Hot water tank upcycling!

As home owners are all too familiar with, utilities and our devices in our homes do not last forever. Some creative individuals are finding ways of reusing, or up-cycling, these housewares to reduce the waste being tossed into our landfills – even items like hot water tanks can be upcycled. You can see the photo of a great upcycle of an old water heater being turned into a Minion at a local home. Awesome!

Another handyman has turned his water heater into a great barbecue! By upcycling this heater into a barbecue, the DIYer saved the tank from becoming wasted, while also removing his need to purchase a brand new barbecue from a store. The full story can be seen here: http://www.littlethings.com/upcycled-water-heater-grill/

If you do get a new hot water heater, keep in mind that only some of them are already insulated. If you can feel heat when you touch the tank, it might be a good idea to get an insulating blanket for your hot water tank. The insulating blanket should cost around $50 at your local hardware store, and won’t take an hour for two people to install. Once installed, it could help you save up to 20% annually on your electric bill, and who doesn’t like saving money? For a great step-by-step guide, watch this video: http://energy.gov/energysaver/projects/savings-project-insulate-your-wat…

There are lots of great ways to upcycle our “garbage,” reducing the waste accumulation in our landfills. Old tires can become tire swings, flower beds and pots, and even Minion yard decorations as seen in this photo. Upcycling turns things into other things, which is kind of like magic!

For more great upcycling ideas, take a look at Green Schools NS Pinterest page at https://www.pinterest.com/coleman2689/upcycling/