Don’t Panic — Here’s Why Your Car Ticks When It’s Cooling Down

I have a thermostat-equipped propane heater in my cabin, and I can always tell when it cycles off because the burner makes a ticking sound. The heater has no moving parts, so my conclusion is that the only source of the sound could be the metal of the burner as it cools down. I’ve also noticed — as you might have — that a sheet-metal roof makes clicking and snapping sounds as it cools after a hot day.

You might hear the same ticking sound when you stop your car and turn it off, and because it’s the same phenomenon, it’s usually no cause for concern. However, that isn’t the only type of ticking sound a car can make, and the ones it makes while you’re driving aren’t so benign. With the help of repair shop manager and automotive software developer Jon Vorisek, we’ll explain what these sounds might mean.

What Causes the Ticking?

The most common cause of ticking sounds is simple, says Vorisek: “Everything heats up while you’re driving, and when you stop, everything cools down. The exhaust parts, in particular, are prone to expanding and contracting due to heat. The contracting sometimes results in a ticking sound.”

Heat Expansion and Contraction

A car engine contains various metals that expand and contract at different rates. The various metals interact with each other as the engine cools and they contract, and although the movements are microscopic, they produce a phenomenon known as “slip-stick friction,” which works like this:

The metals, which are tightly bound together with fasteners, are held together by friction. Contraction creates tension that opposes this frictional force until the metals slip, releasing the tension and producing an audible ticking sound. Many familiar sounds rely on slip-stick friction, including violin musing, according to Penn State University. On a much larger scale — this is the phenomenon that produces tremors and earthquakes as the tectonic plates in the earth’s crust slip past each other.

Exhaust System Cooling

A car’s exhaust manifold and catalytic converter are subjected to extremely high temperatures when the car is running, and because they aren’t contained within the engine compartment, they cool down more rapidly than the engine. If you hear ticking and snapping sounds coming from underneath the car or from the rear when you stop the car, this is why.

Is the Ticking Normal?

“It’s very common,” says Vorisek. Most drivers have likely noticed light tapping sounds when stopping the car after a long trip on a cold, wintry day. Nothing to worry about. However, Vorisek continues: “If the sound is loud, or it’s happening when the vehicle isn’t cooling off, that’s more likely to indicate an issue.”

When Is Ticking a Concern?

When the car is in operation, the engine and exhaust system are hot, so there’s no thermal contraction to cause the normal ticking sounds. Pretty much any ticking sound you hear while driving could indicate a potential problem. They could, for example, be caused by a loose metal part rattling around or coming into contact with the cooling fan. If you don’t tighten that part, the metal could break free and damage the fan or other parts of the engine.

Less Common Causes of Ticking Sounds

Here’s a rare source of ticking sounds that turned out to be a serious problem. As I was driving downhill, I heard a light ticking from the engine, and at the same time, the dreaded Check Engine light started to flash. I went straight to the shop, and after inspection, it turned out that one of the spark plugs had shattered, and bits of it were rattling around inside the combustion chamber. That was the end of the engine, and I had to buy a new car. Beyond that, several other conditions can cause tapping when you’re driving.

• Valve ticking: This comes from the engine block, and according to the experts at 5 Star Auto Service, it’s usually caused by degraded or low-viscosity oil or a timing issue. You can usually ignore this unless it gets very loud, you smell gas or the vehicle’s performance is affected.
• Exhaust system: “You can have a heat shield come loose or an overheating catalytic converter,” advises Vorisek. “These can produce similar sounds.”
• Fuel injectors or the evaporation system: These can also make ticking sounds, and the sounds may continue for a short time when you turn off the engine. You can usually ignore this unless it gets very loud, you smell gas, or the vehicle’s performance is affected.

When To Visit a Mechanic

Ticking sounds when you stop the car are usually normal, but if they’re unusually loud, it’s best to have them checked out. If you hear the ticking sounds when you’re driving, they could be happening for a number of reasons, and most of the time, you can just keep on driving. However, you should visit a mechanic if any of these four things are true:

• You smell a foul odor, like gas or something burning.
• The ticking is getting progressively louder.
• The car is running roughly or using more gas than usual.
• You discover an oil leak.
• The Check Engine light comes on.

FAQ

What does it mean if the ticking happens while driving?

Vorisek answers this one: “It depends on the context of what the vehicle’s doing at the time. If it happens when you’re accelerating, then look at the engine or exhaust. If it’s when you’re braking, then look at the brakes or possibly suspension components. Vehicles have a lot of moving parts, and the same sound can have a lot of different potential causes.”

Does outside temperature affect the ticking noise?

As far as ticking sounds that occur after you stop the car, the answer is yes. In colder temperatures, the engine and exhaust cool down faster, and that increases the loudness and frequency of the ticks.

About the Expert

Jon Vorisek is the founder of Repair Surge, an automotive service information provider covering more than 10,000 vehicle models. He has over twenty years of experience in the automotive industry, beginning as a repair shop manager and later becoming an automotive software developer and SaaS startup founder.

Sources

• 5 Star Auto Service, Inc.: Why Does My Engine Make a Ticking Noise After I Turn It Off?; (2025)
• Pennsylvania State University: When two substances rub against each other, they frequently stick and then slip. The phenomenon accounts for the squeak of bearings, the music of violins and many other sounds of our daily experience; (1956)

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A Simple Guide to Finding Your Home’s Most Essential Systems

Main Water Shutoff Valve

The main water shutoff is a critical valve; in an emergency, you may need to turn it off quickly to prevent flooding. You usually find it where the main water line enters the house, says HVAC and plumbing expert Jordan Benjamin.

“Look along exterior walls, in the garage, or underground near the street in a covered meter box,” says Benjamin. In warm areas, this valve is often outside, but in colder climates, it’s usually in a protected place, such as a basement or utility closet.

The valve itself may have a round handle that you have to turn several times to stop the water, but in newer buildings, it often has a flat handle that you only need to turn 90 degrees.

Main Gas Valve

The main gas valve is even more critical than the water valve, and quick access to it whenever you smell gas can make the difference between a catastrophic explosion and a disaster averted. It’s typically located near the gas meter, says Benjamin. That’s usually outside, nestled up against the foundation, or in the basement. If your home doesn’t have a basement, and you can’t find the meter outside, look in a utility closet, in the crawlspace or under a stairwell.

Electrical Panel

The electrical panel is another one of those parts of a home that lasts for life, and in a modern home, it should be easy to find. Code requires it to be clearly visible, free of obstructions and easy to access. It may be on an exterior wall, in the basement or in a utility closet. If you’re having trouble finding it, note where the utility wires meet the roof and follow them along the wall until they reach the meter. Skip this step if you can already see the meter. The panel is either adjacent to the meter or on the opposite side of the wall. Wire is expensive, and electricians like to use as little as possible when connecting the meter to the panel, so they’re almost always close to each other.

HVAC System

The location of HVAC components depends on the type of heating and cooling systems in the house.

Gas and electric furnaces are usually in the basement or in a dedicated closet, but they could be in the crawl space or attic. If you’re having trouble finding yours, try cranking the thermostat up all the way to turn it on, then quietly walk around the house listening for the hum of the blower motor.

Central A/C units and heat pumps have two components: an indoor air handler and an outdoor condenser. The condenser is big and somewhat noisy, so it’s easy to spot sitting on a concrete pad next to the foundation (or sometimes on the roof). The air handler is often in the basement or a closet, but like a furnace, it could be in a crawlspace or in the attic.

If you have a mini-split system, there’s a condenser unit outside, and the wall units blowing cool or warm air into the house are the air handlers.

Water Heater

Water heaters can potentially be products that last for life, but 10 to 15 years is more typical. If you have a gas water heater, you definitely need to know where it is, so you can relight it if the pilot goes out. A tank-style water heater usually finds a home in the basement, the garage or a utility closet. A tank full of water is heavy, so it’s rare to find one on an upper story. On-demand water heaters are much smaller and, because they hang on the wall, they can be harder to spot. They’re often in basements, garages and utility closets.

• Pro tip: Once you know the location of your water heater, you can find your main water shutoff by tracing back the cold water inlet pipe.

Cooking Stuff

Aranda has this advice for organizing your cooking utensils. “In every kitchen, I organize using zone-based storage, meaning items reside based on usage patterns rather than availability.” The most used bowls, utensils, pots and pans, she says, should be most accessible. If you organize your kitchen this way, you’ll find it easier to locate, for example, the party-sized salad bowl you need for the big party tomorrow. It should be in the back of the cabinet, behind the bowls you use more frequently, or on an upper or lower shelf.

Bedding

Bedding storage should adhere to the same rules as kitchen storage, says Aranda, with the bedding sets currently being used being the most accessible. “Each bed’s set resides on its own shelf or designated area within the linen closet, identified so that any adult in the household can independently make their own bed without having to ask where any pieces are.”

What about seasonal duvets and extra bedding? Put them on upper shelves or under the beds if extra space isn’t available. “The rule is that currently used items must be immediately accessible — infrequently needed items require additional effort.”

Tools

Aranda identifies tools and home maintenance supplies as the category households manage worst. “All tools should live in one single dedicated location that every person living in your residence knows about,” she says. She calls this “tool central,” and it’s where you go to access your basic toolkit as well as maintenance supplies like light bulbs, batteries and small hardware. It’s also where your stepladder should be, so you don’t have to search for it in the middle of the night when a smoke alarm starts beeping.

Where is the best place for “tool central?” It can be in a closet, the basement or the garage. The most important thing, according to Aranda, is to tell everyone living in the household where it is. It’s also important to be consistent about putting everything you take from there back again.

About the Experts

• Jordan Benjamin is an HVAC and plumbing expert and the President of Done Rite Services, an HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical company in Tucson, Arizona. He has over two decades in the HVAC trade
• Isabella Flores is a cleaning expert and professional organizer associated with Sparkly Maid San Diego.

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9 Simple Ways to Bring Beautiful Birds Into Your Backyard

Hummingbirds

With their beautiful wings, pint-sized shape and fast, flitting movements, it’s no wonder hummingbirds are a bird watcher’s favorite. But they’re also great garden helpers, eating insects and pollinating flowers as they flit from one to the next for nectar.

To attract hummingbirds, focus on nectar-producing plants. “Hummingbirds don’t care about your berries; they’re sugar addicts,” Pliska says. “Plant nectar-rich blooms like bee balm and trumpet vine, and they’ll show up like clockwork.”

Black-capped chickadees

While chickadees are easily attracted to bird feeders, they also rely on caterpillars and insects to feed their young each spring. Plant trees that attract these essential insects, and the chickadees will follow.

“Plant keystone trees like oaks, birches and native cherries to host these essential insects and add willows and alders for nesting habitat,” Dellinger says. Provide seeds in the winter by leaving seed heads intact on coneflowers and black-eyed susan or keep bird feeders stocked with black sunflower seeds.

Cardinals

The male cardinal is favored for its brilliant red color, especially against a snowy winter backdrop. The best way to attract them to your yard is with berry bushes.

“Cardinals prefer a well-stocked winter berry buffet in your landscape. So, incorporate viburnum, winterberry and chokeberry,” Pliska says. These help keep cardinals fed during the fall and winter months. In addition, consider planting evergreen trees to provide year-round shelter.

American goldfinch

Known for the male’s bright yellow summer plumage, goldfinches are a welcome addition to any yard or garden. Attract goldfinches with native flowers that produce large seeds.

“Goldfinches want seeds, not berries. They will show up for coneflowers and sunflowers like it’s their favorite café,” Pliska says. They’re happy to forage from native plants or eat purchased bird seed from the ground below feeders.

Mourning dove

Many people enjoy the soothing, sad call of the mourning dove and want this peaceful bird in their outdoor spaces. To accomplish this, provide seeds, as these make up the majority of their diet. If purchasing bird seed, scatter it on the ground where they prefer to eat. Alternatively, plant native flowers like sunflowers, croton, ragweed and panic grasses that all produce abundant seeds that mourning doves enjoy.

Baltimore oriole

With their striking black and orange coloring and pretty, trilling call, the Baltimore Oriole is a much sought-after backyard bird. Like hummingbirds, orioles prefer sugary nectars and fruits.

Consider placing orange slices on bird feeders or putting out shallow dishes of seedless jelly. Orioles will find these irresistible. Alternatively, plant more native berry-producing bushes. “Native trees and shrubs like serviceberry, wild blackberry and native mulberries will make your yard a prime feeding destination,” Dellinger says.

Red bellied woodpecker

This non-migratory bird is only found in the Eastern U.S., but is highly prized for its unique appearance and entertaining behavior. They’re not picky eaters, and will forage for insects, seeds, fruits and nuts.

“Red Bellied Woodpeckers are the scavengers; they’ll happily dine on old crabapple fruit long after everyone else has moved on,” Pliska says. Favorite foods include fall fruits on hawthorn or mountain ash bushes and native flower seeds.

Eastern bluebird

Eastern bluebirds primarily eat insects in the warmer months, but will shift to berry bushes in the fall and winter.

Dellinger suggests focusing on native plants like goldenrod and aster in the summer that serve as host plants for the insects they eat. In the fall they will feed on native berry bushes like blueberry, winterberry holly, flowering dogwood, smooth sumac and black cherry.” This is one bird that is not enticed by bird seed, but will come to shallow dishes of mealworms.

Cedar waxwings

Loved for their attractive gray plumage and black mask, cedar waxwings are a joy to watch due to their energetic and social behaviors. Attract waxwings with berry bushes, their favorite.

“These beautiful birds are drawn to persistence berries on native shrubs,” Dellinger says. “Planting winterberry holly and native dogwoods is the best way to guarantee a visit from a flock.”

FAQ

What is the best time of year to start attracting birds to your yard?

“Seasonally, spring and fall are the most exciting times to attract birds because of the migration. This spring has been a total show at my home with the diversity of birds,” Pliska says.

Does the size of your yard affect what birds you can attract?

“When it comes to the size of a property, birds do not follow boundaries. Consider the entire neighborhood a habitat,” Pliska says.

About the Experts

• Shane Pliska is CEO and Biophilic Design Expert at Planterra, an interior landscape design company. Shane is also the founder of the Planterra Conservatory in Michigan, a glass-enclosed botanical garden and event venue. He’s also an avid bird watcher in his free time.
• Julie Dellinger is a marketing director and content creator at Garden for Wildlife, a National Wildlife Federation program that promotes native gardening education.

RELATED:

• 7 Reasons Why Your Houseplants Might Stink
• 8 Must-Know Tips to Drought-Proof Your Lawn
• Tired of Raking Leaves? Plant These Trees Instead

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Eagle Scout Projects That Will Inspire Your Next DIY Project

Maybe you’ve seen platoons of Boy Scouts cutting trails through the woods, or groups of Girl Scouts selling cookies. These days, they’re all part of one organization, Scouting America, which has roots that extend to 1908, when the original Boy Scout movement was founded by British cavalry officer Lord Robert Baden-Powell. One of the duties of an Eagle Scout, which is the highest ranking in the Scouting organization, is to complete an Eagle project that benefits the community.

The Scouting motto is “Be Prepared,” and Scout Law includes 12 precepts. Among other qualities, a Scout should be trustworthy, loyal, brave, cheerful and kind. A Scout should also be helpful, and that’s the main motivation for the Eagle project.

“Many of the Eagle projects I have seen are either small or incredibly easy,” writes Eagle Scout Jeremy Bullock on Quora. “However, in my years as a Scout, I have seen quite a few large projects that are rather impressive, some of which I have worked on myself.”

Let’s find out more about Bullock’s project as well as some other inspirational and award-winning Eagle projects.

A Handicap Ramp

Bullock’s Eagle project was to build a large handicap ramp for a local Masonic lodge. The project took him about two years to complete, so it wasn’t a small project, nor was it easy, as anyone who has built one would know. To satisfy code, a handicap ramp must have adequate support and a gentle enough angle to allow helpers to push wheelchairs uphill and prevent wheelchairs from losing control going downhill.

Bullock financed the project himself by selling engraved bricks. To commemorate the project, he set the bricks in cement at the end of the ramp.

A Mobile Food Pantry

Jackson Davis, of Troop 77 in Port Richey, FL, noticed that the local food pantry distributing frozen food and canned goods to low-income families and people experiencing homelessness needed help. The personal cars being used to bring food to the distribution point in a parking lot weren’t big enough to feed everyone. What they really needed was a bus, and Davis devoted his Eagle project to securing one.

Working on it for two years, and raising $16,000 in the process, Davis transformed an old school bus into a mobile food pantry. Since then, the bus has serviced thousands of people. His efforts earned him the 2023 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year (ESSPY) Award.

A Tiny House

Tim Maron from Eagle Scout Troop 300 of Hobbie, PA decided to build a tiny house for his Eagle project, and it earned him the 2020 ESSPY Award for the Northeast Region. Maron, who has grandfathers, uncles, and cousins who have served in the military, said he wanted to give back to veterans who had served selflessly only to come home to poverty and homelessness.

Tim funded the project through community donations and a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation’s Veteran WINS program. Once the necessary $55,000 was secured, he supervised a team of volunteers composed of Scouts and Scout leaders from the community, Wells Fargo and local contractors. It was a big job, but he says that doing it for a cause in which he believes made it much easier. Plus, he learned a lot about what goes into constructing a house in the process.

Food for Haiti

Jamesly Jesse of Troop 85 in Moweaqua, IL, won the 2025 ESSPY award by raising more than $35,400 to buy food for the hungry in Haiti, his country of birth. He raised the money by giving presentations to 10 community organizations and producing a video which, he says, proved very helpful. He then organized volunteers to pack over 100,000 meals of rice, beans, dried vegetables and other nutrients to ship to Haiti.

When he was two years old, James survived the catastrophic 2010 Haiti earthquake that killed 220,000 people, including his parents. He spent the next year in a makeshift hospital before being adopted by an American couple who brought him to Illinois. The motivation for his Eagle project was to give back to the food-insecure Haitian people, especially those in the hospital in Milot, Haiti, where he was nursed back to health.

A Playground and Meditation Area for a Women’s Rehab Center

Apara Sai Jella, a member of girls’ Troop 36 in Danville, CA became the first female Eagle Scout to receive the ESSPY award in 2022 when she oversaw financing and construction of an outdoor meditation area at Project Pride, a women’s residential rehab center in Oakland, CA. The purpose of her Eagle project was to give women a place to relax and be with their children during rehab.

Apara raised money with a GoFundMe page, researched and bought the materials she needed, and organized a crew of 25 volunteers. Together, they built both a meditation area, which consisted of new sod, a garden and a gravel circle, and a playground that featured a mural, wooden benches constructed by the crew, and painted hopscotch and racetrack games. Women at the center were very appreciative and sent her written letters of gratitude. Thanking her family and friends who helped her, Apara said: “More than ‘my Eagle project,’ this is ‘our Eagle project.’”

Sources

• Quora: What is the most impressive Eagle Scout Service Project you’ve heard of?; (2019)
• Scouting Magazine – Aaron on Scouting: Eagle Projects of the Year; (2026)

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• What Do Shoes on Power Lines Mean?

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How Homeowners Are Funding Renovations Amid Rising Costs and Sinking Budgets

Whether it’s needing to manage repairs, refresh your space, or expand it due to life changes, renovations are a huge commitment. And in a time where everything seems to be getting more and more expensive, it can often feel like even the necessary updates are out of reach.

Houzz recently released the findings from their 2026 Renovation Trends survey where they looked at what kinds of updates homeowners are making compared to previous years, as well as how much they’re spending and how exactly they’re financing these changes. So if you’re trying to budget for your own renovations, read on to see what other homeowners have been doing.

Key Findings

First and foremost, the Houzz study found that “home renovation activity is continuing at levels seen in recent years.” 54% of homeowners reported renovating, 52% reported decorating, and 47% reported taking on repairs. The median spending is also holding steady, sitting at around $20,000. High-end spending, however, has increased. The study found that the 90th percentile is “rising to $150,000 in 2025, up by 7% from $140,000 in 2024 and in line with the prior peak in 2023.”

Houzz also noted that “the median planned renovation spend stands at $15,000 in 2026, compared with $20,000 in 2025.” So homeowners are taking on roughly the same amount and kinds of projects, but expecting to spend less on them than in previous years. Time is still a key factor in when to start upgrades, with 40% of homeowners- a statistic that has stayed consistent year after year- saying that it is one of the “triggers” that gets them started. But “financial readiness edged up to 36% from 35%.”

Budgeting for Renovations

If you’re at a loss for how folks are affording these renovations in this economy, don’t worry. You’re not necessarily falling behind just because you might not be able to finance these same kinds of upgrades. According to the Houzz survey, 34% of homeowners are financing their renovations with credit cards. Additionally, when it comes to budgets over $50,000, many homeowners “turn to diversified funding sources,” with 23% using home equity loans and 20% using cash from a home sale.

Many homeowners are deviating from their budgets as well. Houzz reports that “while three-quarters of homeowners (75%) set an initial budget, nearly 2 in 5 (37%) exceeded their set amount in 2025.” Only some of this overspending is due to the unexpected costs that come with projects of this scope. Houzz found that 35% of homeowners go over-budget because they “consciously select higher-end materials than initially planned,” and 31% “expand the scope of their project mid-renovation.”

Source

Houzz & Home Study Renovation Trends, Houzz, 2026

RELATED:

• 7 Signs You’re Over-Decorating
• 18 Cheap Decor Ideas That Look Expensive
• 14 Traditional-Style Home Decor Ideas That Are Still Cool

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Smart Ways to Save Water During a Drought Warning

For those of us living in western states, water conservation has taken center stage as droughts force water restrictions in many towns. But even if you’re not facing literal drought conditions, using less water is also a cost concern. Water bills across the country have risen an average of 24% since 2019.

Luckily, there are a lot of ways to save water — and most of them require very little effort. For example, “We often think we need to rinse dishes before adding them to the dish water,” says sustainability expert Marcus Griswold, who runs the website Little Green Myths. “But this wastes as much as 6,000 gallons of water a year.”

Here’s how to figure out where your water is going, plus ways to up your water conservation at home.

Understanding Your Water Usage

If you want to see how much water you use during a typical day or week, look at your water meter. “The average person uses 82 gallons of water a day at home, so you can use this as a baseline,” says Griswold.

To learn how much water a specific appliance uses, check the owner’s manual. You can also calculate the gallons per minute that your shower and other fixtures use by timing how long it takes to fill up a gallon jug.

Fixing Leaks and Reducing Waste

Even small leaks can waste a major amount of water. “Homeowners often don’t realize that fixing them can save way more than shortening their showers by a few minutes,” says plumbing expert Caleb Caviness of AryCo home services. “And most can be fixed with $10 in parts and 15 minutes of DIY work, so not fixing them is literally like flushing money down the drain.”

For example, a faucet that drips once per second gives up 3,000 gallons over the course of a year, while a leaky toilet flapper can waste 200 gallons a day, says Caviness.

To check for hidden leaks in your home and irrigation system, don’t use the water for at least two hours and see if your water meter still goes up. If it does, it’s time to start hunting for that leak. Also, ask your insurance company if they provide a leak monitoring service.

Conserving Water In the Bathroom

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• Turn off the shower while lathering up.
• Use a timer to keep track of shower length.
• In non-efficient toilets, put a brick or full water bottle into the tank to reduce water volume.

Conserving water also helps save money on your power bill. “It takes a surprising amount of energy to pump, heat, treat and move water, so simple steps can add up,” says Kate Colarulli of CleanChoice Energy.

Conserving Water in the Kitchen

• Use the dishwasher, which can save upward of 2,400 gallons a year compared to handwashing.
• Simply scrape the food from your dishes instead of pre-rinsing them. Modern dishwashers are designed to work this way.
• Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it.
• When you do hand wash, plug the sink, so you’re not running water continuously.

Conserving Water in the Laundry Room

• Wash towels less often.
• Wear clothes more than once.
• If your washer doesn’t have a load-size sensor, run only full loads.

Conserving Water in the Yard

• Plant native plants, which require less water and fertilizer. “Native plants also provide vital habitat for wildlife and pollinators, promoting a healthy ecosystem,” says Colarulli.
• Swap some or all of your turf grass for native grasses and other low-water landscaping designs. It’ll also save you from having to mow.
• Water early in the morning, so less evaporates.
• Install a rain barrel to collect runoff water, which can then be used in the garden.
• Consider these other tips, too.

Water Efficiency Upgrades

Upgrading to low-flow shower heads and faucets is an inexpensive way to significantly boost water conservation. An even cheaper and easier solution is to install high-efficiency faucet aerators, which run between $5 and $15. “If you can unscrew a lightbulb, you can do this,” says Caviness. “They’ll reduce your facet’s flow by about 30%, without making it feel like you’re washing your hands under a leaky straw.”

Dual-flush water-efficient toilets are a more expensive upgrade, but they can save thousands of gallons a year. They cost between $150 and $300, and are DIY-able for those with basic plumbing knowledge.

Outside, it’s not too difficult to DIY install a smart irrigation controller. They cost between $100 and $250, and adjust water flow based on precipitation and soil saturation.

More expensive upgrades include energy and water-efficient dishwashers and washing machines. The latter can save about 30 gallons per load, says Griswold.

Daily Habits That Reduce Water Usage

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. “It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’ll save around four gallons of water every time you do it,” says Caviness.
• Time your showers.
• Turn off the faucet while doing the dishes.
• Find ways to reuse water, other than pouring it down the drain. For example, “You can dump boiled water onto dishes to soak and pre-rinse, or use cleaner boiled water to water plants once it has cooled down,” says Griswold.

FAQ

What is greywater, and is it safe to reuse?

Greywater is water that’s already been used in the shower, washing machine and sinks (but not your toilet). Since it just contains soap and some dirt, it’s generally safe to use in toilets and for lawn irrigation, but not for drinking water or watering root vegetables. If it has a low amount of soap, it can also be used to water plants. Just be sure to use it promptly, to prevent bacteria from growing in it, says Caviness.

Do water-saving appliances really make a difference?

Yes, they significantly reduce water usage. For example, an Energy Star dishwasher uses less than four gallons, while handwashing can consume upward of 20; and an efficient washing machine uses about 10 gallons, compared with 40 on older models. “Over a year, the upgrade pays for itself,” says Caviness.

About the Experts

• Marcus Griswold is a sustainability expert, and runs the website Little Green Myths, which is focused on evaluating key questions around sustainability science and consumer goods.
• Caleb Caviness is the general manager of AryCo, a plumbing, HVAC and electrical services company in North Texas.
• Kate Colarulli is chief strategy officer at CleanChoice Energy.

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Ever Wonder About That Extra 9/10 on Gas Prices? Here’s Why It Exists

Whenever I talk about the price of gas at the pump, I make the mistake of ignoring the 9/10 tacked onto the number I see on the sign and assume a price that’s one cent lower than the actual price. Most people do that, because the fraction is written in small print and seems insignificant when you’re talking about prices in the range of $4-$6 per gallon. It wasn’t insignificant back in the 70s and before, however, when gas cost less than $1 per gallon.

Gas stations aren’t the only places you see fractional pricing; retailers of all kinds do too. Setting the price for an item at $24.99 instead of $25 (for example) tricks consumers into thinking the price is less than it actually is. There’s an element of that in fractional gas prices, but it’s a bit more complicated. So why did gas stations use this pricing then, and why do they do it now? We checked in with fuel management specialist Eliot Vancil and automotive journalist Michael Satterfield to find out.

The Quick Answer

An obvious reason for fractional prices is that it makes money for the retailers. “A single station which fills 300,000 gallons monthly is getting a yearly increase of more than $32,000 on that one sub-cent increment,” says Vancil. “Retail margins are low, usually five to 15 cents per gallon of regular unleaded. So that fraction is not a rounding quirk. It is an intentional line margin which most customers will never consider to inquire about.”

Customers never enquire about fractional prices because the practice has been around so long, and at this point, is probably based on habit. Consumers just expect 9/10 pricing for gasoline, and stations rounding up to the nearest cent could face backlash. This actually happened. Twice.

According to Advancing Convenience & Fuel Retailing, the state of Idaho banned fractional pricing in 1985, and levied a $100 for doing it. That ban was repealed four short years later. In 2006, a retailer in Palo Alto, CA began setting prices without the 9/10 addition as an experiment, advertising $2.99 per gallon instead of $2.999. Some customers assumed he had rounded up the price. Others had a different question: if he had reduced the price, why didn’t he reduce it more? In the end, because of the loss of the extra 9/10 cent in revenue, this experiment ended up costing the retailer about $23 a day, based on 2,500 gallons sold.

Where Did 9/10ths Pricing Start?

Pricing to 9/10ths of a cent is known as mil pricing, which goes back to the Coinage Act of 1792. A mil is 1/1000th of a dollar (a cent is 1/100th; mil, cent…get it?), and mil pricing is still common for property tax assessments, stock issuances and utility bills.

Mil pricing for gasoline began with the Revenue Tax Act of 1932, which established a 1/10th-cent (one mil) per gallon excise tax on gasoline, which has subsequently increased to 18.4 cents per gallon. During the Great Depression, gas prices fluctuated from 20 to 30 cents a gallon, and in some places they were as low as 10 cents a gallon. Adjusting prices up and down by a full cent amounted to a 5 to 10 percent change in the price of gasoline, so to calm customers’ nerves, retailers made adjustments in mils rather than full cents.

Why Gas Stations Still Use it Today

“Initially,” says Satterfield, “mil pricing was just the gas stations passing on the cost of the new tax without raising gas prices by a full cent. The industry just never got away from it; today, it’s a psychological play, just like the $1.99 vs $2.00 in retail.” The practice really took hold in the late 1950s with the development of the Interstate system. Gas stations along major highways would advertise the price in 9/10 of a cent, and drivers speeding by would look only at the first two numbers.

In 1971, President Nixon instituted freezes on prices and wages, and a government-mandated formula set fractional gas prices like 0.3 or 0.6 cents. This proved unpopular with the public, and 9/10 pricing returned. It has been the rule ever since in the United States, where gas is sold by the gallon. In countries that sell gas by the liter, such as Canada, it’s more common to see prices with fractions like 0.3 and 0.7 cents, because the fractional rate has more of an impact on the final price when you buy gas in smaller quantities.

Why Not Just Round To The Nearest Cent?

The main reason for 9/10 gas pricing is probably psychological marketing. $2.999 sounds cheaper than $3.00, and rounding up to the nearest cent could drive customers away. Beyond that, the extra 9/10 of a cent tacked onto gas prices is a source of revenue for retailers, who typically have very thin profit margins.

FAQ

Why is gas one of the only things priced in fractions of a cent?

The fact that fuel is, as Vancil explains, the only consumer product in the United States to be highly priced below the cent, goes back to the Revenue Tax Act of 1932. That Act established the excise tax that established the practice of mil pricing for gasoline and not for any other consumer goods. Curiously, adds Vancil, that Act was never intended to be permanent.

Could gas stations legally drop the 9/10?

No federal law prevents gas stations from pricing in full cents, but for reasons already discussed, stations are reluctant to do it. They would lower their profit margins and lose psychological advantage of fractional pricing.

About the Experts

• Eliot Vancil is CEO of Fuel Logic LLC, a Dallas, Texas-based company specializing in comprehensive fuel management solutions, including delivery of various diesel types and gasoline nationwide.
• Michael Satterfield is an award-winning journalist, branding expert, and founder of The Gentleman Racer — a leading online publication covering automotive culture, travel, and lifestyle.

Sources

• Advancing Convenience & Fuel Retailing (NACS): Why Gas Is Priced Using Fractions of a Penny; (2025)

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