What if you could save money, breathe cleaner air, enjoy enhanced safety and comfort in your home all while improving your overall peace of mind for a relatively small investment? Let's look at why HVAC preventative maintenance is such a good idea. Save money: Regular HVAC maintenance is estimated to lower the chance of [...]
Washing machines are a tremendously helpful modern appliance that reduce time spent washing clothes and are quick and efficient household appliances. However, as with any appliance or component in a home, they can fail or need repairs. Since they are directly connected to the distribution water supply, leakage at a washer can cause a [...]
Gas appliances are common in many homes and provide warm air through furnaces, hot water through gas water heaters, and other appliances such as gas clothes dryers. However, unlike electric appliances, gas appliances require combustion air in order to operate properly. If an adequate amount of combustion air is not provided, this can cause [...]
Air conditioners and heat pumps are connected to the interior evaporator and condenser by a line set, also known as refrigerant lines. These copper tubes move refrigerant in a cycle through the compressor, condenser, and evaporator providing cool air (or warm air if a heat pump is used in heating mode). While this system [...]
An often overlooked part of a home’s HVAC system, except for during the hot summer months, is the air conditioning compressor. This usually looks like a large vented metal box containing a fan which spins and blows air around the compressor on the exterior of the home when the thermostat is set to cooling [...]
Ground-fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, are safety devices that are put on electrical outlets, also known as electrical receptacles. They're also located on extension cables, circuit breakers, and other electrical equipment. When the low-resistance grounding route from a tool or electrical system is broken, a ground fault occurs. The electrical current may then take [...]
For most people buying a home, it is usually one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime. The price to purchase a home does not only include the purchase cost but there are also costs for maintenance and repairs that should be considered. Many homes may look like they are in good condition, but [...]
Modern building standards have several requirements regarding egress in a home. All bedrooms and finished basements that do not have a door to the exterior should be equipped with properly sized egress windows. Egress windows are meant to permit the home’s occupants to escape during a fire and to allow a fully outfitted firefighter [...]
Plumbing vents are an essential part of a home’s DWV (Drain Waste and Vent) system. They supply fresh air to the plumbing system in the home, which helps with proper water circulation. Additionally, plumbing vents create an avenue for toxic sewer gases to leave home. One of the most common defects we that we [...]
Water heaters are essential for all homes and generally require less maintenance as compared to other major appliances such as furnaces and air conditioners. However, water heaters that are not monitored can eventually leak and cause disastrous conditions. The average life expectancy of a water heater is approximately 6-12 years. Many homes contain water [...]
