Water Conservation Information - Part 2

If you prefer not to switch to a newer toilet right away, a low-tech way to save water in the bathroom is to fill a small milk jug with water and place it in your toilet's tank. This will greatly reduce water use per flush. Low-flush toilets are a better option and will save you even more water though, so you should think about switching eventually.

The next thing you can do to save both water and energy is to switch to a low flow shower head. A low flow showerhead can cut your water use in the shower by more than 30 percent.

Some lo flow showerheads are designed simply to reduce the amount of water coming out. This unfortunately means you get a rather low pressure shower. Thankfully, the technology used for many modern lo flow showerheads gives you a good shower without sacrificing pressure. See an example of a high pressure shower head here. These showerheads use something called the Venturi Principle to improve water pressure. They also add oxygen to the water, which leaves your skin cleaner and healthier. You can read more about modern lo flow showerhead technology here.

A typical heads uses roughly between 5 to 8 gallons of water per minute. Most low flow heads can reduce this amount to around 2.5 gallons per minute. (Source: Michigan State Government Water Conservation Website). Some low flow shower heads, like a water saving shower head, can reduce the rate of water flow to 2 gallons per minute or less.

A low flow shower head helps you save you money in two ways because it reduces both the amount of water you use while bathing, and the amount of energy used to heat the water. Considering that a showerhead of this kind costs between $35.00 and $60.00, a low flow nozzle pays for itself again and again. Manufacturers of one brand of loflow showerheads claim that the average family can save up the $600 a year by switching to their showerheads.

Bathroom Mirrors - Things to Consider When Buying

When you are decorating your house, it's easy to get excited about the theme of your living room, or the way that your bed spread will match the drapes in your bedroom - but you can't forget to pay close attention to another important room in your home, the bathroom. Too often do homeowners overlook the importance of one of the most basic bathroom elements which is their bathroom mirror.

When you're shopping for your bathroom mirror, there are a number of things that you need to consider. First and foremost, you need to consider if there are any practical limitations. For instance, is there a certain shape or size that your new mirror needs to fit into? Perhaps the type of wall that it will be one requires that it be mounted by hanging with screws. This is common with certain types of wall finishes that are difficult to use adhesives on.

Next, you need to make sure that your new bathroom mirror fits in with the major shapes of your bathroom. If you have a lot accessories of a certain shape, then you can narrow down your new purchase to the same shape. You can also consider how fancy your current theme is. This will help you narrow down what style your new mirror should be. If you have a very fanciful bathroom, you have a multitude of choices available to you. If your current theme is quite basic, you should have a very wide range of options.

There are many choices of designs that you can consider as well. Some bathroom mirrors look like they are set in an old picture frame, while others have no border at all. Just take some time to consider what you have available to you. Not enough people consider the importance of the look and feel of your bathroom. After all, there is no doubt that almost all of your visitors will visit this room sooner or later.

What To Check When Buying A Used Home

When buying used or foreclosed homes, you can usually find lists of foreclosed or previously-owned homes at your county hall, at the courthouses, or online through many different real estate listing websites. While buying used, or either foreclosed homes has many benefits, there are definitely some risks involved.

Old homes can be just as problematic, or worse, as back-breaking, as new ones. In fact, because they have been tested by years of use and abuse, they can be filled with problems, especially if the builder used any shoddy, unethical house-building methods. It would be best to hire a qualified house inspector before you buy as a good hedge against very expensive surprises.

But then again, hiring a house inspector can be very costly -- from several hundred to a thousand dollars or more. However, if you ultimately end up buying the house, this is money well spent. On the other hand, if the house has serious drawbacks, you're better cut off saving the cost of the inspector and moving on to a better prospect.

In order to determine a house's overall quality before you decide to get the services of a house inspector, here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:

o Make a thorough check of the structure. From a considerably distant vantage point, take a good look at the house. Do the walls appear to be plumb and flat? Then go inside, and see, are any walls bowed or not square at corners? When you go to the middle of the living room floor, does it flex or feel solid?

o Inspect water control facility. Does the ground slope away from the base of the house? Will gutters, downspouts and drainage pipes carry excess water away from the house, or directly into the basement? Scout for any evidence of water damage.

o Take note of the finer details. Check on the quality of workmanship in the finish details such as moldings, tile work, hardware, wall panels and paint.

o Where's the roof?. Is the roof new and in good shape? Go up and see if looks neat and properly applied.

o Verify the quality of the electrical system. Are the number and locations of receptacles adequate to the needs of the house? Is the main circuit breaker marked at least "100 amps"?

o Inspect kitchen and bathroom fixtures. See if the sinks, toilets and tubs have quality fixtures. Find out if they do work properly. When you turn on the faucets and flush the toilet, check if the water pressure is adequate.

o Water heater and plumbing systems. Verify if the water heater is either gas or electric. Water supply pipes from the water heater to fixtures should be copper.

o Heating systems. Locate where the furnace or heater is and what type is it. Find out if any rooms are not heated. Is the house air-conditioned?

o Insulation concerns. Take a peek at the the attic and check for insulation; R-19 is a minimum in moderate climates; and up to R-38 (12 inches of fiberglass) is required in cold climates. Remove the receptacle cover on the perimeter wall to check for wall insulation.

o Fireplace quality. Find out if the fireplace has screens or glass doors, and dampers and log lighters. Is there a combustion vent that draws air from the outside and a spark arrestor at the top of the chimney?

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