Heating Water for Domestic Hot Water or to Heat Your Home

!±8± Heating Water for Domestic Hot Water or to Heat Your Home

Water is heated for two purposes in residential applications. The first is to heat water for domestic use. Such a cleaning, washing, cooking, showers and bathing. The second is to heat water to be a medium for carrying that heat to a room then releasing the heat into that room to keep us warm.

Water heater| hot water tanks

Heating water for domestic use is done with hot water tanks, tankless water heaters, or indirect water heaters.

Tankless water heaters

Tankless water heaters are becoming more common in North America, although these have been used in other parts of the world for years. This kind of water heater does not have any water in a tank. If you do not have a tank then you will not have to continually keep that water heated as the water will always cool even when not in use. The cooling process is caused by heat from the water warming the air in the flue, then the hot air rises and is displaced by cooler air which is in turn heated by the hot water (convection heat just like baseboard heating). This air will flow up the flue and spill out into the room. Also the water in the tank will cool as heat conducts through the tank and into the room. This cooling process is called standby loss and because of this process your water heater is at best 55% efficient.

Tankless water heaters are more efficient than hot water tanks because of the heating process. A hot water heater will heat the bottom of the tank and the center of the tank, with most of the energy leaving the tank up the flue. Where as a tankless water heater heats a coil of pipes inside of a heat exchanger similar to that of a boiler. This heat exchanger is made up of small tubes that heat up very fast.

A tankless water heater will also modulate the burner. So if you need only a small demand the tankless heater will only give you a small flame. And if you need a larger demand a tankless water heater will give you a larger flame.

Hot Water Tanks

Hot water tanks are the most common form in North America to heat your domestic water. These tanks have been around for a very long time and have not changed much until recently. Most homes use a 40 to 50 US gallon water heater. Between high energy costs and pollution many people are switching to better ways to heat there water.

A hot water heater requires a chimney for the flue gases to flow to the outside (except power vent and direct vent water heaters, these can be piped out the wall). Water heaters also have an anode rod to protect the tank, a dip tube to allow the cold water to flow to the bottom of the tank, a gas valve, burner and a relief valve. NEVER plug a relief valve. This is the largest cause of water heater explosions. Water when heated to boiling changes to steam. When this happens the water expands 1700 times and with no where to go the tank has to blow up. Usually the bottom is what bursts and the water heater becomes a rocket shooting through the roof in a two story building.

For more info got Hot water tanks:

Indirect water heaters--An indirect water heater uses a boiler to heat the water that flows through the inside of a coil of pipe which in turns heats the domestic water through conduction. These are very efficient, have a fast response time and out last a standard water heater more than three to one. The response time is very quick giving you more than enough hot water. In my opinion these are the best water heaters on the market. The biggest problem is that you need a boiler to heat the water therefore the cost can be high compared to a normal water heater. If you are renovating and going to install hot water heating of any sort, such as a fan coil instead of a high efficient furnace, then this is the way to go

Water heating | Heating your home

Heating water to heat your home is best done with a boiler. The reason I say this is that a boiler is meant to heat water in an efficient manner, while your water heat is not. A standard water heater has an efficiency of 65% to 70% including standby losses. A standard boiler runs at about 80%. The boilers I install have an efficiency rating of between 85% and 98% depending on the system and time of year. So you could use a water heater to heat your home (check with local codes), but the lifespan is much less and your heating bill will be much greater. Not worth the 00 to 00 difference between the two. (my opinion). You could use a tankless water heater, but you will need two or three if you are heating your domestic water as well. Still compared with a condensing boiler you are only saving less than 00

Heating Water for Domestic Hot Water or to Heat Your Home

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How to Get Rid of Phlegm

!±8± How to Get Rid of Phlegm

You might want to hold off with that wish. Phlegm is actually good for you. Well, not the thing itself, but what it represents. Phlegm is mucous that becomes congealed and visible. It's almost always a sign of your body fighting off whatever infection is wreaking havoc on your respiratory system - which is actually a good thing. Phlegm is primarily composed of mucous, dead bacteria and virus, dead white blood cells, and various tissues and cells. The difference between phlegm and other mucous is that phlegm comes from your lungs, not from your nasal passages.

In around 400 B.C. it was thought that phlegm was part of the four humours, the four basic substances that were supposed to comprise the human body. The other three humours were black bile, bile, and blood, and when they were balanced, the body would achieve harmony and would thus be healthy. A lack or excess of any of the humours resulted in diseases or disabilities. It was the ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates (of the Hippocratic Oath fame) who is credited for coming up with this theory. For 2,000 years, it influenced medical thinking until it was discredited in the 1800s.

While phlegm is an indication that your body's immune system is working overtime to get rid of those nasty invaders that are trying to make you sick, coughing up phlegm every few minutes is still a rather unpleasant practice. Here are several things you can do to get rid of the phlegm quicker so you won't have to find yourself in potentially embarrassing and totally awkward situations.

Phlegm Elimination

If you're a smoker, cut the habit. Everyone knows that smoking aggravates and promotes several lung and bronchial problems. As if body infections are not enough, respiratory diseases caused by smoking will give your body additional health issue baggage it does not need. Smoking interferes with your body's ability to fight off any infection, so whatever problems it is currently engaged in that resulted in the formation of mucous will be prolonged. Thus, your phlegm problem will drag on longer. Smoking also kills the cilia that line your lungs, making it harder for you to cough out phlegm. If you've been coughing up brown or gray-colored phlegm, it means that your body is screaming for you to lay off the cigarettes. It would do you well to cut out the filthy habit before those browns and grays become speckled with red - a sure precursor to something serious, like lung cancer.

Treat any nasal or sinus infection that you have. As mentioned earlier, phlegm is just an accumulation of mucous and other dead substances that coagulate and become visible. Mucous isn't a foreign object - your body's airways produce mucous regularly. These mucus secretions don't accumulate because they're regularly cleared to your throat where they are carried down by the saliva. If you have an infection that blocks normal passage to the airways and throat, the mucus doesn't get drained down by the saliva and thus accumulates. Fixing the infection will help fix the additional congestion, easing the accumulation of mucus and phlegm.

Take an expectorant. Expectorants are medicines you can take to clear and loosen up any mucus and phlegm in your respiratory tract. They work by thinning out the mucus so you will be able to easily dislodge it when you cough. Common expectorant medicines are those that contain guaifenesin and bromhexine, so when buying expectorants, be sure to check if these ingredients are present. As with buying any medicine over the counter, be sure to consult with your physician first, just in case you might be subject to complications because of them.

Don't take cough suppressants. Sure, it is pretty annoying when you have a hacking cough every five minutes, causing you to spit out phlegm at pretty much the same rate, but coughing is your body's way of trying to dislodge the phlegm. If you're taking cough suppressants or anything that inhibits your ability to cough, you're essentially allowing the production and build-up of mucus and phlegm in your system since you've basically shut down your body's mechanism to expel them. The sooner you get all the phlegm out of your system, the sooner your coughing will stop, and the sooner you will find relief.

Drink plenty of fluids and liquids. Plenty of liquids and fluids help loosen up any hard, sticky phlegm that is congesting your system. Fluids also help wash down mucus that is regularly deposited on your throat, thereby lessening their chances of building up and coagulating. There are also herbal teas and drinks that help you deal with respiratory problems, and the fewer complications you have, the better your chances of getting rid of respiratory disease effects - mucus and phlegm included.

Spit the phlegm out; don't swallow it. Among the many components that make up phlegm are substances like immunoglobulins and glycoproteins that help your body fight off the infection. When these substances get killed (together with the bacteria and virus they were fighting), they become part of what makes up phlegm. When phlegm gets coughed out, it means that they have served their purpose - remnants and refuse of the battle, so to speak - and are no longer necessary in the proper functioning of the body. They have to be expelled. Therefore, spit them out and don't swallow them back. Aside from the fact that swallowing phlegm is gross and unsanitary, it sometimes gets reintroduced to your pulmonary system, worsening your situation.

There are also home brew remedies you can try that will help in getting rid of your phlegm. Eucalyptus oil mixed with boiling water is a good way to decongest your chest and lessen the abundance of phlegm in your respiratory system. Two to three drops of the oil in boiling water should be enough to do the trick. Hold a towel over your head and deeply breathe in the steam. This will help clear out congested passageways of your respiratory tract, allowing you to spit out the phlegm more easily. Garlic is also said to have expectorant properties, and is considered to be a good supplement for treating congestion.

When your phlegm starts showing up in different colors, it's about time to have yourself checked by a physician. Take a sample of your phlegm for analysis. Different colors usually indicate an underlying condition. Normal phlegm is usually clear and white. Yellow phlegm means that your immune system is functioning properly and is responding to something. Greenish phlegm means that there is definitely an infection in your body. Rusty spots in green phlegm are often an indication of something serious, like internal respiratory micro-bleeding or pneumonia. Brownish phlegm can be a sign of infection, as well as symptoms of too much smoking, as resin is sticking to the phlegm. When this happens, it is always advisable to limit or just stop your smoking habit, as it may be exacerbating whatever respiratory condition you may have.

How to Get Rid of Phlegm

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Tips On Installing A Ceiling Fan

!±8± Tips On Installing A Ceiling Fan

I assume you are a DIY and have decided that putting ceiling fans in your home makes good sense. You've probably researched the advantages of installing ceiling fans and have learned that besides the aesthetic appeal that is part and parcel of a ceiling fan, there are a number of benefits that impact your wallet in a positive way.

The industry has determined that the cooling effect of a ceiling fan can make a room feel at least 7 degrees cooler than it really is and the consequent adjustment to your thermostat can cut your air conditioning related energy costs by as much as 35% to 45%. In the cold months, reversing the fan blades so they push warm air down from the ceiling can reduce your heating expenses as well. Some experts maintain that you can save between 8% to 12% on your heating bill.

So, you're sold on the idea of installing ceiling fans. The next step is to decide what brand, style, etc. you're going to invest your money in. Do the research. Find out who the major players are in the manufacture of ceiling fans and how long they've been at it. It's not necessarily who sells the most ceiling fans but rather, what consumers say about the various brands. The Internet can help but you have to be wary about sales pitches that are disguised as testimonials. My personal preference is Westinghouse because of a multitude of factors that I'm not going to get into since this article is intended to focus more on the installation end of the ceiling fan rather than what to buy.

However, before I get off the subject of what to buy, a word or two to the wise. This is not a purchase that you want to make with the idea of saving as much money as you can on these units. Manufacturers of inexpensive units have become more and more clever at making their products look great. However, a ceiling fan needs to pass the test of time and extensive use and many if not most of the cheaper units simply don't pass this test. Inexpensive fan casing is often made from thin material that may not be of the best quality.

So, after a few years, you may begin to notice the motor housing beginning to show signs of wear with vibrating and other noise being the telltale signs. There's nothing you can do to fix these problems besides investing in another fan (throwing good money after bad). Also, cheaper fans often have blades that are made of inferior material which may begin to warp or go out of balance. While you can do a temporary fix for this kind of problem, you're going to end up with a chronic headache since the basic cause of the problem just won't go away no matter how many times you try to fix it.

Here are a few more tips to consider while you're shopping for the right fan(s). The size of the room determines the span of the blade you should be looking for. You'll find blade spans that range between 29" to 56". The smallest blade span will work for a room that is no bigger than 50 square feet while a 36" blade span will service an area of approximately 70' to 80' square feet. Larger rooms, such as 100 square feet need at least a 42" blade span and a room that is larger than 100 square feet should have a fan with the longest blade span you can find.

Make sure the pitch of the blade is approximately 14 degrees for the most efficient air movement.

Many fans are equipped with lighting. Consider the size of the room and what the room will be used for when deciding whether or not to buy a fan with lights. Most manufacturers make ceiling fans that can be adapted to lighted fixtures with a lighting kit designed specifically for a particular model.

Finally, buy a ceiling fan that is reversible so that you can run it in one direction for
cooling and in the other direction for heating.

Keep in mind that the fan blades should be at least seven feet from the floor and a foot
below the ceiling. For lower ceilings, choose a hugger type fan. With higher ceilings, you can purchase what is called a down rod for purposes of extending the fan closer to the floor.

Okay. It's time to get down to some of the basic issues related to getting these things up where they belong and doing what they're designed to do.

You've purchased the fan(s). As you unpack the first one, make sure you check the parts you take from the box against the listing (usually an exploded drawing) of the parts shown in the manufacturer's literature. Lay out the parts and then check them off to make sure that you've got everything you're supposed to have. Keep the parts away from the area where you will actually install the fan to keep from creating a mess as you begin the actual job.

Be sure you've got all the tools you need before starting the job. This includes a stepladder, the right kind of screwdrivers, a pair of pliers, something to strip the wires with, a circuit tester, a ceiling box, a hammer and a saw to make the opening in the drywall. It's probably a good idea to have your toolbox handy just in case you need something you haven't anticipated. The best way to make sure you've got everything you need is to read the installation instructions from beginning to end before you do anything else.

If you're among the fortunate, the room will have a ceiling box that is being used for a light fixture already mounted in the center of the room. Generally, the existing ceiling box will need to be replaced with one specifically designed for mounting a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans weigh considerably more than light fixtures and may require additional support. If the material that came with the fan doesn't include a new ceiling box and mounting brackets, you will have to purchase these separately before proceeding. You may need to hire an experienced, licensed electrician to do this part of the job if you don't have the expertise yourself. The primary consideration is to make certain that the ceiling box provides adequate support for the weight of the ceiling fan. A brace (mounting bracket) mounted between ceilings joists will provide the necessary support.

On the other hand, if you don't have a ceiling box mounted in the center of the room, you
will need to undertake the necessary renovations to run electricity from the closest source to the center of the room. The steps required to do this are beyond the scope of this article and will usually require the services of an experienced and licensed electrician.

Most manuals that are packed with the ceiling fan will provide considerable detail
regarding what it will take to adequately support the ceiling fan.

Make sure the electricity to the room is turned off at the box (circuit breaker or fuse box). Test the wiring with a circuit tester to make sure it's off. If the room has inadequate natural lighting, you may need to run an extension cord with a lighting fixture from
another part of the house to provide you with adequate visibility.

Carefully read the installation manual and follow the step-by-step instructions for
installing the fan. Keep in mind that this is usually at least a two-person job. Even though the instructions may not tell you this, be sure that there is sufficient clearance between the blades and the ceiling to attach the blades after installing the motor. If not, install the blades to the motor arms before attaching the motor to the electrical box.

It's common sense so it may not be mentioned in the manual but make sure the screws that are used to attach the blades are evenly tightened.

Now that your fan is installed, it's time to test its operation. Turn on the power and switch on the fan. Although the manufacturer should make certain that the blades are evenly weighted and that their angles are all the same, it may still wobble somewhat once it begins to rotate. If this is the case, turn the fan off and check to make certain that the screws that attach the blades are all tight. Use a yardstick held vertically at the edge of one of the blades and manually rotate the blades to make sure that they are in alignment. If there is any misalignment, gently bend the blade up or down to get the blade aligned properly.

If the wobble persists, it usually means that one or more of the blades weigh more or less
than the others. Many manufacturers include weight-balancing clips with the ceiling fans. These clips install on the top of the blade and add weight. Less weight is added the closer to the motor housing the clip is installed. Adjust the clip(s) until the wobble stops. If weight-balancing clips were not included, they can be purchased at a lighting store, home center or at many hardware stores.

Your ceiling fan should be ready to use and should offer you years of pleasure and comfort.

Tips On Installing A Ceiling Fan

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Basement Water Problems - There is Hope

!±8± Basement Water Problems - There is Hope

If your basement is wet and damp there is hope to remedy the problem. Moisture or water in basements comes from two sources. The major culprit is ground water which is the water from the exterior getting into the basement. The second and less severe is high humidity levels in the basement that form condensation and water vapor. Ground water that soaks the soil on the exterior of the home can easily find its way into the basement. Water can infiltrate the basement though holes and cracks in foundation walls or cracks in the basement floor slab. Water can also enter through porous foundation block or brick walls, most of the foundation walls are made of concrete block which have natural pours and cracks that can allow water to seep though. Solid concrete basement foundation walls are much better in keeping water out.

The main idea is to get the water away from the exterior walls of the home. Make sure all downspouts are discharging a minimum of five feet away from the exterior walls. Make sure that gutters on the home are free flowing and do not overflow. Overflowing gutters will pour water against the exterior walls of the home, and greatly contribute to basement water problems. Repair or replace any leaking gutters and downspouts to help keep the water away.

Make sure that the area around the entire perimeter of the home is sloped away from the exterior walls so that water will shed away from and not toward the foundation walls. Regarding the exterior is a very important step in keeping your basement dryer. Make sure you remove anything against the exterior walls that can trap water such as planting boxes, and wood tie walls these will always be a source of trapped water.

Plug and patch holes in the basement foundation walls. Holes and cracks can allow water to enter. Plugging holes and sealing cracks probably will not solve all your basement water issues but doing so in tandem with the other corrective measures should go along way in helping to keep water out of the basement. Try sealing the interior foundation walls using hydraulic cement. Make sure you apply the cement to bare masonry or else it will not be effective. These types of sealers need to be applied in a thick coating so don't try to stretch it put the sealer on thick. The idea is the sealer material will seal the small holes and cracks and help keep the water from seeping into the basement.

If basement water problems persist you may want to consider installing a basement drainage system. There are two types of effective drainage systems. One type is installed on the exterior against the foundation wall and the other is installed inside along the interior perimeter of the basement walls. If your home is already constructed the only real practical solution is the interior drainage system method. This method consists of perforated tubing that is installed below the basement floor slab along the interior perimeter that connects to a sump pump and sump pit. As water enters through the walls and as the water table rises the water will be directed to the sump pump and pumped out rater then enter the basement. You must make sure that the sump pump is discharging at least five feet from the exterior walls in order to avoid redirecting the water back against the exterior walls and then into the home.

Get a handle on excess humidity. When humid air comes in contact with cold surfaces it makes water vapor. This condensation will run down pipes and foundation walls leaving the basement damp and smelling of mold and mildew. Several remedies for this condition would be to install a dehumidifier, sealing your dryer vent pipe so that it does not leak hot moisture into the basement, installing a vent fan in any basement bathroom, and keeping windows closed during very humid summer weather. If you have a central air conditioner keep it on during very hot humid days so that it pulls condensation from the air. Install central air-conditioning in the basement if you do not already have the basement as part of the existing air conditioner register configuration.

Use caution when contracting with professional water proofing companies. Many times they will provide very expensive solutions to the problem when that majority of basement water issues can be corrected without having to take out a second mortgage. If you do decide to use a water proofing company, make sure you do your homework and check their record with the better business bureau.

Basement Water Problems - There is Hope

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