An outdoor leak can be very hard to detect, since drips will often simply go into the ground without leaving any trace that there's a problem. To see if your outdoor faucets are leaking, wrap a balloon around the opening of the faucet and hold it in place with a tight rubber band or zip tie. Come back and check the balloon a few days later. If the balloon contains any water, you have a leak, and you will need to call a local plumber to fix it, or learn how to do it yourself by visiting a home improvement website or YouTube channel.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Which reusable water bottle material is best? It’s stainless steel. While these bottles tend to cost more than hard plastic ones, they have a lot of benefits that plastic can’t match up to. First, steel is durable: It’s corrosion-resistant and won’t leach chemicals into your water even if exposed to hot sun. And stainless steel bottles are 100% recyclable, which means your old bottles can be recycled into new steel products. When shopping, look for food-grade steel; it should be marked with an "18/8" symbol, which means it’s made with 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Heating accounts for more than 34% of all annual utility usage, so it makes sense to ensure your heating system is in tiptop shape. One easy thing you can do is to check that your ductwork is as tight as possible and there aren't any leaks. You can fix leaks with simple duct tape or mastic, which can help reduce heating loss and improve your system's efficiency as much as 30%. It will also help deliver warmer air throughout the home, and that combined with a programmable thermostat will save you money and keep you warm all winter long.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION