So, you are thinking about what kinds of things you would want to learn this summer? If some of your friends would love to take a vacation break like camping out or going to beaches or to other faraway places, how about staying at home and doing something productive if you are not up to taking a vacation break? How about learning how to build solar water heater on your own? You won’t have to worry about how to learn it because there are lots of learning tools like book guides available on the Net today that will teach you how. Bear in mind that after summer, then comes autumn then it would be winter. You need all the hot water your family should have during that season.

One of the things that you can do in order to save money is to save energy. But for most people, saving energy can put something in a very compromising position. Other people will tend to sacrifice their TV viewing pleasure to save on electricity and there are even some who would forget to turn on their water heater to have a supply of warm water. But if they can learn how to make their own DIY solar water heater, they don’t have to sacrifice a lot of things. If you can learn how to build your own solar water heater, then, you will have all the warm or hot water you want without using electricity. You can also save the environment, too, aside from saving a lot of money.

Water is one of nature’s most precious gifts and a resource we depend on for our life. Water is essential for everyone. Water is fundamental to all life forms, affecting all ecosystems and the various uses to which it is put. Demand continues to rise rapidly as the worlds population grows – water use per capita also increases. This is fast becoming a serious problem because the supply of water is finite. Only 3% of the worlds water is fresh. Refer to Enviromental technology for more information.

According to the World Health Organization, “safe drinking water is fast becoming the world’s most critical resource and a global concern as more than a billion people worldwide lack access to it”.

Here are a couple of good reasons for their concern:-

=> Unclean water is the second biggest killer of children, claiming more than two million lives annually.
=> drinking water is listed as the Number 4 health hazard in the US. Safe Drinking Water is constantly in the News – politicians would like it to appear safer than it is.

Water is indispensable for human health and well-being. A regular, adequate supply of clean drinking water is one of our essential basic human needs and often a factor in survival. Not only is clean water essential for everyday life, it is essential to economic growth and poverty reduction.

Unfortunately, Water is something we ALL take for granted.

Clean drinking water is one of the world’s most precious resources. Under US Federal law, bottled water is classified as a food product. As is the case in most western countries. Go to enviromental products for more information.

As a result of the way water has been marketed over the years, many consumers believe that, bottled water is safer and healthier than tap water. Why wouldn’t they think that when they have been shown graphic images of how the condition of the once-clean pure water is transformed by the time it travels through the delapitated pipes to our homes.

It is no wonder that in this day and age bottled water is becoming more and more popular. Sure bottled water is convenient, but it is only as safe as its source.

That same marketing has pushed the price of water – “sometimes dramatically” throughout the world to the point where it is more expensive per litre than petrol.

How much water is enough?
The “recommended” daily consumption of water is somewhere around 60-80 ounces, however alternative health care professionals will tell you should be consuming 50% of your total body weight in pounds in ounces. Regardless of the virtual water that you get from your diet. Virtual water is the amount of water that is embedded in food or other products needed for its production.

Water is the safest thing for you to drink. In many ways, water is a miracle liquid. Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual. Although it contains no nutrients, water is a vital component of our diets.

My 2 cents worth
Make no mistake water is the most important liquid in the world and having a supply of safe drinking water is everybody’s business. Visit environmental for more information.

More and more people already have a water filter attached to their kitchen sink or at least a portable one that can provide enough purified water for drinking. However because of the increased level of pollution, environmental accidents, and other environment problems caused mostly by us, the tap water is more and more contaminated. Thus we are recommended to invest in a water filter system. Depending on your needs and possibilities there are cheap water filters that work only at the faucet they are installed at or more expensive whole house water filters that provide purified water in the entire house no matter what the water is used for. Go to Enviromental technology for more information.

A whole house water filter is indeed more expensive then other water filters, but in the long run you might be better off with such a filtering system because apart from providing purified water in the entire house, it also adds value to your house. Because of its complexity and the fact that it has to be installed at the main pipe before entering the house, such a filtering system requires professional plumbing. Another reason for investing in such a water filter is that it is completely out of sight, thus it will not occupy space in the house and you do not have to install several water filters in the same house.

Whole house water filters are a good way to replace the top counter or under counter water filters that provide you drinking water and the shower filters that let you take care of your body by providing purified water. The advantage of the whole house water filter is that by providing purified water for the entire house, they are actually helping you maintain your appliances, like your washing machine or your dishwasher, as well as the sinks, basins, and hot tubs. With such a system installed you do not have to worry remembering the faucet that has the filter installed. Also with a whole house water filter you do not have to worry about not having enough filtered water to drink or even worse enough water to take a shower. Refer to enviromental products for more information.

Whole house water filters are the best solution to help us get healthier by having filtered water not only to drink, but also to cook and wash fruits and vegetables, and to take showers. There are several bacteria in the water as well as heavy metals and pesticides. Research also shows that the chlorine put in water to purify it, is actually not safe at all for the body, however it kills other dangerous bacteria that is in the water. The good news about the water filters is that while they keep some of the bacteria and heavy metals out, they still let you have the good minerals from the water. Also the filtered water does not have any smell, it is not cloudy, but instead is clean and pure.

Because the cost of such a filtering system is higher than the other water filters, they are intended to offer maximum performance and filtration with as little maintenance as possible. There are also several models of whole house water filters to choose from, but first you need to know the approximate amount of water you and your family use. Furthermore one of the things to keep in mind while selecting such a system is that the more filters the system has the cleaner and safer your water will be. Visit environmental for further information.

Usually I am not too fussed about drinking water out of a tap, I do, however, very sensibly draw the line at drinking from taps abroad or on holiday. However, there are some people in the UK who are weary over consuming water straight from a tap, since the government have tried to keep the water pure by adding chlorine and fluoride. Go to purifier for more information.

Controversial arguments have arisen from using these chemicals, particularly with the use of fluoride. Therefore, some prefer to use bottled water that comes ready filtered and are usually a ‘healthier’ option to tapped water. Such filtration processes are used mainly for water bottles in office environments, using reverse osmosis or carbon filtration to gain clear purified water.

Before the process of reverse osmosis and the ever-accessible bottled mineral water, tap water did not become available until the 19th century and then becoming more common in households during the mid-20th century. The system required a massive infrastructure of plumbing, piping and water purification. The process was not costly and is far less costly to consume than it is to consume bottled water, as the price of tap is only a fraction of the price of bottled water.

In certain parts of the world, these water taps are distributed into separate sections for use of toilet, baths, cleaning and drinking. However, in other parts this is all shared into one plumbing system which puts together drinking, cleaning and bathing water. In places like China, drinking water can be delivered through a separate tap – though this is optional. Developing countries however do not always use tapped water, as they are not safe to drink, therefore in these parts of the country the water is usually boiled or filtered in advance. Often people in these parts of the world opt to buy bottled water.

Bottled water is the most convenient way to get water without having to filter or boil from home. As previously mentioned, reverse osmosis is one of the more advanced way to purify and sanitize water. Other processes include using iron to remove arsenic in water, Ion exchange, slow sand filtration and carbon filtering using charcoal that filters and captures most toxic compounds. This type of purification are commonly used in household filters and fish water tanks, some drinking water in houses contain silver that release silver ions that has an anti-bacterial effect. Refer to Water Purifiers for more information.

Instances of the use of fluoride in water have long since been a controversial issue, though this was initially used to improve public dental health. Though fluoride was used extensively in much of Europe during the 19th century, Dr Frederick Mckay in America first introduced the use of excessive amounts of fluoride parts in water as the cause of the staining or browning in many children teeth. This sparked the dental community taking wide interest in regulating the amount of fluoride ions in water.

Water fluoridation have provoked controversy as some experts have argued that this is no more harmful than mixing grape juice with vitamin C and can decrease tooth decay – as further previous studies have shown safe levels of fluoride added into water have resulted in improvement of tooth decay. Counter to this argument are the risks on individual health such as bone cancer and dental fluorosis. Other humanitarian arguments have stated that this takes away people’s choice in having fluoride added into their water. The controversy has been a continual issue and steps have thankfully continued to be taken to improve sanitation of drinking water. However, the option of bottled water is still widely available and used. Visit Water Filters for more information.

Solar water heating systems are an effective way of conserving energy and reducing your energy bill.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a new technology. Solar water heating systems have been used commercially for over a century now, with the first commercial water heater (the Climax Solar-Water Heater) going on sale in 1891 in the United States. By the year 1900, over 1600 houses in California were equipped with this solar water heater.

Due to its effectiveness and low cost, the solar water heater gained popularity until, by 1941, more than half the population of Florida was getting its hot water through solar water heaters!

It only lost its popularity as a result of lowered electricity rates, and an aggressive campaign by Florida Power and Light to increase electrical consumption. This was done by offering electric water heaters at bargain prices. Thus Florida’s solar water heating was brought to halt.

The United States is not the only country with a history of heating its water using solar power. There are many other countries where this heating method was used in the past, and has since fallen out of use, – but not all of them. In fact, there are currently more than ten million Japanese households which heat their water using solar heating systems. This is definite proof that it is a workable technology.

<B>Important Facts about Solar Hot Water Heating Systems</B>

• A solar water heater can reduce your water heating bill by 50%-80%. But with energy prices going up, the amount of savings will soon be even higher.
• When building a new home, or when refinancing, the economic aspect of this becomes even more interesting. You can, for instance, include the cost of a solar water heater with a new thirty-year mortgage package. This would usually amount to about $13.00 -$20.00 a month. Federal income tax deductions for mortgage interest would reduce the payment for the solar water heater by about $3.00 -$5.00 per month. If your fuel savings with a solar water heating system is $15.00 or more per month (which it likely will be) you will have reduced your monthly heating bill right then and there.
• Solar heaters can be installed in combination with backup systems. In fact, you could install a solar water heater next to your existing system and make it possible switch to conventional water heating whenever necessary. This way you are guaranteed always to have hot water.
• Solar water heating will significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and reduce the demand for fossil fuels which pollute the environment.
• Solar water heating can be used in any climate. Sound unbelievable? Check it out on the U.S. Department of Energy website. They say so as well.
• Aside from reducing your energy bill right now, a solar water heating system will protect you from future energy price increases. Your heating will no longer rely on fossil fuels for electricity.
• The fuel used to run a solar water heater is sunshine. And, at the time of this writing, sunshine is free – no tax has been added yet.

Types of Solar Water Heating Systems

There are two types of solar water heating systems, active solar water heating systems and passive solar water heating systems. They both work on the same principles.

The only difference is that active systems have a pump or other mechanical means of moving the water through the solar heating systems, and passive systems rely on nature’s principles: warm water rises to the top, and cold water sinks to the bottom. Therefore, with a passive solar water heating system, the water storage tank must always be positioned above the solar water heater collector.

Active Solar Water Heating

There are two main designs of active water heating systems. Which one is best for you depends on the type of climate you live in.

There is what’s called an “indirect circulation system” which uses a non-freezing heat-transfer fluid to transfer heat from the collector to a heat exchanger (a device used to transfer heat from the heat transfer fluid to the water in your storage tank). This is good for colder climates.

There is also the direct circulation system, in which case water is simply passed through solar heat collector and is then routed to the water storage tank for use. This system works fine in milder climates.

Passive Solar Water Heating

Passive solar water heating systems are usually cheaper than “active solar water heating systems,” as they do not need controls or pumps to circulate the water.

But generally, they are not as effective as the active systems. If you live in a warm climate, a passive water heating system may be all you need. Passive water heating systems are also known for being very reliable.

Essentially, solar hot water heating systems consist of a water storage tank and its solar collectors. The solar collectors are used to collect solar energy (which heats water), and the tanks store the heated water. That’s all there is to it.

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Learn more about Solar Water Heating, Solar Power, and DIY Solar Water Heating

Water is life. About 70% of the human body is composed of water. It is necessary for you to drink clean water. Drinking polluted water is not good for you; it can have an bad effects on your entire body. Sickness such diarrhea and cholera can even be fatal for small children. Plants and animals likewise die from being exposed to polluted water. Go to Enviromental technology for more information.

Let us look at a brief history of later pollution, where it came from, and what are the factors that lead to water pollution.

Ancient times
Water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and streams were the source of water to drink during the ancient times. However, it is the same water bodies where human wastes were deposited. Therefore, in rivers became so polluted that the these ancient cultures needed to construct aqueducts in order to obtain clean drinking water.

The main reason for this water pollution was that human waste found its way to rivers and streams. Cesspools likewise found a way to water bodies and made many people ill.

Medieval Times-1800s
During this period most societies had very little idea of what was bad for you and what was detrimental to the environment. Mercury was commonly dumped into the water supply and most human and farm waste was allowed to run freely into lakes and streams. Most people who lived in cities just dumped their waste and garbage into the street. It probably smelled very bad.

During the latter half of this period civilization made many great strides, often to the detriment of the environment. People even ingested chemicals they thought were good for them at the time that we now know are very bad for you, like Radium and Lead.
The Industrial Revolution of the 1800s saw little care for environmental impact for the benefit of industry.

Many chemicals were pumped into the air and rivers. Most people of the day were not concerned with the impact that their inventions had on the environment. In their defense you could say that nobody had ever given much thought to the fact that the human race could even effect the ecology.

After World War II
In addition to pollutants such as human wastes, fertilizers, leather tanning, and butchering wastes, the emergence of industries and technological factories likewise caused ever more severe water pollution problems. Industrial wastes were freely dumped into rivers, lakes, and streams, polluting the water further and causing large amounts of damage to living organisms using those waters.

1969
In the year 1969, after series of fires on the Cuyahoga River, it was learned that the fires are caused by oil slicks and flammable industrial wastes dumped into it! The government then started the studies that let to the enactment of the 1972 Clean

Water Act.
Even with this act, many people are still unaware of how to protect themselves from chemical pollutants and waterborne diseases. Many large scale cleanups have been ongoing for years.

Present Day
Today, water pollution is still an issue many countries and regions face. It is therefore important for you to know the disease causing agents that may find its way to water bodies. By understanding the damage water pollution can do to your body, you may try to avoid water contamination in your own way. Refer to enviromental products for more information.

Water Pollutants
Human wastes, household chemicals, fertilizers, garbage and industrial by-products are the most major water pollutants. You can help avoid them finding their way to the water you drink by learning how to dispose of them properly or avoiding their use altogether.

Other contaminants include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. These contaminants may be caused by human activities (like large scale farming) but there are some other sources in the environment. Tainted water such as this can cause extreme health problems. If you can ensure that the water in your community is clean by avoiding its contamination, you can help avoid bacteria and viruses reaching the water bodies.

Decomposing bacteria are likewise dangerous in large quantities because they will deplete the oxygen level of the water. This is often caused by fertilizer run-off in the form of phosphates and nitrates. The fertilizer causes blooms of algae and when the algae die they decompose.

As they rot the bacteria depletes the oxygen in the water and this often kills fish. If it can kill a fish, how do you think a small child can fight these pollutants if they enter his body?
Acids, salts and toxic metals can pollute the water extensively, making it unfit to drink. Batteries, computer parts and industrial chemicals like PCBs are some of the culprits.

These pollutants are fatal to all animals and most plants. They typically cause internal organs, such as your liver and brain, to fail work properly.
If you cannot access clean drinking water, you and your family will be at risk to diseases and other problems. Help avoid water pollution by learning to respect the environment.

Properly dispose of chemicals, whether household chemicals or industrial chemicals. Being conscious about the environment can save the life of your family and many other people in the world. Do your part in avoiding water pollution so you, your family and everyone else can live a healthy life. Visit environmental for more information.

For those of us who know how to control and maintain an ideal weight, water is truly a miracle weight control substance. Not taking in an adequate amount daily will leave you feeling frustrated, and achieving your ideal weight will prove to be next to impossible. Refer to purifier for more information

Once people begin to thoroughly understand how incredibly important water is for their internal health and well being the next question eventually surfaces,”is my tap water really safe to drink?” As a whole, people in the United States are big on buying purified water.

Many people take safe drinking water seriously by having home water filtration systems installed, or have bottled water delivered to their homes, or take water jugs to a store for refilling. Is all of this really necessary? How unsafe could my tap water really be? After all, if it looks, smells, and tastes fine it is probably safe to drink , right?

Please do not be lured into this misconception .Our planet Earth reuses the same water over and over, so there really is no ‘new’ water. Every chemical used by our modern culture eventually ends up in our drinking water supply. The toxicity of our water reserves increases as the use of chemicals increases from industries. The earth’s natural filtration system and recycling process can not effectively remove all of these toxins.

The human body is made up of more than 70 percent water. We rely on this miracle of water for life and the proper functioning of every cell in every organ in our bodies. All internal healing processes require water. We need clean water to eliminate body wastes and other toxins, and if these wastes are allowed to accumulate as a result of inadequate water consumption, chronic fatigue and illness develops.

Along with healthier eating habits water is also a most important nutrient. By drinking purified water you will not be putting additional toxins in your body, thus helping you to eliminate old accumulations you may already have.

While buying bottled water is certainly popular and convenient while traveling or when you are away from home, it is to expensive for long term household use. Simply put, a home filtration system is the simplest, cheapest, and most effective way to purify household tap water. Refer to Water Purifiers for more information.

When choosing a filtration system for the home it is a wise decision to first have your tap water tested. Further testing periodically (about once a year) is also recommended. This will help you find out exactly what, if anything, is in the tap water you are drinking.

It is best to rely on an independent laboratory for test results. A good place to obtain unbiased test results would be through your local University Extension Office in your county of residence. Do not rely on test results a water purifying dealer shows you, after all they are trying to sell you their system.

You will then need to do your homework in deciding what type of water purifying system is needed for your home. There are many different types available. Costs can vary dramatically, and should not be the only determining factor when choosing a system. Consider what it is able to remove, how much it costs to maintain, how often filters need changing. To keep your investment operating at its peak level follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The end result of purifying your household tap water should be a great tasting water that you enjoy drinking more of and healthier for you to drink. Treating the water should leave all the natural occurring trace minerals that are present that are beneficial to your body. The system you choose should therefore only remove the hazardous substances that harm your health.

Serious water connoisseurs do respect the quality of their preferred beverage. They treat it like it is a miracle, for it truly is!

Visit Water Filters for more information.

If your ducts are not cleaned regularly, you may be increasing your risk of suffering from the many symptoms and illnesses associated with indoor air pollution. Many types of pollutants and small particles can collect within the ducts that include mold, fungus, dust, bacteria and viruses as well as other outdoor pollutants, such as exhaust fumes, pollen and animal hair. The more these particles collect within the ducts, the higher chance you have of developing illnesses and symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality. If you have allergies, you are even more susceptible to the high concentration of contaminants that may be circulating within your home.

Poor indoor air quality can cause a variety of symptoms that include nausea, headaches, respiratory illness, congestion, eye and nose irritation, runny nose, trouble concentrating, malaise (generally not feeling well) and lethargy. It also increases the risk of contracting illnesses such as colds, flu and fungal or other infections. Indoor air pollution greatly contributes to the amount of severity of symptoms suffered by those with allergies and can even contribute to the development of new allergies.

Many times we do not think about the quality of air we air we breathe while inside our homes. However, the American Lung Association estimates that we spend anywhere from 60-90% of our time indoors. Usually, the pollutants and fine particles found within the air we breathe indoors are at substantially higher levels of concentration compared to the air outdoors. This makes those with allergies at especially high risk for the health problems associated with poor indoor air quality that may in part be attributed to the debris collected within our ducts.

Dust buildup is the most common cause of asthma and is also the biggest allergen within the home. The more dust buildup there is, the more dust mites there will be, which are true causes of dust allergies. The large quantities of dust mites that are found with collections of dust within your ducts and airborne dust particles are a major contributor to the allergy symptoms experienced by the vast majority people. It is hard to rid your house of dust and avoid the health risks of the allergic reactions attributed to dust mites if there is a large amount of dust buildup within your ducts. This dust is then circulated in high concentrations within your home and is breathed in causing a much higher risk of allergy symptoms and allergic reactions within the body.

Regular air duct cleaning is essential for clean indoor air quality and the reduction of the potential health hazards associated with indoor air pollution. It is even more essential for those that suffer from allergies to avoid the severe symptoms associated with them. Dust is the most common allergy, but many other allergens can be found in high concentrations within the ducts and in the indoor air you breathe including pollen, animal hair and fungus. If you do your duct cleaning regularly, you will find this will greatly reduce and even relieve the many allergy symptoms you are experiencing and will also reduce your chance for other indoor air pollution health risks.

For any bathroom, it truly would be an advantage if we could warm our damp towels on one of those wonderfully warm heated towel rails, and let them get nice and warm again. These genuinely useful bathroom accessories help to easily provide your guests and family with nice, warm, heated towels. Towel warmers are quite easy to put in and will help to make your bathroom look more appealing and trendy as well.

These days, there is a wide array of luxury towel warmers, designer radiators and heated towel rails sold, and these come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well. You could opt for those which have designs that are able to either hold several towels or hang one at a time. The towel rails available today also come in interesting shapes, colors and styles, ranging from classic-looking ones, to more modern and high-tech variants. With so much to choose from, it would help if you select one that complements your bathroom’s existing styles, and also fits well in your bath area. Generally, these bathroom accessories are crafted to work well with a home’s central heating system. These are also equipped with knobs and adjustment modes that help you regulate the amount of heat for drying your wet towels and clothes.

Basically, you could also opt for a plumbed-in or electric heated towel rail. According to home heating experts, a plumbed-in heated towel rail is more affordable, and this can easily be connected or plumbed into your current central heating system, just like any other type of radiator. However, you need to have in advance the proper pipe work in place, to enable its easy installation. A plumbed-in towel rail will only run whenever the central heating system in your home is switched on. Electric heated towel rails on the other hand, come equipped with a specially designed heating solution that needs to be connected to your electric power supply. This means that it will operate independently from the main central heating apparatus, and can be switched on or off depending on the weather or climate conditions in your area. An electric heated towel rail however, is considered to be more costly than a plumbed-in design. If you’re having a tough time deciding on which of the two are good for your bathroom, then you could opt instead for a dual-fuel heated towel rail. This variety operates just like any standard radiator, so when your home’s central heating system is on; it gets its power from it. However, during hot and damp seasons, you could opt to connect this to your electric power sockets. Dual-fuel towel heaters are widely popular these days.

For additional advice on installation and other heater options, it helps to ask for assistance from a professional heating engineer. This person could help you choose the appropriate models and designs, as well as advise you on helpful power-saving tips and guidelines. A heating engineer will also assist you in locating the best spot for positioning your heated towel rail. For example, if your electric, plumbed-in or dual-fuel heated towel rail serves only as a secondary heat source, the heating engineer could help you in properly wiring these, as well as in positioning the heater in such a way that it effectively heats up the room and does not pose as a fire or electrocution hazard. However, if the towel rail you buy will serve as your primary source of heat, then he could help you place it on the largest external wall of your bathroom for instance.

Currently, there are a lot of heated towel rail designs and materials to choose from. Consumers could opt for rails made from stainless steel or brass, although many opt for chrome towel rails. While most view brass to be a quite costly model, towel rail experts say that this type generally works well and is tougher than the stainless steel towel heater, since it does not easily corrode. There are also other heaters made from aluminum and cast iron, which help to create a more traditional look feel to the bathroom.