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Country Lifehome garden Tankless water heaters By Kathy Van Mullekom Daily Press (MCT) Perennials are the "come back" jewels in your yard, returning year after year to give you big- ger and better blooms, as well as eye-catching foliage. Many are beneficial for bees, birds and butter- flies. & Diggin' In: Perfect perennials Using water in the home is costly, especially if you're waiting for warm or hot water. With the water flowing and the amount of energy used to heat the water, there's a better alternative: a tan- kless water heater. tanked heater constantly sim- mers water, wasting energy anytime hot water isn't being used—including during the day when you're not home, every night when you're asleep and while you're away enjoying your vacation. An eco-friendly alter- A standard Sean Murphy Project Home native is a tankless water heater (also called an on- demand water heater). On- demand water heaters heat water only when you need it and never run out of it. As long as it has a contin- ual flow of water, a tank- less water heater will always heat it. Tankless water heaters can distribute only so much heated water at one time, though. So, it's important to select the appropriate tankless water heater to accommodate the number of hot water appli- cations (shower, dishwash- er, washing machine, etc.) you might use at any given time. venting this requirement. And if you opt for elec- tric, you won't need to upgrade your venting. T ankless heaters are smaller and last around seven years longer than standard tanked water heaters. They're also not susceptible to the rust and leaks a storage tank is, and can save you an average of 25 to 50 percent on your utilities bill. expensive, the units will pay for themselves—and then some—within a handful of months of use. Also, less energy is wast- ed, which is good news for you and Mother Earth. A tankless water heater is an environmentally friendly fixture that will be put to use multiple times a day. Just think how easy it'll be to save water and save money. Until next time, Happy Home Improving! Sean Murphy is a copywriter for Build.com in Chico. Visit the company's website for more home improvement tips at www.build.com. RED BLUFF Point-of-use heaters are designed to heat water within a single kitchen or bathroom, while whole house tankless water heaters can accommodate every outlet in the home. Two factors to consider before purchasing a tank- less water heater include fuel and location. Electric tankless water heaters eliminate the need to integrate gas supply lines to the heater. And gas-powered heaters are typically more energy effi- cient and can save more money on your utility bill. Finding the right place for the heater (indoors or outdoors) is also impor- tant. The farther the water needs to travel, the longer it will take to heat the water. If you have a large home and are concerned about unlimited hot water in any place within it, con- sider using multiple point- of-use water heaters so you have what you need, when you need it. imperative) rule, gas-pow- ered tankless water heaters installed inside the home need proper ventilation. Depending on your cli- mate's average tempera- tures and the model you've purchased, your tankless water heater could be installed outdoors, circum- As a general (and While they're initially more "A diverse perennial garden will provide nec- tar and pollen for insects with blooms all year, says Bruce Peachee, horticul- ture curator at the Vir- ginia Living Museum in Newport News, Va. For a multi-season perennial garden, he lists penstemon, wild columbine and bluestar for spring; coreopsis, rudbeckia, and bee balm for early summer; gayfeather, meadow beauty and silphium for late summer; and aster, goldenrod and mist- flower for fall. "In addition, many perennials like sunflower, coneflower and coreopsis provide food for birds when they go to seed," he says. MCT photo Rudbeckia maxima bears big blooms. consult your favorite gar- den center expert for advice. ALS PERFECT PERENNI- nials, like milkweed, that specific butterflies will lay their eggs on, and thus provide food for the developing caterpillars. When you shop for perennials, know your soil and light conditions so you can choose accordingly. "So many people get their heart set on a certain plant but they don't have the light in their garden to keep it happy and looking like the catalogue pic- tures," says Ann Weber, perennial specialist at Smithfield Gardens in Suffolk, Va. "They blame the plant if it doesn't bloom or the stems lean, when it's real- ly operator error." To avoid operator error in your perennial planti- ngs, consider these rec- ommendations. Remember, annuals can be perennials and perennials can be annu- als, depending on your growing zone. When in doubt or need, always Tehama County CONTRACTORS GUIDE DAILYNEWS 2012 TEHAMACOUNTY Magazine-size print and online Distribution through Spring, 2013 Licensed contractors only. If you're a licensed contractor In Tehama County, your business name, Lic #, phone and specialty will be listed at no charge advertising is available In this directory! To add information and stand out from the crowd, low cost DEADLINE: TUE, JULY 10 Call your Daily News Advertising Representative For further information! (530) 527-2151 "There are even peren- Salvia are great, espe- cially Hot Lips, which offers a long bloom time and is easy and reliable, according to horticulturist Bill Kidd at McDonald Garden Center in Hamp- ton, Va. Weber agrees, adding salvias are beneficial for bees and hummingbirds, especially one called Black and Blue. "Once they start blooming, which is usual- ly in June, they bear won- derful dark purple-blue flowers until at least December," she says. "Hummingbirds love this plant, and you don't have to mess with chang- ing a nectar solution every few days to see these incredible birds. Black and Blue is perfect- ly happy in full sun and accepts lightly shaded sites without leaning for the light." perennials at her home in Gloucester, Va. The over- sized rudbeckia likes full sun and moist soils, and features 9-inch-wide yel- low blooms. Kidd also recommends pineapple lilies, particu- larly Sparkling Burgundy with strong purplish leaves, and Brigadoon hypericum with a nice yellow color for part shade. For travelers who like to return home to healthy plants, he suggests Ascot Rainbow euphorbia. "I use it in a succulent combo planter that I never water – the perfect vacation plant that will be there when you come back," he says. a favorite with Denise Greene, who grows native Rudbeckia maxima is Saturday, June 23, 2012 – Daily News 3B "Butterflies enjoy the nectar and birds love the seeds," says Greene,. Newport News horti- culturist Kendahl Huber favors dwarf plumbago, or Ceratostigma plumbaginoises, as an excellent ground cover perennial. Its true-blue summer flowers last well into the fall, and then deep red autumn red foliage gives a good show, she says. It grows about 8 inches gall and should be planted about 2 feet apart; it tolerates drought once established and grows in sun. "A mass planting is quite striking," she says.