IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST

AN OUNCE OF RPEVENTION: Down into the Belly of the Beast
Part 2 in a series about Fall home maintainence

Money has a way of getting lost in the basement. For some, this area of the house is not high a priority. But as seasons change, it should be. For down in the belly of the beast, our houses' most basic functions operate: heat, water, light, and power.

So let's take a walk around the basement and see where we can save some money, I mean, isn't that what a Frugal Yankee does?

Start with the water heater. These babies aren't built to last forever and they go every ten years or so. One bit of yearly maintenance that will make them last longer is draining. Find the valve that fills the tank and close it.  There is a spigot near the bottom. Just hook up a regular garden hose and drain into an appropriate place. Close the spigot, open the valve at the top and the tank will fill again.  By doing this, you drain out the built up loose rust, lime or whatever.

Check the heater's thermostat. Many are set for 140º, but lowering the temperature of your water to 120º saves significant bucks depending on your usage. Besides how many times have you turned the hot water on and nearly scalded your hands? Turn it down and save some money.

Does your water heater have an insulating blanket? If not, you can save even more money by investing in one. They're relatively easy to install and available at most hardware stores. The inslutating blanket simply keeps your hot water hot. You might even see a 'loss leader' sale in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes peeled. If you don't know what one looks like, check out the picture that accompanies this article.

Before we leave the water heater, inspect it for signs of decay. You can never really tell when these babies decide to go, but sometimes you can give yourself a heads up and prepare for it.

Have you ever had a water heater go? I've had the experience: the bottom rots out and water gushes all over the basement. And since the water heater is a dumb appliance, it doesn't know it's broken and fresh water continues pumping in and pouring out until someone stops it. Of course, the water rushing in is cold, so the heater tries to warm it up. Not only are you losing water, you're also losing power. This is a lose-lose proposition. What do you do? Turn the water off.

Which begs the question, do you know where your turn offs are? All responsible people in your house should know where all turn offs are. They should know where the water heater intake valve is as well as the main water turn off for the house. The main intake valve for the heater is near the top and the main water valve is where the water main enters the house. A good idea is to put big tags on them. They'll be easier to find. In any event, familiarize yourself and your family with them.

By the way, knowing where the main water turn off is important for other reasons, namely frozen pipes, broken pipes or any time water is rushing into your house. Turning off the main will save HUGE amounts of water flooding your place, and in turn save HUGE amounts of money in damage and clean-up. Water damage, or an internal flood, may or may not be covered by your insurance. So this may be an out of pocket disaster.

Moving away from the water heater and heading over to that big energy consuming beast called the furnace, two things need your attention - maintenance and filters. To be at peak efficiency, yearly maintenance is required, and don't forget, efficiency means saving money. A poorly operating heater will cost you, it's that simple. The return on investment by hiring a professional to do the work is well worth it.

The one area you can do your self is to change the air filters (in a forced air system). Like any power unit, these babies need to breath. Changing the filters with a pleated, electrostatic filter designed for your mode will save money, keep indoor pollution down and make your winter easier to bear. You can find replacement filters at most hardware stores.

Now walk to your electrical service area. This is where your panels and main power line come into the house. Give it a close look. Is there condensation build up? Water and electricity don't mix well, so be sharp and if it looks dicey, get a professional to check it out.

Do you have breakers or fuses? If you have fuses, be sure you have plenty of extras nearby. If you have breakers, wiggle them. Breakers that are iffy, feel squishy. They don't have that sharp 'clicky' feel. If you think one or more may be going, call your electrician for a professional opinion.

Now track down all the wring. Be sure it is unfrayed and is solid. Anything looking dicey needs attention.

One last thing, while you're being electrical, be sure the main switch is clearly marked so anyone can turn the power in case of emergency

The biggest problem I have in my old New Hampshire farm house is water. I am constantly fighting seepage and damage.  You should be ready to fight water problems, too. Water, as my old friend Celon Kelley says, is our friend and, our enemy. Seepage can be a major problem, sometimes causing health threatening mold. The best advice is simple. Look for it and deal with it - asap. Here are some telltale signs that water is damaging your house - wall cracks and stains, continuously working dehumidifier, rust at the base of support columns, peeling paint, white or dampness on walls, floor, stains or efflorescence, loose floor tiles, rot, items stored off the floor and water-damaged items, rusty baseboard nails, and patched walls.

Like I said, water is serious stuff and needs attention. If you can't find the source and eliminate it, call in a professional. The best piece of advice the Frugal Yankee can give is to move water away from your house. This could mean better gutters or perhaps a system of French drains. But if you move the water away from the house, it improves the chances it won't come into your basement.

A few more tips on the basement. Do you have a crawl space? Be sure to check it out as well. The earthen floor of a crawl space can add several gallons of water a DAY to your house. A vapor barrier is required. This is a big piece of plastic covering the entire floor ballasted with gravel. It may be a pain to install, but it will save time and money.

We're still not done. Now it's time to inspect your water pipes.Trace them all down, make sure there are no leaks. If so, they need attention. Another item is insulating the pipes. You can purchase easy to use insulating pipe coverings or pipe jackets or even electric heating tape at most hardware stores. They serve two purposes. For hot water pipes, hot water will not cool as it is delivered. You'll save energy there. Secondly, if there is a chance a pipe may freeze, the insulation can help.

After we've done all that, it is time to check the doors and windows. Be sure they are secure, insulated, weatherized, caulked, if needed. You'd be surprised at how this can save you heating costs in the winter.

If your cellar smells, like well, a cellar, try this. Cut an onion, place it on a plate, let it stand over night. The next day remove the onion, after the onion smell dissipates, your cellar should smell a heck of a lot better.

Now before I leave until next week, take a slow look around the walls of your cellar. Use your flashlight and inspect carefully. You may see something there demanding attention. You may also see some small holes, cracks or crevices. Do you know a mouse needs only 1/4" hole to gain entry into your nice, warm, cozy house?

And on that cheerful note, this Frugal Yankee will be saying goodbye until next week when we talk about varmints and how to keep them out of your house, out of your food, and out of your life.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment or two. We appreciate it and by all means head over to our web site Frugal Yankee.com where you'll find more tips, money saving ideas as well as some old fashioned good conversation.