Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation. Previously, Amanda has worked as a technology strategist specializing in problem solving and ...

Dear Jim: We have teenage daughters who take long showers. Our water heating costs are sky high. We are on a tight budget, but want to use some solar water heating. Is there a do-it-yourself system we ...

Learn how to make solar water heater panels by building this thermosiphon outdoor shower system that can even water your greenhouse. A few years back, a friend donated a Sunvelope solar hot water ...

Q: Based on our water bills, my family uses lots of water and much of it is probably hot water. Is there a simple solar hot water system design that I could build myself? A: Heating water can account ...

The author uses a pump with a garden hose outlet to supply water to a mounted showerhead. Construct a simple, inexpensive rainwater shower system heated with an off-grid solar water heater. If you ...

Heating water is one of the most energy-consuming and costly household tasks. According to the Department of Energy, it makes up roughly 18% of a standard home's monthly energy budget. And if you use ...

Switch to solar with a system built for you. Solar water heaters work by absorbing sunlight in solar collectors and saving the heated water in a storage tank. Both active and passive solar water ...

If you want to refresh your backyard landscaping on a budget, a DIY fountain can be a delightful addition to your yard or garden. Attractive water features don't have to be difficult to make or ...

Stacy is a journalist and content creator with six years of experience writing about home improvement topics. Besides Forbes Home she has contributed her work and expertise to publications such as ...