DEAR HELOISE: I just bought my first house, and I need to learn how to take care of it now. Do I still need to drain my water heater? The former owners said that the heater was 4 years old, and they never drained the sediment in all this time.

— Ashly W., in

New Castle, Pennsylvania

Ashly, it’s a good idea to drain off the sediment and mineral deposits about once or twice a year. This helps protect the heating elements and efficiency of your water heater. By taking care of these things, you’ll also extend the life of your heater.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: My lovely white kitchen sink has stains that I can’t seem to get out. Do you have any hints for this annoying problem? I’ve read your column for several years in the Arizona Daily Star.

— Judy E.,

in Tucson, Arizona

Judy, fill your sink with warm (not hot) water. Pour in about 2 cups of bleach, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, after which you can drain the water out. If you have a stubborn stain, you may need to use full-strength bleach on a paper towel and place the paper towel on the stain for 10 minutes. Be sure to rinse the sink afterward to remove any leftover bleach.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: I use ginger root all the time in a number of dishes that I prepare for my family. Unfortunately, this slightly expensive item tends to dry out very easily. You have so many good ideas for cooking and storing food, so do you know how store ginger to keep it fresh for longer?

–Courtney S.,

in Peoria, Illinois

Courtney, here’s my favorite method for storing ginger root: First, peel and slice the ginger root, place it in a glass jar, and cover it with sherry or mild vinegar. (Rice vinegar always works well to seal off the air from reaching the ginger.) If you can manage to slice the ginger root thin enough, you can use a spoon to remove as much as you’d like or need for your recipe.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: I have a water dish for my furry pets, which features a big gallon-sized glass jar that sits on top of the water dish and automatically fills the dish up when it gets low. I have the dish in a location that doesn’t get a lot of light, so it was hard to see the water level in the jar.

My solution to the problem was to buy a nontoxic yellow ping-pong ball and put the ball in the jar when I fill the jar up with water. When I put the jar back on the water dish, the ball floats on top of the water, and I can see the ball from any place in the room. When I see the ball at the bottom of the jar, I know that it’s time to refill the jar so that my furry friends have enough water to drink!

— Jim C., in California