antibacterial and anti fungal), some essential oils, and old t-shirts, you can create all-natural, super cheap and green wipes right at home!

Click here to learn how to make them: http://mymerrymessylife.com/2013/03/homemade....

stalk from the bottom piece that you cut off and throw away? Cut off the end that you would normally "throw away" and then place it in a small dish filled with warm water.

Next "pot" the celery stalk (Stalk Side Up) or place in your garden. Just dig a small hole, fill it with water and set the end in the hole, then cover it up with an inch or so of soil. Water thoroughly. That is it! Now the "end" will grow into a full stalk of celery! Rinse and Repeat and you never have to buy celery again! Talk about a way to save money! This photo is taken on day 7 and as you can see it is working!

with your kitchen scraps? Vermicomposting is the answer and , even better,a worm bin is efficient when you're continually adding new material, unlike your outdoor compost pile. Composting at home in a worm tub is most suitable for smaller families and apartment dwellers, or can be used in combination with an outside composting method. A well-tended worm bin shouldn't smell, so some people will keep them in a kitchen cupboard if they're short on space or just want it handy for adding their kitchen waste. The garage or basement are also possible locations for your worm bin. (Note: do not add animal waste, bones, fats or meat to your bins or compost piles. That will make it smell and draw unwanted visitors!)

Follow the easy steps below to set up your own worm bin and begin vermicomposting at home. Set the finished lidded bin on a couple bricks on a tray to collect any drips. You will keep plant matter out of the landfill and have the benefits of compost and compost tea for your houseplants, worms for feeding birds and pet reptiles and going fishing, too!

See my blog post at http://ourfairfieldhomeandgarden.com/diy-pro... for more composting information and worm sources.

#Gardening

least once a year. In some towns where they flush their fire hydrants to keep the pipes clear it is suggested to follow their lead a few days after as any sediment that is disturbed ends up on the bottom of your heater.

What happens then is water displacement. The sandy partials that collect on the bottom of the tank displaces the water ever so slightly. This results in hot spots on the bottom of the tank. When this occurs the flames overheat the tank and begin to break down the steel. After many years this breakdown ends up becoming a tiny hole that is filled with this debris, oftentimes preventing the leak.

However if you decide to drain your heater after many years of not doing it, or all of a sudden you start using the heater more then normal, this sediment that has been plugging that tiny hole is flushed out, often resulting in a leak in a few days after.

So the moral is to flush yearly, but if you have not done so for many years to not touch it or you will end up with a leak.

After draining you may find that the flush hose bib valve at the bottom will not turn off. This is because of some sediment that has blocked the valve and prevented it from turning off. If that happens a hose bib cap can be purchased at the local hardware store for about $1.50 put that on and your good to go. The photo is the inside of such a valve on a hot water heater that was 6 years old and had never been flushed. We tried to empty this tank to replace with a new high efficiency tankless, next photo but the hole was so small it only trickled out. The new heater will produce enough hot water for two showers, one laundry and one dishwasher to run all at the same time.

2-story home and I never had this issue in the first home. House is only 7 years old, but the builder went bankrupt and probably did a lot of shortcuts. Has anyone ever dealt with anything like this?

So, share your home improvement resolutions with us today! And learn what resolutions WE suggest at http://www.moneypit.com/article/new-years-re.... Contest ends December 31st and a winner selected at random will be announced on New Year's Day. Good luck!