Hey, the sharp items and power tools are put away!
6. Wiggle, push, more choice words, wiggle, and finally it's together in one piece.  Tape up good with duct tape, so it doesn't leak. 
7. Install vent cover.
8. Turn funace back on.  Test airflow by putting a piece of paper over the grill to make sure it's sucking in air.

PICS!!!






Grill Pic.  Mine has a switch to control airlfow. 
Note the proximity to the floor.





I was pretty lucky.  The return air duct was fairly close to the wall.  The metal duct was only about 12" long, but it was pretty tight on the right hand side.  If I were doing this again, I would cut out about an inch of the stud and move the boot over to the right.








Entire furnace.  Note that I've got duct tape sealing the filter
in place.  Every  home I've bought needed tape.  Without the tape, the system does not breathe properly, and unfiltered air is going through the furnace.

My last mod to the basement, the electric heater. 
Note the timer, so the heater only runs when we need it.

I really couldn't believe the results.  Last year, the basement was 58-62 degrees with the heater running.  This year, I've seen 64-70 degrees, with an average temp of 67.  Airflow out the upstairs vents has also improved.  One side effect that I wasn't expecting is that my upstairs feels warmer.  After scratching my head, pondering the result over a bourbon, and consulting my dad, my thoughts are that a warmer basement makes a warmer house.  If there's no insulation under the main level floor, it only makes sense that cold basement air will make a cold floor in the space above.  Cool!!!

If you don't have one of these, you need one.  Install is cheap and easy.  I also hear that summertime cooling will be more energy efficient by pushing some of the cooler basement air upstairs.

 

You may also enjoy an article I wrote about attic insulation.  Click here to read.